Atlas Tube HSS Process Walkthrough

This is a step by step process walkthrough of how Atlas Tube transforms steel coil into Hollow Structural Sections, a result of a series of operations including forming, welding and sizing. Watch the video to see how we make HSS!

Strip Preparation

The strip preparation section is designed for the shortest possible coil joining times, constant strip tension and precise strip alignment and thus ensures the stable operation of the tube welding line. In the cross-welder, the ends of the coils are cropped, precisely aligned and welded together. Simultaneously, a hole is punched in the center of the strip indicating the cross-weld position to be detected later at the front of the tube mill.

Accumulator

A continuous production process is ensured by the use of the horizontal spiral strip accumulator which bridges the standstill time in the strip preparation section during the welding of the coil ends.

Preforming

This section is designed in such a way that the least possible number of rolls have to be changed during size changes. The edge bending section serves to preset the strip edges for proper presentation to the welder. All roll movements are controlled by the computerized quicksetting system. In front of this section the hole punched during the coil joining process at the cross-welder is detected and this information is tracked and transmitted to the cut-off where the cross-weld is removed.

Straightedge Forming

In the straightedge forming section, the preformed strip is homogeneously shaped into a round cross-section. This is performed by two roller beams arranged in pairs in two sections behind one another. Again all roll and beam movements are controlled by the computerized quicksetting system.

Fin-Pass Stands

The fin-pass stands are constructed as a 4-roll design. All are equipped with rapid roll changing thanks to horizontal pushing out and in of the whole roll chock assembly. All roll and assembly movements are controlled by the computerized quicksetting system and roll locations are displayed on the operators screens.

1200 kw High Frequency Induction Welder

The high frequency induction welder serves to heat the two strip edges to a molten state prior to entering the squeeze stand.

Squeeze Stand

The 5-roll squeeze stand, is also equipped with a computerized quicksetting system ensuring high precision positioning of the weld rolls for proper alignment of the strip edges during the welding process. The outside scarfer is equipped with two scarfing tools which can be adjusted independently. The patented inside scarfer is equipped with a bead chopper to produce short chips in order to ease I.D. bead removal in the bundling area.

Air/Water Cooling (150ft in length)

In order to remove the heat induced into the tube during the welding process, the tube is first cooled in air to reduce thermal shock then prior to entering the sizing/squaring stands is cooled with water.

Sizing

Sizing or squaring is performed in the 4-roll stands. These stands are particularly suited to precision sizing of round tubes and to profiling of square and rectangular hollow sections. All roll assembly movements are controlled by the computerized quicksetting system and roll locations are displayed on the operators screens. Straightening of the tubular sections is performed in a universal turks head with rolls that never change. Precise plane- parallelism of the longitudinal sides of rectangular hollow sections with extreme wide side to narrow side ratios is ensured by the use of cambering stands.

Product Identification Area

For cross border products, the stamping system continuously marks "CANADA" on the tube and an ink jet marking system codes each tube with "Atlas Tube, Made in Canada," and includes specification, heat number, size, date and time of manufacture.

Travelling Milling Cut-off

The travelling milling cutter operates with two carbide tipped cut-off blades. The cut-off ensures a very high precision in regards to length and quality of the end cut for tubes of all dimensions and wall thickness. Standard lengths from 20'-63' are produced with lengths exceeding 63' up to 80' treated as special orders.

Computerized Automated Bundling and Packaging Machine

Capable of handling tubes from 20 to 63 feet in length directly from the mill line, the computer operated system builds bundles to mill weight and size specifications and then bands, drains and transports the completed bundles to the warehouse for storage or direct loading to trucks.

Quick Change System

Extremely short changing times are achieved using a combination of the "in-line" and "off-line" systems. The "in-line" system consists of the rolls, roll chocks and the change car. The chocks with the "old" rolls are pushed out of the stationary mill stands by use of hydraulic cylinders. The change car is then indexed over one position and the "off-line" prepared chocks with the "new" rolls are then pulled into the stands. Set according to stored values in the computerized quicksetting system, all operations are fully automatic.