ABB Value Provider wins order for rolling mill DC drive solution

DC drive specialist Iconsys is set to deliver a bespoke drive upgrade solution comprising two 12-pulse drive suites from ABB for a UK steel mill’s payoff and tension reels, used to feed and recoil steel strip through a production line.

A customer in the metals industry has chosen ABB drives for an upgrade to its rolling mill. The work is set to be carried out by ABB Value Provider iconsys, and is expected to be commissioned in 2023.

The scope of the project includes two bespoke 12-pulse DCS880 drive suites for DC motors powering the customer’s payoff reel and tension reel, on a steel strip rolling mill. Each reel has two 500 HP rated motors connected in series with 375-volt armatures. The drives include top-mounted bespoke three-phase busbar assemblies enclosed in bespoke IP2X cages, to enable the reuse of the existing supply cables, while the DC Motor cables had bottom cable entry.

Iconsys was chosen to deliver the project based on its extensive knowledge of installing DC drives for applications in the metals industry, and in particular its experience with 12-pulse configurations. Once completed, the drives will utilise the DC880’s STO feature, improving the safety of the reels when in operation.