Cost Reductions Through Life Cycle Improvements

More than 15 years ago, a 160 in plate mill was experiencing significant maintenance problems with its descaling pumps; the typical mean time between repairs was only 6 to 8 months. Some rebuilt pumps even failed on start-up.

Descaling is one of the more severe, but critical, services in a steel mill. The pressures are high and the rapid changes in flows and pressures severely impact the pumps. At the same time, the pumps' performance can significantly impact the quality of the steel produced.

Improvements to these pumps were implemented in various phases over several years. The path was not always straightforward and required close cooperation and teamwork between the aftermarket service provider and mill personnel to implement various upgrades. Click here to read more.