The plant operates a number of units for processing rolled products  – both in the cold-rolling shop and in the hot-rolling shop. They provide cutting, edge processing, and preparation of steel products to meet the needs of both domestic and external consumers. One of these units – Slitting Unit-4 in the hot‑rolling shop – has recently undergone modernisation. 

Slitting Unit‑4 is designed for cutting hot‑rolled coils into strips. Before the modernisation, the structural limitations of the coiling unit did not allow the processing of coils weighing more than 8 tonnes without their preliminary splitting. At the same time, the plant’s main customers – both export and domestic – order coils weighing more than 10 tonnes, with products of double weight accounting for around 95%. 

Vitalii BOIKO, Head of Capital Construction and Investment Department: 

"Slitting Unit‑4 had a technological limitation – the unit did not allow for the high‑quality processing of double‑weight coils, which today are the standard for most customers. As a result, additional operations were required, which complicated the production process and affected the quality of the finished products. We set ourselves the goal of eliminating this bottleneck and adapting the unit to current market requirements. We have upgraded the coiling unit, which has enabled us to switch to processing coils weighing up to 16 tonnes. As a result, we have not only removed the technical limitation but also laid the foundation for improving the efficiency of the related production stages."

As part of the project, Slitting Unit‑4 has undergone modernisation of the scrap removal trolley and the pinch‑roll unit. The hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders of the coiling device were also replaced. The erection and commissioning works on the unit were carried out directly by the department’s employees in cooperation with the contractor "Etalonbudservice".

Zaporizhstal allocated UAH 5.3 million for the modernisation of Slitting Unit‑4 in the hot‑rolling shop. The implementation of the project delivers several benefits at once. Firstly, the plant is expanding its product portfolio, as it now has the capability to produce a greater variety of strip sizes. Secondly, processing quality is improved: Slitting Unit‑4 now performs coil edge trimming, which reduces the amount of product with the ‘torn edge’ defect.