During the aluminum rolling process, it is sometimes necessary to either partially or fully anneal the sheet metal in order to adjust the microstructure and ensure to the formability of the final sheet product. In this interview, Piotr Skarbinski, managing director, SECO/WARWICK Aluminum Solutions, discusses the annealing process and the benefits of the company’s Vortex® annealing technology.
Skarbinski began his professional career in 1988 as a project engineer Elterma. He joined SECO/WARWICK in 1990 as a project engineer for atmosphere furnaces, and was promoted to atmosphere furnace team leader in 1995. In addition to these responsibilities, he worked with both the Aluminum Process and Incinerator product groups. In 2000, he assumed responsibility as director of the Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB) team in Europe and, in 2006, he became the CAB Global product leader.
What solutions do companies choose when seeking alternative and more efficient systems for annealing aluminum coil and foil?
Currently, in annealing processes, as well as generally in thermal processes in this broadly understood industry, what counts is the equipment effectiveness in achieving high production efficiency with reduced energy consumption — and associated with this, a reduction in fugitive emissions. For years, nozzle heating systems have been used in these applications, allowing for the quick heating of coils through their outside surfaces.
The important element of the SECO/WARWICK solution includes an advanced control system that enables users to obtain the required precision annealing temperature in the shortest possible time. Another important element is heating uniformity throughout the coil.
The Vortex annealing furnace is a technology frequently chosen by the industry. What does this technology success result from?
Vortex technology combines the advantages of nozzle systems yet still achieving very high heating uniformity and temperature control precision. The required process profile requirement is achieved, and the process time is reduced to a minimum.
What does the issue of production quality look like?
The ease of obtaining the required production quality confirmed by metallographic research execution is the key to the Vortex technology success. We have customers who have various solutions for coil annealing in their plants. Customers declare that the most demanding processes where the highest precision is required are performed in our furnace with the Vortex system.
Vortex is famous for its proprietary bypass coolers. What exactly is this innovation about?
The bypass cooler is an optional system that can be installed in the Vortex furnace if the customer intends to cool the load before unloading it from the furnace. Most of the cooling system solutions available on the market require a foundation excavation, or pit, for the atmosphere circuit main channel. In the recently developed and already implemented solution, this excavation is not required. The complete furnace requires only a flat, respectively durable floor. This contributes to the customer’s cost savings.
In what industries are aluminum coils currently produced? What type of industry can benefit the most from Vortex technology?
Of course, we direct our product to all aluminum manufacturers of flat rolled products, and therefore aluminum rolling mills, regardless of the manufactured alloys and industries for which they are intended.
How many pieces of this type of equipment have you sold so far and to what companies?
So far, over 30 furnaces based on the Vortex system design have been implemented. They operate mainly in Europe, but also in Asia and North and South America. Our customers are among the aluminum industry leaders, including Novelis and Assan Alüminyum. These customers have continued to cooperate with us for years by ordering subsequent equipment based on satisfying results from earlier projects.
Assan Alüminyum from Turkey has 17 aluminum annealing furnace lines equipped with Vortex technology. The company is a world leader in the production of aluminum products using the continuous casting method, operating dozens of SECO/WARWICK solutions. In order to increase production capacity, the company has once again decided to purchase our Vortex technology, equipped with an innovative nozzle heating system for annealing aluminum rolled strip.
According to Murat Akkaş, senior manager, Execution, Investment Projects from Assan Alüminyum, “The SECO/WARWICK solutions are the technologies that provide the highest quality, precision, and reliability for aluminum heat treatment. The premium quality also applies to service. We greatly appreciate the professionalism and integrity of both people and solutions, as evidenced by our long-term cooperation.”
In addition, the Vortex solution has been in operation for a few years at Novelis Germany, which uses Vortex for heat treating aluminum products that are used in architecture, such as cladding materials for façades of residential, public, and office buildings or as panels for ceilings and walls. Eric Tonkowski, managing director, Novelis Germany, noted, “We produce high-quality materials that are used by very demanding industries, where innovation, customer focus and the continuous quest for sustainable development is the everyday goal that defines the Novelis brand. To keep this promise, we work with the best companies like the SECO/WARWICK Group, which is known for delivering innovative solutions for the heat treatment of metals.”
Are you planning further solutions for the aluminum industry?
Absolutely, in the field of coil annealing, we are at the final stage of developing the Vortex 2.0 system. The aim is to develop an even more efficient system while maintaining the advantages of the current one. The project included three phases: computer simulations to select some of the most promising solutions, tests on a laboratory stand, and final tests in a furnace conducting the annealing process. This type of R&D project was necessary due to the very high process test cost in the furnace. We are currently in the technological trial phase, and the results are very promising. We have obtained a patent claim for the new system.
Another example of a recently developed solution is an oil afterburner capable of working with annealing furnaces whenever oil is released after rolling the coil. The afterburner system reduces VOC emissions to the level required by local regulations.
It is worth adding that aluminum is an extremely plastic and light material, resistant to corrosion and many chemicals. Perfect parameters of aluminum sheet enable its use for manufacturing various types of products and semi-finished mill products. Aluminum is used in the aerospace, automotive, and machinery industries. Also, the construction sector uses aluminum sheet made with alloys characterized by high corrosion resistance and good forming ability. The ship building industry also has many applications for this alloy. Aluminum is certainly a crucial material for the development of many sectors.
Like our customers, we think aluminum replaces other conventional metals, in particular, in modern state-of-the art products. The automotive industry, with the dynamically growing share of aluminum, is at the forefront of replacing conventional metals.