Guillotine side trimming shear machine: A case study of plate mill in Bhilai steel plant

TLDR: In this article, the authors describe the problems faced by the steel industry as well as the necessary steps which should be taken for improvement of the productivity of STS machine and also it has made contribution to Bhilai Steel Plant by its growth and prosperity.

Abstract: Article history: Received 6 October, 2015 Accepted 23 April 2016 Available online 24 April 2016 Double-sided trimming shear machine is used for longitudinal both–sided trimming of steel plates and simultaneous scraping of trimmed edges at specific length. Side trimming shear (STS) executes the most vital role in increasing the productivity of plate mill and due to its feature, efficiency of plate mill division is enormously increases. In general, frequency of the occurrence of breakdown in STS machine is a most challenging task when STS performs side trimming and scrap cutting machining process. Bhilai Steel Plant (Steel Authority of India at Bhilai) in India is continuously facing a problem due to breakdown of STS machine. The use of separate knife for side trimming and scrap cutting reduces the possibility of scrap jamming which is a major reason for breakdown of STS machine. Researchers and practitioners also suggest the use of arc guillotine shear for side trimming and straight guillotine shear for scrap cutting for minimizing the breakdown in STS machine. The aim of this study is to describe the problems faced by the steel industry as well as the necessary steps which should be taken for improvement of the productivity of STS machine and also it has made contribution to Bhilai Steel Plant by its growth and prosperity. The methodology of study is purely qualitative and the results point out the problems, its implications, steps taken to improve the overall productivity of Bhilai steel plant. © 2016 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.