Siemens VAI Metals Technologies (Linz, Austria):

Pfatschbacher T., Dr. Eng., Head of Competence Center Mechatronics
Tratnig M., Fr. Eng., Development of Products, Iron and Steel Making
Sedivy Ch., Dr. Eng., Product Manager, Steelmaking
Lang O., Dr. Eng., Innovation Manager Mechatronics
Meisel J., Head of Robotics,
Hlobil H., Dr. Eng., Product Manager, Rolling
Turner T., Mag. Eng., Marketing Mechatronics, thomas.turner@siemens.com

At present time, classic measuring and testing equipment is going to be subjected to serious changes in the field of its usage in iron and steel industry. It is planned to replace single and autonomous measurements by complete integration in the technological process. Siemens VAI has plans to put into practice and development intellectual mechatronic systems that will be indispensible part of general automation facilities of the production process. It is observed, that such intellectual mechatronic systems are often used at present time instead of classic measuring and testing systems at metallurgical plants, providing higher technological efficiency and quality of products. The paper presents review of chosen up-to-date technical solutions and prospective innovations, from liquid steel making to production of coated steel strip. The systems of gas analysis at metallurgical plant, optical measuring devices and robotechnics for steelmaking shops, facilities for control of state of continuous casters required to provide sufficient quality of steel products and quality of cut chamfers of steel strip are observed in details, as well as problems of optimization of the technological cycle are examined. Temperature measuring in a tundish using robotechnics, monitoring of rolling mill technological parameters, on-line contactless measuring of steel strip properties, development of new steel grades using annealing simulators are investigated in details as examples.