A steel industry rolling mill is a complex organism. OK…maybe it’s not an organism in the strictest sense of the word, but it is complex and it acts like it has a mind of its own. All of the moving parts from the motor through the main drive gearbox, the pinion stand through the gear couplings, and then finally to the roll stand must all work in complete unison. If any one of them acts up, it affects everything else including the product. And if that weren’t enough, most of the mill stands in existence were built decades ago and the demand for thinner, stronger material can push them beyond their capability.
So, how does one keep all of these moving parts working together? How can you meet the new demands of your customers with older equipment? The answer is that you rely on someone like Xtek to analyze and improve the entire system. That’s what we mean by a “holistic approach”.
A Holistic Approach to Meeting New Steel Mill Challenges
Xtek is a machined and heat-treated parts manufacturer that can manage any heavy industrial manufacturing or production equipment need. We meet the needs of companies in a wide range of industries, providing new and reconditioned industrial gearboxes, replacement gearing, crane wheels and assemblies, gear coupling, universal joints, and mill rolls. Xtek understands steel mill manufacturing and it shows in the breadth of our product offering.
One of the most critical roles we play in today’s market is to help steel mills meet the demands of a new manufacturing era. Rising fuel costs, environmental concerns, and higher end product performance expectations are forcing OEMs to significantly change product design. Steel mills are subsequently being pushed to develop stronger steel at a lighter gauge.
While steel mills know they must adapt to new manufacturing demands, the process is complex and daunting. A steel mill upgrade can mean enlisting the services of an engineering firm as well as a host of individual component suppliers. As a uniquely qualified machined and heat-treated parts manufacturer, Xtek eliminates this burden. In addition to our manufacturing capabilities, our engineering team draws upon over 50 years of empirical data and hands-on experience. We offer comprehensive single-source engineering and manufacturing services that will transform a steel mill operation, equipping it to meet 21st century manufacturing challenges.
Xtek Holistic Approach Advantages
Simply put, being a single-source industrial components manufacturer means that we can cover every machined and heat-treated parts need as an expert that thoroughly understands the entire drivetrain. Our team has expertise in the development of specific parts along with the knowledge and experience to understand how those parts work in concert to perfect drivetrain operation. This combination allows us to offer our customers some very distinct advantages as a manufacturing partner.
Xtek is more than a manufacturing company. We are a team of engineers with the skill and expertise to access industrial manufacturing needs, design and rate a custom drivetrain, and properly manufacture the individual components for optimal performance. For your rolling mill applications this means that we can first assess the capability of your current mill stand, design for the new horsepower requirements you may have, and then manufacture all components including the main gear drive, the mill pinions, the geared couplings and the cold mill rolls, to achieve the required results.
Our experience serving the comprehensive needs of our steel mill customers means we are not only able to provide the required components, but we are also able to provide the assurance that the new part will perform equal to or greater than the OEM components and will exceed your expectations.
Are you interested in learning more about how a holistic approach to rolling mill upgrades can benefit your operation? We are looking forward to discussing your project! Contact us today!