WISCO issues FAC to SMS group for hot strip mill modernization in Wuhan

by David Fleschen

Wuhan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (WISCO), a leading Chinese steel producer and part of the China Baowu Steel Group, has awarded the Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) to SMS group for the successful modernization of its hot strip mill No. 2 in Wuhan. The upgrade project focused on automation enhancements and advanced strip control technologies to boost efficiency, precision, and product quality.

Originally delivered by SMS group in 2003, the 2,250-millimeter-wide mill produces up to 4.8 million tons of hot strip per year. It features a flexible production setup capable of handling slab thicknesses from 230 to 250 millimeters and strip widths ranging from 700 to 2,130 millimeters. Final product thicknesses range from 1.2 to 25.4 millimeters, allowing the production of a wide range of steel grades.

In the most recent upgrade phase, SMS group replaced and upgraded the X-Pact® Profile, Contour and Flatness Control (PCFC) system, which calculates optimal setpoints for key actuators such as the Continuously Variable Crown (CVC®) rolls and work roll bending units. The new PCFC model improves strip geometry and process stability and was implemented in shadow mode during live production. Commissioning was completed within four weeks.

Additional upgrades included the installation of new CVC® roll blocks in finishing stands F1 through F7. This technology enables precise axial shifting of specially contoured rolls to fine-tune the roll crown and gap profile. When combined with PCFC, it significantly improves strip flatness, profile control, and tolerance consistency.

The modernization builds on a series of earlier SMS group upgrades carried out between 2013 and 2024. Key milestones include:

  • 2013: modernization of downcoiler No. 3

  • 2018: CVC® bending systems added to stands F4 and F7; new spindles for roughing stand R2

  • 2019: new descaler for the finishing mill

  • 2024: new bending and shifting systems for stands F1–F3 and F5–F6; PCFC upgrade for the entire finishing train

With the FAC now signed, WISCO confirms that all project objectives have been met. The modernization further strengthens WISCO’s production capabilities and global competitiveness, while underscoring SMS group’s role as a long-term technology partner to the steel industry.

Source and Photo: SMS Group