The contract was completely negotiated and concluded via digital media, due to travel restrictions. Commissioning of the two lines is scheduled for 2022.
The two annealing and coating lines for electric steel strip will expand the annual production capacity of fully-finished non-grain-oriented electric steel strip with high silicon content at the existing production location in Hebei province by 360,000 t. In both lines, the internal microstructure of the cold rolled material will be adjusted during the annealing process and the material then be provided with an insulating layer. The steel will mainly be used for the production of motors and generators to meet the increasing demand for efficient and effective electrification in China.
Due to its magnetic properties, electric steel strip, also called silicon steel strip, is widely used in electrical engineering. With its advantageous magnetic properties, it contributes to improve the energy efficiency in electrical systems and thus helps to save resources. In non-grain-oriented strip, the grain orientation is irregular so that the material features isotropic properties. It is therefore used in rotating machines such as electric motors and generators. The material is especially used for electric vehicles, where high-quality electric steel strip determines the efficiency of the drives.
_{(Source: SMS group)}