Tisco decided to invest in the production of grain-oriented (GO) silicon steel grades with high permeability (HiB) to meet local market demands for electric generators and transformers. Having partnered with Fives for more than 25 years on contracts, Tisco trusted Fives to deliver on this highly challenging project.
Fives was chosen to design, supply and commission two complete lines, namely: decarburising and coating line (DCL) and flattening and coating line (FCL), each with 80,000 t of annual capacity. The lines will process steel with less than 3.5 % of silicon content, with strip thickness between 0.15-0.5 mm at the full strip width of 1,280 mm.
The project, which is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2021, includes:

• Engineering and project management to enable Tisco to set up its own silicon production process
• Complete terminal equipment, comprising entry and exit coil handling sections, accumulators and strip transportation
• Annealing furnaces, which are key process equipment for both the DCL and FCL
• A longitudinal inductor for the thermal section of the DCL
• Surface treatment, including a degreasing section and a magnesium circulation system for DCL, and cleaning & pickling sections for FCL.

High permeability silicon steel

Silicon steel (also known as electrical steel) production allows to obtain specific magnetic properties, resulting in low power loss per cycle, low core loss, and high permeability. This product is suitable for various electrical applications, such as the production of transformers, generators, inductors, motors and electric cars. It is extremely challenging to produce.
The production process requires a number of different technologies to follow stringent thermal process requirements. The thermal section proposed by Fives features:

• Strip handling process design to avoid strip surface defect
• The best available technology for furnace atmosphere management, including proprietary seal gates and analysis systems for high H₂ and wet/dry atmospheres in order to reach the required properties of silicon steels
• The proprietary AdvanTek® combustion system, which is best-in-class for environmental performance
• Induction heating technology to reach higher temperatures to boost strip performance capabilities.

This contract marks the continuation of a long-running, strong relationship between Fives and Tisco. In recent years, Fives has delivered to Tisco seven DMS 20Hi cold rolling mills and nine processing lines for both stainless and silicon steels.
_{(Source: Fives)}