Welding Alloys recently completed a pinch-roll cladding project for a steel producer in Mexico, supporting reliable operation in a hot-rolling production line. The work involved the repair and hardfacing of the upper and lower pinch rolls used in the rolling line.
Pinch rolls play a critical role in the hot-rolling process to guide and control the steel strip as it moves through the production line. Operating under high temperatures and mechanical loads, these components are exposed to severe wear. To maintain performance and production efficiency, effective wear protection and regular refurbishment are essential.
The project involved refurbishing and cladding both the upper and lower pinch rolls. Each roll underwent a carefully controlled repair and cladding process designed to restore the rolls to the required template while improving wear resistance.
The process included inspection and preparation of the roll surface, followed by pre-machining and non-destructive testing. After preheating, multiple welding layers were applied using Welding Alloys hardfacing consumables to rebuild and clad the roll surface. Post-weld heat treatment and further inspection ensured the integrity of the cladding, before final machining, hardness verification and dynamic balancing prior to returning the rolls to service.
The cladding solution included Welding Alloys consumables, combined buffer, build-up and wear-resistant layers designed to perform in the operating conditions typical of hot-rolling steel production.
Operational monitoring of the refurbished rolls has delivered very positive results. Measurements taken before and after production campaigns demonstrated minimal wear despite processing significant volumes of steel. The upper pinch roll showed only minor wear after processing more than 110,000 tonnes of steel, while the lower roll maintained excellent performance after handling over 300,000 tonnes.
These results confirm the effectiveness of Welding Alloys’ solutions in extending component service life while maintaining the dimensional stability required for reliable steel processing.
Welding Alloys continues to support steel producers with repair and cladding solutions that help maintain production reliability and extend the service life of critical components.
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