• New equipment ensures increased lifetime and reduced maintenance needs
• Tilting drive fully tested before shipment, resulting in streamlined on-site assembly
• Emergency drives secure full availability, even in case of power outages

South Korean steel producer POSCO has chosen Primetals Technologies to supply a new tilting drive for LD converter (BOF) No. 3-2 at its plant in Pohang. The new equipment went into operation at the end of June 2024. Primetals Technologies was responsible for engineering, manufacturing, supply of equipment, advisory services, and training of on-site personnel.

Shipped as One 110-Ton Piece

The Primetals Technologies team chose to manufacture, test, and inspect the tilting drive at a workshop in Milan, Italy, before transporting it to the Genoa harbour and shipping it as one 110-ton piece to South Korea. As a result, on-site pre-assembly times were significantly reduced.

The new tilting drive features Primetals Technologies’ optimized gear-tooth profile, hardened gears, and increased housing stiffness, all of which allow for higher torques. Additionally, POSCO will benefit from a reduced need for maintenance and increased equipment lifetime compared to the previous implementation. Primetals Technologies also installed pneumatic emergency drives to ensure full availability of the tilting drive, even in case of power outages and other unforeseen events.

A Strong, Collaborative Relationship

POSCO and Primetals Technologies have built a long and successful relationship, showcased by numerous converter projects over the years, some of which have included special converters such as KOBM for improved steel quality. In 2017, Primetals Technologies supplied another tilting drive for LD converter (BOF) No. 1 at the Gwangyang plant. 

With an annual capacity of 42 million tons, POSCO exports a wide range of steel products, including hot-rolled sheets, plate, wire rod, cold-rolled sheets, galvanized sheets, and stainless steel, to numerous countries across the globe. POSCO supplies steel products to major industries, including automotive, shipbuilding, construction, energy, and home appliances. 
 

The new tilting drive from Primetals Technologies on its way to South Korea as one 110-ton piece.