Research, testing and scientific technical simulator

Tender description

Swansea University requires a Hot Dip Process Simulator to replace the existing machine which is unable to process modern steels, in particular complex automotive grades. The intention is to award a contract for 1 648 350 EUR to SURTEC Research Europe GmbH as the only company who design, build and develop hot dip process simulator. Their propriety designs found all over the world, within steel plants and academic institutions. No other company make these units. A Hot Dip Process Simulator (HDPS) is an instrument that allows researchers to simulate the continuous hot dip galvanising process as it occurs in coil coating plants all over the world. Key points are; A steel sample is heated a controlled rate in a range of atmospheres to anneal a cold worked steel specimen (typically 200 mm by 100 mm with thicknesses ranging from 0,2 mm to 1,2 mm) to anneal the sample and prepare the surface for hot dipping. The HDPS is able to simulate the heating and cooling rates found in industrial plants. Careful temperature control and atmosphere control is required. The HDPS is able to first heat he steel in an oxidising atmosphere before quickly changing to a reducing atmosphere with a controlled and measured dew point (ranging between +80 and -80ºC). Once the steel has been annealed (headed to temperatures above 800 ºC, as high as 1 100 ºC) it is dipped automatically dipped into a bath of liquid metal (typically zinc based). This is done within the HDPS and within the controlled atmosphere. It should be possible to alter the dew point of the HDPS chamber to a more positive number to simulate the wet snout practice used in continuous galvanising lines. The steel is held in the liquid metal for a programmable amount of time before being withdrawn through a set of gas knives used to control the coating thickness. The knives blow heated gas through a slot of a known thickness at a known pressure and distance from the steel specimen. The user should be able to programme the HDPS to go through the heating, cooling, changes in gas atmospheres, dipping dwell time and coating weight from an associated and dedicated PC. Safety systems should be in place to prevent explosions, fires and damage to the HDPS.