AC tube mill and drive control system

AC vector drive technology, which has been used successfully in the paper industry, has not caught on in the steel industry. Atlas Tube in Harrow, Ontario has installed the first major tube mill (converting flat rolled steel coils into welded tube of various shapes) using this technology. The project has shown that AC drives are technically and commercially feasible in a tube mill application, as well as more generally in any steel processing line. This technology holds the promise of reduced maintenance costs, greater reliability, and higher energy efficiency for the metals industry. This paper discusses the company that chose this architecture, the vendors who developed the system, and the technical and managerial challenges of executing the project. The characteristics of the new system are generally described, along with the advantages and disadvantages of the architecture.<>