When should an existing ERW Tube Mill Production Line be Upgraded?

While an ERW tube mill can produce pipe for years, it does not necessarily mean that the production line will perform well for years. An older machine can begin to fall behind with changing customer demands and growing production goals. The small problems that were once easily dealt with can impact output, product quality and maintenance expenses over time.

Upgrading existing ERW tube mills is not always an easy choice for tube manufacturers. A complete line replacement may be expensive and maintaining obsolete equipment could lead to issues in the long run that have a higher cost.

Well, when is the best time to upgrade? The solution is typically more evident if you examine your existing production line.

1. There is no longer a supply of goods to meet the demand.

The first indicator will be a difference in the planned production and actual production. You may be selling more tubes, but your current line may not be able to keep up with the demand in the given time frame.

It is not always the speed of the mill that is the problem. The final yield can be impacted by material feeding, welding, sizing, cutting or handling. If production line one part consistently slows down the rest, the production line could be in need of an upgrade.

While considering a choice, find out where delays are experienced. A change of one machine may be sufficient to boost overall output while maintaining all other machines.

2. Maintenance Costs continue to rise.

Maintaining any industrial machine is a part of its operation. Repeated equipment breakdowns, repeated parts replacement and longer repair times, though, may mean that the equipment is nearing the end of the line as far as use is concerned.

As the electrical wiring and equipment ages, mechanical parts may start to wear out, and controls might become obsolete. There could also be a delay in sourcing spares which can further delay production.

Don't make your decision about maintenance costs based on a single repair, but rather based on several months of maintenance costs. When costs continue to increase and downtime occurs more frequently, it may be worthwhile to consider the upgrade of selected parts or the entire line.

Last but not least, tube quality has become challenging to maintain.

In the process of making tubes, it is very important to ensure a good product quality. Tube customers want tubes to be consistent in the size, surface finish and welding requirements from one production order to another.

If settings are continually changing to achieve acceptable results, then the equipment could be in need of attention. Deterioration of the rolls, lack of strip alignment, poor welding conditions, or inaccurate sizing and cutting operations can create problems.

To resolve these problems, an upgrade may be needed, but you have to identify the real cause of the problem. A worn tooling or machine alignment problem can be solved by replacing the worn tooling or improving the machine alignment. More extensive changes may be required where the existing system fails to achieve the required production standards.

4. Changing of Play Takes Too Long

Different sizes may require different settings, rolls, other tooling changes for manufacturers to switch between different productions. With each slow change over, valuable production time is lost.

This is especially evident if a customer orders smaller quantities with different specifications. An older production line will need more manual tuning than a modern production line.

Better tooling set up, faster changeover systems, and new controls can help lower changeover time. Prior to upgrading, determine how often size changes are needed, and the amount of production time that is required. This will help to determine the viability of the investment to provide a viable benefit.

5. The energy use is more than anticipated.

Many tube production plants have an high cost of electricity. Old motors, poor drive efficiency and poor equipment maintenance can all result in excess energy use.

But if the electricity bill is high doesn't necessarily mean that the tube mill should be replaced. Other factors impacting energy usage include production volume, machine operating hours, machine settings, and maintenance conditions.

Begin by comparing the electricity use with the amount of saleable production. If the energy per tonne of finished tubes still is high after the implementation of correct maintenance and process changes, a more efficient drive or electrical system upgrade might be worth investigating.

6. Your Product Range is growing.

A successful production line for a small number of tubes may not be suitable for a new product that a business wants to produce.

You might have to create various tube diameters, wall thickness, and/or profiles to meet the needs of new customers. All of these changes can put increased strain on forming, welding, sizing and cutting machines.

Prior to receiving new orders, consider if existing mill can meet required specifications safely and consistently. If it has limited capacity, a possible solution is to increase the capacity of the necessary parts, so that the company can offer more products without having to buy a new line.

7. Manual operations are slowing down production

In manufacturing, there will be unavoidable manual effort but the additional amount of manual effort from the operators could affect the speed of manufacturing and consistency of it.

Production errors can also occur more often when manual adjustments are made frequently and repeated measurements are taken, and when monitoring is limited. Depending on the design of the line, these difficulties may be reduced by new controls, new sensing systems or cutting and handling equipment automation.

The aim should not be to automate all activities just because new technology is available. Concentrate on activities that repeatedly lead to delays, inconsistencies in quality, or an excessive workload.

When to Upgrade the entire line or just specific equipment?

An upgrade doesn't necessarily mean that the entire production line of ERW tube mills must be replaced. For many, it's more realistic to begin with a specific improvement.

Inspect condition and performance of individual sections (forming mill, high-frequency welding system, sizing equipment, cutting system and electrical controls). Know what factors are limiting production and if they can be combined with the current set up.

Before selecting a solution, it's important to verify compatibility, installation requirements, expected downtime, and future maintenance needs are also important factors to consider. Comprehensive tube mill machine evaluation by a seasoned tube mill equipment provider can assist you to assess the choices.

Final Thoughts

The proper time for an ERW tube mill upgrade is when the current production line is incapable of efficiently, consistently and economically meeting the production requirements. It's time to check how it's working if maintenance expenses are increasing, if it keeps having to be shut down, if there are quality issues, or if product needs are shifting.

Instead of waiting for a “big break down,” keep a close check on production, maintenance, energy usage, and quality data on a regular basis. All of this information can be useful in recognizing issues early and making improvements that will be disruptive as little as possible.

Taking the time to plan the upgrade can enable manufacturers to use their current equipment to their best advantage and get ready for future needs.