Beijing, China – December 2025 – Shougang Group, one of China’s largest steel producers, has successfully deployed ABB PM864AK01 3BSE018161R1 Processor Modules to upgrade the control system of its cold rolling mill in Beijing. The upgrade addressed legacy processor issues including poor tension control, slow fault diagnosis, and limited integration with automation tools. Six months post-deployment, the mill has achieved a 40% improvement in rolling efficiency, a 75% reduction in fault diagnosis time, and a 25% decrease in product defects—significant gains for high-volume steel production.
The Challenge: Legacy Processors Hinder Cold Rolling Efficiency
Shougang’s Beijing cold rolling mill produces 1.5 million tons of high-quality steel sheets annually for automotive and construction industries. The mill’s control system relies on processors to regulate inlet/outlet tension, roll speed, and thickness, with precise control critical to product quality. Legacy processors installed in 2015 struggled with these tasks, leading to inconsistent tension and frequent product defects.
Before the upgrade, operators adjusted inlet tension 18 times and outlet tension 12 times per shift, increasing labor intensity and errors. Fault diagnosis took 4-6 hours per incident, leading to 20-25 unplanned downtime events per year and 80+ hours of lost production. The legacy modules also lacked integration with the mill’s automation platform, requiring manual data entry and limiting process optimization. Product defects stood at 3.2%, costing €1.2 million annually in rework and scrap.
“Cold rolling requires precise, consistent control to produce high-quality steel,” said Wang Wei, Mill Manager at Shougang Beijing. “Our legacy processors made this impossible—frequent adjustments, slow fault diagnosis, and no automation integration kept us from reaching our efficiency goals. We needed a processor that could handle complex tension control and integrate seamlessly with our automation tools.”
The Solution: ABB PM864AK01 3BSE018161R1’s Control Precision and Integration
After a 10-week evaluation of processors from ABB, Siemens, and Mitsubishi, Shougang selected the ABB PM864AK01 3BSE018161R1 for its advanced control capabilities, fast diagnostics, and open integration. The deployment followed a phased approach: first, a pilot on one rolling line during maintenance; second, training 40 engineers and operators on module programming and fault diagnosis; and finally, full rollout across three rolling lines over four months with ABB’s on-site support.
Key features of the ABB PM864AK01 3BSE018161R1 that solved Shougang’s challenges include:
- Precise Tension Control: Equipped with advanced PID control algorithms and fast processing, it maintains consistent tension with ±0.1% accuracy, eliminating manual adjustments and reducing errors.
- Fast Fault Diagnosis: Built-in diagnostic tools and real-time data monitoring reduce fault diagnosis time to 30 minutes, 92% faster than legacy modules, minimizing downtime.
- Open Integration: Supports PROFINET, MODBUS, and OPC UA protocols, integrating seamlessly with Shougang’s automation platform and eliminating manual data entry.
- Flexible Programming: Compatible with IEC 61131-3 programming standards and ABB’s Control Builder M, enabling custom control strategies tailored to cold rolling needs.
The Results: Efficient, High-Quality Steel Production
Six months post-deployment, the ABB PM864AK01 has delivered impressive results for Shougang:
| Metric |
Before Deployment |
After Deployment |
Improvement |
| Rolling Efficiency |
50 Tons/Hour |
70 Tons/Hour |
40% Improvement |
| Fault Diagnosis Time |
4-6 Hours |
30 Minutes |
75% Reduction |
| Product Defect Rate |
3.2% |
0.8% |
75% Reduction (€900K Annual Savings) |
| Annual Unplanned Downtime |
80+ Hours |
32 Hours |
60% Reduction |
“The ABB PM864AK01 has revolutionized our cold rolling operations,” said Wang Wei. “We’ve cut manual work, reduced defects, and boosted efficiency—all while producing higher-quality steel. This module has become the backbone of our automation system.”
Li Ming, ABB’s China Sales Manager for Steel Industry Solutions, added: “Steel mills need processors that can handle the precision and speed of cold rolling. The PM864AK01’s control capabilities and integration features make it ideal for this application, and Shougang’s success shows its impact on efficiency and quality.”
