SMS group's Technical Service receives follow-up order from Mahshahr Pipe Mill Company

In 2016, an interdisciplinary team of specialists from SMS group and MPM conducted an audit aimed at inspecting the current maintenance status of the large-diameter pipe mill located in Mahshahr, not only in terms of compliance with applicable standards but also against known benchmarks. Overall, the assessment included areas such as production, maintenance, management, administration, and compliance with occupational health and safety regulations. A comprehensive service and modernization contract has now been agreed based on the list of recommendations compiled by SMS group following the audit.

“The modernization and maintenance concept devised by SMS group will not only provide us with premium technology, but also with sustainable growth. This is a significant future-oriented step that will enable us to safeguard our competitiveness and increase our production performance,” says Ehsan Shahrokhi, Purchasing & Procurement Manager of MPM.

The service and modernization concept developed by SMS group is tailored to MPM’s specific plant parameters and requirements and includes, for example, the overhaul of the complete pipe welding equipment. Digital PERFECT arc® welding power sources are to be used for the welding units. These work with insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power electronics and regulate the welding current by fully digital means. As a result, the level of efficiency attained by the welding units is over 90 percent.  Depending on the working point, energy savings of up to 30 percent can be achieved compared to older welding techniques. What’s more, productivity can be increased by up to 20 percent, with process stability remaining at consistent levels throughout.

As well as the welding equipment, both X-ray testing units are to be replaced, so as to ensure maximum pipe quality while boosting the output capacity of the overall plant.

Also the entire hydraulic control system is going to be replaced. The aging MX4 hydraulic control system is being replaced with a latest-generation Indra Motion MLC L75 control system.

The plant will also be equipped with the new SHAPE automation system, which controls the forming process based on a continuous calculation of the optimum forming parameters. This minimizes any potential negative influences from the starting material and will support the operator. The SHAPE technology developed by SMS group provides our customers a competitive edge in terms of quality compared to conventional systems.

As part of the technical assistance agreement, the entire large-diameter pipe mill in Khuzestan will be examined for faults and disruptions, which will be eliminated successively. This entails not only identifying the necessary spare parts but also optimizing production sequences. In order to achieve its ambitious future goals, Mahshahr Pipe Mill Company is also investing in the know-how of its employees. SMS group is going to provide numerous on-site training courses.

Over and above this, SMS group’s Technical Service team will be assisting MPM with the deployment of an effective maintenance organization, aimed at improving preventive maintenance measures to improve the availability of the plant and the quality of the finished products in the long run. To this end SMS group is supplying IMMS®, an integrated maintenance management system. IMMS® is a combination of tried and tested software and valuable information, building on decades of maintenance experience. In order to create a reliable basis for an effective maintenance organization, the entire MPM plant will be mapped and all technological parameters integrated. Each component subject to maintenance will be clearly marked and coded (plant tree) in order to ensure targeted and purposeful maintenance approach as well as cost-effective management of the large-diameter pipe mill.

“Once all the measures stipulated in the contract have been imple­mented, we will be in a position to guarantee the same level of plant performance as in case of a newly built plant. With its willingness to invest, MPM is making a significant contribution to the further development of the country. With our service and modernization concept for MPM, we are doing our bit to enable MPM to profitably produce and supply pipes and tubes of premium quality,” says Oleg Vilents, Maintenance Consultant at SMS group.

Mahshahr Pipe Mill Company, a subsidiary of Sadid Industrial Group, is a leading manufacturer of pipes, primarily intended for use in gas pipelines with diameters ranging between 24 and 56 inches and wall thicknesses of up to 35 millimeters. Thanks to the use of state-of-the-art technology, MPM is a well-established player not only in the domestic market, but also in the Middle East and internationally. Visit us at Tube and Wire in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 16 to 20 April 2018.

The service and modernization concept developed by SMS group is tailored to MPM’s specific plant parameters and requirements.