Wire rod mill upgrade at Gerdau Cosigua showcases artificial vision to optimize shear cutting

Gerdau Cosigua has contracted Russula for an electrical and controls upgrade of rolling mill #2, which will take place in two phases. The scope of the first phase is from the reheat furnace to the laying head.  Obsolete drive and control equipment be upgraded with new drives, PLCs for optimal mill control and an HMI supplied by Russula along with new remote IOs.

This project showcases Russula’s advanced digitalization innovations through the implementation of artificial vision cameras that optimize shear cutting in the wire rod mill. The AV system measures the shear cuts automatically and adjusts the cut length to minimize metallic losses thus improving mill efficiency.

In June 2024, the kickoff meeting for phase 1 took place on site at the Gerdau Cosigua plant in Sant Cruz, Brazil. The second phase covers the furnace combustion and all the equipment in the coil cooling and handling area is scheduled for 2025.