The integration of “Trim Rob” within Hyundai Steel’s Dangjin facility is a collaborative effort between Primetals Technologies and Polytec, a global leader in robotic solutions.

“Leveraging robots is critical to the steel industry,” says Ravindra Goyal, Head of Process for Primetals Technologies USA. “With ‘Trim Rob’, Hyundai Steel is able to significantly reduce repetitive strain injuries (RSI) while moving operators to higher-value work.”

Traditional coil trimming and sampling require two to four operators per shift working with manual cutters to precisely trim the head and tail of every coil. With coils forming approximately every minute at temperatures upwards of over 1,000°C, the work is fast-paced and dangerous. Accidents can happen, and maintaining finished product quality is challenging.

Primetals Technologies’ “Trim Rob” consists of a vision system and specialized trimming-end effector tool. The vision system is sophisticated enough to count rings, recognize tangles and overlaps, and use onboard logic to complete trimming and sampling tasks without human intervention.

The factory acceptance test at Hyundai Steel’s Dangjin facility confirmed “Trim Rob” meets agreed-upon benchmarks for increasing cycle-time repeatability. The robot handles wire rod up to 20mm in varying grades and strengths. It always cuts at least the required amount – either exactly the target or one additional ring for metallurgical reasons – never less than the target. This applies to all wire sizes from 5.5mm to 20mm.

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