During the summer stop, AIC in collaboration with Acciaierie Venete have completed the modernization of the profile stacker control and handling, installed at the factory located in Mura. The existing automation before revamping was in operation since 2001, when AIC with a similar operation had replaced the old Orsi PLC with a General Electric PLC. With the current project, in addition to replace the GE 90-30 PLC with a new Rockwell Automation GuardLogix, AIC supplied three new cabinets with Rockwell Automation PowerFlex755 drives, Nidec-ASI SPDM drives and motor direct starters to move roller ways, hydraulic units, chains transfers, A and B stackers, magnets and bundles discharge units.

The main criticality of this project has been the re-engineering of the software to improve performance, reliability and maintainability, while keeping all those small adjustments, implemented during the years, necessary to make the system flexible in multiple configurations. Another complexity was the integration of the new system in the articulated architecture of the existing network to reproduce the signals exchange required to ensure the proper functioning of the old peripheral devices.

The new project also allowed to securely manage access to the stacker and saw area thanks to the certified functions of the safety PLC.

The user interface has also been upgraded and complemented with the supervision of the entire rolling mill, with special care to maintain a structure familiar for the operators with the objective of not changing the way they used to work.

The revamping of the stacker is only the latest in a series of projects with which AIC and Acciaierie Venete have modernized the plant in recent years. The most significant are:

• Walking earth heating furnace handling and combustion automation


• Blooming stands automation and new manipulators installation


• New intermediate mill TIR composed by two fixed reversible stands in configuration H + V installation


• Continuous mill, shear, cooling bed and saws automation


• Treatment lines upgrade.

Automazioni Industriali Capitanio Srl, Torbole Casaglia (BS)