New continent, new life: SAET EMMEDI retrofitting – A case study

It happens more often than one might think. Evolving demand, the drive toward new applications, and the global reorganization of production: these are all factors that can lead a company to modify its systems. Sometimes it becomes necessary to move a system to a different country from the one it was originally designed for, or to a facility with specific structural requirements. There may also be the need to process different materials, adopt new or more efficient technologies, or comply with different safety standards.

But is a full-scale replacement the only option? Or is there a way to evolve and reconfigure the systems that have already proven their value?

Today, many companies choose to optimize their existing equipment rather than replace it. SAET EMMEDI also operates on this frontier—between the new and the existing. The company works alongside customers throughout the entire service life of installed equipment, supporting them in facing the increasingly demanding challenges of international markets. SAET EMMEDI also evaluates technically feasible and economically advantageous solutions to allow customers to utilize their existing system without necessarily investing in a completely new one.

Adapting an existing system to new production needs

A recent project highlights this approach, involving a bright annealing line for seamless stainless steel tubes originally installed on another continent. Following the relocation of production, the system was moved and retrofitted by SAET EMMEDI.

Specifically, the retrofit involved upgrading the system to European standards and reviewing the control system, including software updates and process monitoring device upgrades. Final testing confirmed the full efficiency of the modification; the line can now resume operations, ensuring production continuity and metallurgical quality while avoiding the need for a new investment.

Through this type of intervention, the customer was able to reduce lead times and costs while maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and productivity.

SAET EMMEDI Bright Annealing Lines: Technical Specifications

SAET EMMEDI bright annealing lines are designed for the treatment of stainless steel tubes (AISI 300, AISI 400, duplex, super duplex) and titanium, used in the petrochemical, automotive, furniture, and food industries. The annealing process reduces hardness and achieves partial solubilization of chromium carbides, improving corrosion resistance, particularly in the welded zone.

Each line consists of an induction heating section with an inductor positioned inside a sealed aluminum chamber to ensure a controlled inert atmosphere of 100% hydrogen. Hydrogen is used primarily for two reasons: it is the gas with the highest heat transfer coefficient in nature, thus guaranteeing rapid cooling and significantly reducing the system’s footprint; at the same time, its reducing effect prevents tube oxidation, ensuring brightness and high surface quality.

The system also integrates automatic gas monitoring and a safety control mechanism that intervenes in case of anomalies in tube handling or damage. Before operation, the system is purged with nitrogen to remove oxygen residues and ensure safe conditions. To inert the atmosphere, an automatic "cleaning" cycle of the chamber is performed with high-flow nitrogen. Dedicated sensors constantly monitor the oxygen percentage: if the value exceeds the safety threshold, the system automatically stops the process and initiates the nitrogen purging.

Over the last 30 years, EMMEDI has installed machines ranging from 100 to 600 kW (up to 250 kW for the coil-to-coil version), with operating frequencies between 10 and 150 kHz and a maximum temperature of 1250 °C. Cooling is achieved through a closed-loop water-to-water circuit with stainless steel heat exchangers and digital pyrometers for temperature control.

The smart touchscreen panel, combined with the pyrometer, allows for the management of process recipes and parameters, with integrated monitoring and traceability functions compliant with Industry 4.0 standards.

Main advantages:

• no preheating time
• reduced gas consumption
• minimal encumbrance
• max process repeatability 

A global network serving efficiency

With active installations in Europe, the United States, India, China, the Middle East, Central and South America, as well as Oceania, SAET EMMEDI continues to support tube manufacturers worldwide, providing timely assistance and customized solutions.

In a sector where adaptability and production continuity make the difference, SAET EMMEDI’s expertise offers customers the ability to evolve their processes safely while maintaining control over costs, quality, and production times.