MMK Develops New Products for Domestic Automotive Industry
PJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has introduced new methods of producing cold- and hot-rolled sheets for the automotive industry as part of an inter-industry programme to support domestic automakers.
Sergey Denisov, Head of Development at MMK's Science and Technology Centre, presented on MMK’s initiatives at a meeting of a working group of the inter-industry programme to expand and improve the supply of steel products for the automotive industry in 2018-2023, which took place at the 28th International Industrial Exhibition Metal-Expo 2022 in Moscow.
MMK’s representative noted that as part of the programme, the Company produced hot-rolled steel for the manufacture of “cold-roll” springs that offer a substitute for imported analogues and help localise the full cycle of spring production in Russia. The Company has already delivered a pilot batch of rolled products to customers and received confirmation of their compliance with standard technical requirements.
MMK specialists have also developed a method for producing round steel from special alloy steels with a guaranteed cold upset group of 66 and 66T for the manufacture of high-strength fasteners and other products using the cold forging method.
In addition, during 2021-22, MMK produced three new grades of round bars that have since been sent to MMK-METIZ, the Group’s metalware and calibration unit, for trial processing. The test results of the hot-rolled steel and fasteners made from these grades, as well as samples of fasteners from these grades with the best variants for testing, will be sent to the leading Russian truck and vehicle manufacturer PJSC Kamaz, which will conduct fatigue tests on the fastener samples and determine the best bolt design option for further use.
Another area of MMK’s activity is the development of steels and their production technology for various types of agricultural machinery. As part of its MAGSTRONG range of high-strength steels, MMK currently produces two types of steels that are used in the production of agricultural machinery: MAGSTRONG AGRO 22 (analogue of 22MnB5 steel) and MAGSTRONG AGRO 33 (analogue of 33MnB5 steel).
Among other programme areas, Sergey Denisov singled out the production of cold-rolled and hot-dip galvanised sheet steel from dual-phase (DP) steels of different strength categories, as well as the production of cold-rolled sheet steel from ferritic and multi-phase steels. In addition, MMK continues to develop the production of wear-resistant steel sheets with yield strengths of up to 1000 MPa and extra-strength steels (1200 MPa), which help to improve the reliability of the vehicle in operation.
Since 2020, MMK has been accepting orders for the production of automotive steel using cassette technology. This cold-rolling technology makes it possible to produce different types and strength classes of steel with the same chemical composition by varying the strip tension in the unit, enabling MMK to fulfil even small orders.
Working with the automotive industry is one of the priority areas for MMK's production and sales activities. The Company continues to implement its strategic initiative to become the supplier of choice for the most demanding customers in the domestic automotive industry. As part of this strategy, MMK has been developing the production of quality automotive plates to replace imported counterparts.