Danieli sixth-generation billet welder introduces endless rolling in Turkey

Ekinciler Demir Celik has chosen Danieli to supply a sixth‑generation Horizontal Billet Welder (HBW), featuring the latest K‑Welding technology, for its rolling mill in Turkey.

The new HBW will enable head-to-tail billet joining, introducing the first endless-rolling operation in the country.

The system is designed to guarantee productivity up to 180 tons per hour and will ensure smooth integration with the existing mill layout, minimizing downtime and enhancing overall plant performance.

Danieli’s HBW is a sixth‑generation billet welding system engineered for fully automatic operation and endless rolling. The K‑Welding unit is the advanced solution to deliver an “endless” billet to the rolling mill, reducing operational costs and significantly increasing material yield by eliminating both billet gap time and the short bars traditionally delivered on cooling bed.

The new K-Welding “New Generation” HBW features a redesigned structure that reduces cleaning operations by 50% compared to previous models, a cartridge-based concept for quick and safe off-line maintenance, and an upgraded current-control system that shortens welding time while improving weld-joint homogeneity.

The adoption of the new HBW will also support Ekinciler’s sustainability objectives by reducing energy consumption per ton of rolled product, minimizing material waste and lowering indirect emissions associated with reheating and billet handling.

Start‑up is scheduled for Q2 2027.