Phase I – A subsidiary of Steel Dynamics, Iron Dynamics was founded in 1998 and serves as a supplier of liquid pig iron and direct-reduced iron for its parent company. This iron is then used in the production of steel in the Flat Roll Division electric-arc furnaces as a substitute for purchased imported pig iron. It is Iron Dynamics’ mission to develop reliable, lower-cost sources of high-quality iron units.
Located in Butler, Indiana, Iron Dynamics commissioned The JDI Group to provide mechanical layouts, elevations, and details for the installation of a new material reclamation system at their facility. In addition, JDI designed the platform for the new process equipment that was being added to the reclaim project. Due to some large loads, the structural design took on added importance during the project.
JDI provided foundation design, mechanical layouts, structural design and layout drawings, and construction documents. In addition, we reviewed shop drawings both for the equipment and the structural steel. The design phase for the project spanned about ten weeks in duration.
Phase II – Iron Dynamics called on The JDI Group to assist in adding a second group of 500,000lb silos located to the east of four previously installed silos. The structural steel framing and foundations for the new silos were engineered and designed to accommodate four additional silos. Two were planned to be erected and installed immediately, and the other two were installed at a future date.
The silos provide storage for baghouse dust. An access stair riser from an adjacent existing platform was included in this design as well as an access stair tower from grade level. The silos are fed via pneumatic lines which were field routed following installation.
Phase III – The JDI Group was commissioned by Iron Dynamics to add additional equipment to the existing structures surrounding and including the DRE Bin System structures. The additional equipment included three monorails, three jib cranes, bin bottom change out, and hoist relocation. This project also addressed the replacement of four quad screw feeders and the associated bin modifications.
Our team met with Iron Dynamics to review the project scope and gathered field information that was used for the design and location of the additional equipment mentioned above and used to establish the as-built state of the surrounding structural framing. Based on this field walk down, the equipment drawings from the first & second phase, and the additional information sent, the equipment layouts were finalized and approved. Design review meetings were held at the 30%, 60% and 90% design points as a virtual meeting. We issued a construction package for Iron Dynamic’s use at the end of the design.
