Benxi Iron & Steel Co., P.R. China, recently started up its second Danieli flexible thin slab casting strand. Since the first heat was cast, a wide range of steel grades has now been successfully commissioned.

Benxi is now focusing its production on an extensive range of steel grades, covering the entire range of production both in width (850 up to 1750 mm) and thickness (70 and 85 mm).

This second strand flanks the first, which has been in operation since November 2004. The second strand will allow Benxi Group to reach the production target as soon as the second shuttle furnace is commissioned.

Both strands have now entered the performance test period, and several grades have been tested for all the steel groups, from IF steel grades to high carbon. For the first time in Thin Slab Casting, silicon steel has also been successfully cast in different grades, as have been HLSA and peritectic grades.

In detail, the following steel grades have been cast: IF steel (St16), ELC (St 14, St 12F), low carbon (SPHC, St12, SS330, SPH-T1, SPH-T2, BG510-L1), medium carbon (SS400, Q345 A, Q235 B), peritectic steel (SS400P), HLSA MC (J55), HLSA LC (X46, X52, SPAH), high carbon (C45), Si steel (50BW600, BGD, 50BW400). Processing of additional steel grades is scheduled in the near future.