Southern Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. (Siscol) has contracted Danieli Cento Met for the supply of a new bloom conticaster for production of 600,000 tonnes/year of large size special steel blooms.

The new 3-strand, 12-meter radius caster will be designed for casting 200- to 400-mm diameter round and 200-x200- to 340-x400-mm square or rectangular sections in a wide range of top-quality steels such as high carbon, free-cutting, cold heading, ball bearing, and low alloy grades.

The new caster’s capacity will be in line with the meltshop’s 90 tonnes/hour rated output capacity. The caster will be equipped with the latest available technologies in quality steel bloom casting, such as submerged nozzle, electromechanical stopper rods, radioactive mould level detection, electromagnetic stirrers, hydraulic oscillators and air mist secondary cooling.

The caster’s outlet will be equipped with oxy-cutting torches, and the cooling area will be equipped with slow-cooling facilities for the most sensitive steel grades.

Danieli Automation will supply Level 1 and 2 automation systems. Startup is planned for the third quarter of 2006.