March 2007 — For Mittal Steel Poland SA, Poland, SMS Demag AG, Germany, has successfully taken into operation a two-strand continuous slab caster that it supplied on a turnkey basis for the Dabrowa Górnicza works (formerly Huta Katowice). The caster was started up after a project term of only 16.5 months.

SMS Demag’s scope of supply comprised the mechanical portion, including workshop equipment, utility systems, electrical and automation systems, as well as the turnkey portion, which included extension of the casting bay and the water supply and treatment system, setting up the slab yard and erection of the cranes, solid structures and structural steelwork. The complete erection and installation work, commissioning and training of the operating personnel were carried out by SMS Demag.

Planned for an annual production capacity of 3 million tonnes, the new facility is designed for slabs with thicknesses of 220 and 250 mm (300 mm in the future) and widths ranging from 1000 to 2190 mm. The slab width can be adjusted during casting. The ladle turret has a maximum load-bearing capacity of 2 x 500 tonne, and the maximum ladle content is 330 tonnes.

The entire mechanical and process automation systems are designed for the flexible production of high-quality steel grades. The caster features mold level control and resonance oscillation for high surface quality, and dynamic segment adjustment with patented soft reduction technology help to enhance internal slab quality. The plant also features a breakout prediction system, developed by SMS Demag, that operates in conjunction with the measurement system for temperature distribution in the mold. Known as the "transparent mold", these systems offer the customer a very clear real-time overview of the casting process.

Prior to commissioning, the entire automation system was erected in SMS Demag’s testing center and then tested and optimized using plant-specific simulation software under near-real conditions. This enabled “Plug & Work“ to be implemented on the caster and the commissioning period to be reduced.

The Dabrowa Górnicza works is moving into flat steel production as part of a comprehensive modernization concept and is therefore replacing the existing ingot casting facilities.

SMS GmbH is the holding for a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering relating to the processing of steel, non-ferrous metals and plastics. The group is divided into the Business Areas SMS Demag and SMS Meer (under SMS metallurgy) and into the Business Area SMS Plastics Technology. In the year 2005 some 9,250 employees worldwide generated a turnover of about EUR 2.33 billion.