SeAH Besteel, Korea, recently contracted Danieli Centro Met for the supply of a new 80-tonne EAF and a new bloom caster. The new equipment will help the Kunsan special steel plant to increase its current productivity.

The order includes an 80-tonne Danarc EAF, a new 16.5-meter radius twin-strand FastCast bloom caster and a new automation system extended to the existing LF-VD station.

The new EAF will be equipped by the most advanced technological packages such as high-performance Modules and Hi-Reg Plus electrode-control system. These technologies already operate successfully at the previously upgraded EAF No. 1 and No. 2.

The new conticaster will produce 390- x 510-mm blooms, mostly in medium alloy and high-carbon steels. Similar to the one recently started up, it will feature latest Danieli conticasting technology, such as hydraulic oscillation, Dynamic SOFT Reduction application (by 10 withdrawal units for each strand), and a Quench Box system for direct hot charging of blooms. Advanced mould design, and strand and final EMS will also contribute to final product quality.

Danieli Automation will provide a Level 1 and 2 automation system for the new equipment, along with the complete revamping for the existing automation system to be installed on the LF-VD plant.

The new equipment will be started up in the third quarter of 2006.

This order follows Danieli’s previous expansion steps of SeAH Besteel’s same steelmaking plant. The previous project included installation of a 3-strand billet caster (in 2001), a 2-strand large-size bloom caster (started up in September 2005) and the upgrade of EAF No. 1 and No. 2.

SeAH Besteel is the main supplier of special steel materials for the automobile industry in Korea.