Open / Close Advertisement

Siemens VAI to Supply 2nd Caster for Ultra-Thick Slabs to voestalpine Stahl

08/29/2008 - Siemens VAI Metals Technologies will supply a second single-strand slab caster capable of casting ultra-thick slabs for voestalpine Stahl GmbH, Austria.

Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH & Co received a contract from voestalpine Stahl GmbH, Austria, for the supply of a new single-strand slab caster. The order value for Siemens VAI is a two-digit-million euro figure.
 
Installation of the new slab caster is part of voestalpine Stahl’s ongoing modernization and steel-capacity-expansion campaign that aims to increase the facility’s annual steel output to approximately six million tons. Siemens VAI will supply the complete engineering and the equipment on a process turn-key basis, including assembly engineering and supervision, Level 1 automation and Level 2 process optimization.
 
With a straight mold and a casting-bow radius of ten meters, the new slab caster will be capable of casting a nominal 1.4 million tons of slabs per year in thicknesses of 225, 285 and 355 millimeters and in widths from 740 to 2200 millimeters. The metallurgical length approximately 35 meters, and roughly 70% of the cast slabs will be rolled to plates.
 
A wide range of the latest features and technological packages will ensure a high quality level, and will also enable a flexible response to changing market requirements. The caster’s technology packages will include LevCon for improved automatic mold-level-control; MoldExpert for enhanced strand-break-out protection; SmartMold cassette-type molds, which allow worn copper plates to be quickly replaced; and DynaWidth for the dynamic and on-line adjustment of the mold width.
 
The caster will also feature DynaFlex, which will facilitate flexible and on-line adjustment of the mold-oscillation parameters, as well as the remotely adjustable SmartBender and subsequent SmartSegment caster segments, which, in combination with DynaGap automation, will enable the slab thickness to be quickly and automatically adjusted. ECO-Star Rollers, representing the latest development in Siemens VAI roller design for optimum strand support, will also be supplied.
 
The proven Level 2 Dynacs secondary-cooling model, which is capable of calculating the stand-temperature profile at any position along the strand, will define the optimum secondary-cooling setpoints and the point of final strand solidification, depending on the casting speed and the steel grade.
 
DynaGap SoftReduction technology, which adjusts the roller taper in the area of final strand solidification in accordance with the Dynacs-calculated setpoints, will help to provide improved internal strand homogeneity for the production of highest quality plates. A 3-D Spray system will allow slabs cast at different widths to be uniformly and ideally cooled, which will help to significantly reduce the incidence and severity of corner cracks for a wide range of steel grades.
 
Marking the first application in a European steel mill, the new caster will employ two LiquiRob casting platform robots. These will be installed in front of and behind the ladle turret—one in the ladle-positioning area and one in the ladle/tundish area on the casting platform. These robots will automatically perform a number of dangerous tasks where liquid steel is manipulated, allowing operators to monitor casting activities from the safety of the control room.
 
Siemens VAI had previously upgraded an existing voestalpine Stahl caster (CCM5) to an ultra-thick-slab caster capable of casting 355-millimeter-thick slabs—currently the world's thickest slabs cast on a bow-type caster with a straight mold. The upgraded machine was started up at the end of June 2007 and has been reliably operating since then.
 
The new slab caster is scheduled for start-up in September 2010.
 
Voestalpine Stahl GmbH currently produces approximately 5.5 million tons of crude steel per year in the LD 3 steel plant that is subsequently cast and processed to high-quality coated and non-coated flat-steel products. These are sold as sheets, coils and plates for use primarily in the European automotive, household-appliance and building-supply industries.
 
The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is a leading supplier of production, transportation and building systems. The Sector comprises six Divisions: Building Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility, Drive Technologies and Osram. In fiscal 2007 (ended September 30), Siemens Industry generated sales of approximately EUR40 billion (pro forma, unconsolidated) with around 209,000 employees worldwide.
 
With the business activities of Siemens VAI Metal Technologies (Linz, Austria), Siemens Water Technologies (Warrendale, Pa.), and Industry Technologies (Erlangen, Germany), the Siemens Industry Solutions Division (Erlangen, Germany) is one of the world's leading solution and service providers for industrial and infrastructure facilities. Using its own products, systems and process technologies, Industry Solutions develops and builds plants for end customers, commissions them and provides support during their entire life cycle.