Baosteel, the world’s largest steel producer and a prominent part of the Baowu Group, has placed another order with Primetals Technologies, marking the third continuous casting project in as many months. This latest contract, signed on June 18, 2024, signifies the enduring and productive collaboration between the two industry giants, rooted in mutual trust and innovation since the 1990s.
The new order for continuous caster No. 6, destined for a plant in China’s Shanghai region, will produce both conventional and silicon steel grades for various industries, including home appliances and automotive. This addition will enhance Baosteel’s already extensive setup, which includes over 20 casters from Primetals Technologies.
The new caster will feature advanced mechanical design and sophisticated automation systems, key factors in Baosteel’s selection of Primetals Technologies. The innovative roll geometry and future-proof automation solutions ensure the production of demanding steel grades with high inner quality. The caster will incorporate several state-of-the-art technologies, reinforcing Primetals Technologies’ leadership in continuous casting innovation, supported by numerous patents.
Primetals Technologies will employ a groundbreaking model to establish optimal caster roll geometry during the design phase. This model significantly reduces mold level fluctuations caused by unsteady bulging by 50%, resulting in higher casting speeds and increased productivity.
The caster will be equipped with a Smart Mold and DynaWidth system for flexible and rapid slab-width adjustments, ensuring high-quality conditions are maintained from the early stages of casting. Additionally, an electromagnetic stirrer will enhance inner-strand quality as part of the comprehensive mechatronics package.
Dynamic cooling and soft-reduction packages, such as DynaPhase, Dynacs 3D, and DynaGap Soft Reduction 3D, will be employed to manage thermodynamic effects like conductivity, density, and strand temperature, crucial for producing top-quality steel grades.
A suite of expert systems will support the continuous improvement of product quality. The Quality Expert system will track, control, and supervise quality-related data, offering quality predictions for cast products. The Nozzle Expert system will monitor the secondary cooling system online, detecting any clogged nozzles and leakages with high accuracy.
