Implementation of High-Heat-Flux Mold Water Treatment Program Delivers Improvements to Thin-Slab Caster Product Quality, Production Rate and Maintenance Costs

摘要

The evolution of thin-slab casting has continued with equipment manufacturers continuing to push the performance and quality of cast steel. From exposed automotive products to high-quality oil industry piping, thin-slab casters produce a vast range of steels for use in industrial and consumer products. The growth of thin-slab casting into higher-quality segments places increased demands on casting equipment and greatly increases the requirements for process consistency. The higher demands and need to drive variability from the process have focused attention on identifying those critical key performance indicators (KPIs) that influence unit process performance. KPIs such as safety, conversion cost, mold life, surface defect rate, cast tons per unit time, and utilization factor are several of many metrics used to measure caster operating performance.