Belt Casting Technology – Experiences Based on the Worldwide First BCT Caster

Abstract

BCT® -Belt Casting Technology is the new horizontal near-net-shape casting process to produce flat steel products. BCT is the revolutionary leap in casting technology, designed for the production of special and conventional steel grades. Within a partnership between Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH and SMS Siemag AG, the worldwide first caster is now in operation. SMS Siemag AG (in cooperation with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH) has erected the first industrial-scale casting machine located at Peine steelworks. The lecture will start with an overview about the highlights of the BCT® process with regard to the mechanical engineering aspects, while the second part will present current commissioning results and operation experiences. Since December 2012, the BCT plant is running. Up to March 2015 more than 90 casts have been carried out, 26 with FeMn-alloys. Never before flat steel was casted in dimensions of 1000 mm * 15 mm and with casting speeds more than 14 m/min.

Influence of vanadium, boron and titanium on hot ductility of high Al, TWIP steels

“…In recent years, in order to avoid the manufacturing process problems in casting these steels, some steel companies have attempted to produce slabs by molten mould flux or belt casting technology [3,4]. Unfortunately, the high Al level encourages AlN to form and this generally precipitates at the austenite grain boundaries favouring intergranular failure and poor hot ductility [5].…”

Numerical modelling and experimental casting of 17%Mn–4%Al–3%Si–0.45%C wt-% TWIP steel via the horizontal single belt casting (HSBC) process

“…The HSBC process features a compact design, which can provide better economic production capabilities for both ferrous, and non-ferrous, metallic sheet products [2]. The production of advanced high strength steel (AHSS) strips of 10-16 mm thickness via the HSBC process at the Salzgitter Group's Steelworks at Peine, Germany, is a commercial example which takes advantage of what the HSBC process can offer, vs conventional strip manufacturing processes [6]. The excessive hot deformation steps associated with CCC (Conventional Continuous Casting) and thin slab casting processes can be significantly reduced by the HSBC process in making steel sheet material.…”

“…AHSS grades are difficult to be processed conventionally owing to excessive work hardening of the material during hot rolling [6][7][8]. Excessive hot rolling of these slabs are necessary, in order to produce the final properties and desired thicknesses of AHSS sheet [8][9][10][11].…”

Numerical Modeling of Transport Phenomena in the Horizontal Single Belt Casting (HSBC) Process for the Production of AA6111 Aluminum Alloy Strip

“…To date various ferrous/nonferrous alloys strips, up to a thickness of 16 mm, were successfully produced. For further reading, please refer to the available literature [11,12].…”