Nothing short of revolutionary, our Belt Casting Technology (BCT®) is a further leap toward near-net-shape casting. Depending on the BCT® caster type you choose, you can run different production rates and manufacture a large variety of product sizes. What makes BCT® casters so special is that they handle alloys previously not suitable for continuous casting. Furthermore, the new technology also copes with crack-critical conventional steel grades impossible to produce by standard continuous casting.
Concepts
Batch and inline production
Major highlights
- New high-strength, high-ductility steel grades for the automotive industry
- Horizontal casting: no bending or straightening
- Moving mold: no casting powder
- Casting process for special grades and small
- production volumes
Technology
New steel products need new casting processes
Forget bending or straighteningProtected from reoxidation, the liquid steel is poured from a conventional ladle into a covered tundish. Then it goes through a submerged entry nozzle into the preheated feeding system. Next, the steel flows onto the moving horizontal mold consisting of the conveyor belt and internally cooled side dams. There is an inert gas atmosphere above the conveyor belt to protect the solidifying steel. Finally, at the rear end of the caster, a defined gas mix directly influences the solidification structure.
Impressive features
Stress-free strip solidification in horizontal direction:
No bending or straightening
Casting without powder:
Steels with high aluminum content possible
Traveling mold, no oscillation:
Plane strip surface without oscillation marks
Rapid solidification, high casting speed, low casting thickness:
Fine-grain cast structure without risk of segregation
Inert atmosphere and exclusively indirect cooling:
No scale formation during the casting process
Sufficient deformation at strip gauges of 8-20 mm:
High-quality hot strip
BCT®: Process and main characteristics
As-cast stripThe as-cast strip leaves the conveyor belt horizontally. Then it enters an enclosed roller table which ensures complete process inertization right up to the end of the table. Next in line after the roller table is a combination of two pinch-roll stands separated by a looper. This section not only transports the as-cast strip, it also isolates the product from downstream influences. The second pinch roll unit feeds the strip to a moving hydraulic shear. To ensure the required sheet lengths, the shear travels at the same speed as the as-cast strip. Now a roller table accelerates the up to 9-m-long sheets toward the end of the roller table, where they slow down again. Finally, cross-pushers place the sheets on a hydraulic lifting table.
Benefits
Casters customized to your requirements
New steel products demand new casting processes- Lightweight design und safety based on high energy absorption
- Customized product properties
- New engineering and design options for components
Extremely versatile, these casters combine with both BOF and electric-arc-furnace melt shops. What's more, we tailor your BCT® installation to your particular needs. You can produce medium-wide strip just as well as hot wide strip. Whether you have small, medium, or high production capacities, we design your plant to suit you.
Your benefits
- Tailor-made, compact plant design for implementation in all common process routes
- Cutting-edge casting for integration in state-of-the-art thin strip facilities
- Unique technology for a wide range of high-performance new steels as well as critical conventional grades
- No breakouts
- Lower maintenance compared to conventional continuous casters (e. g. mold and segment shop)
- No water consumption (closed circuit)
- Tomorrow's technology today
Selected References
Service
Service
Consulting & Training
Auf Erfahrung aufbauenSMS group ist nicht nur Servicepartner für Ihre Anlagen und Maschinen, sondern auch für Ihre Mitarbeiter da. Sie können sich zu standardmäßigen und individuellen eigens für Sie konzipierten Schulungsprogrammen unserer TECademy anmelden. Mit den Angeboten der TECademy möchten wir Sie in Ihrer Kompetenz als Anlagenbetreiber stärken.
Service
Maintenance & Repairs
Whether you require one-off equipment checks, continuous condition monitoring, remote service, or regular plant inspections: our service experts will take care of it all. You can even outsource your complete maintenance operations to us. This ensures excellent plant availability plus best production results.
Service
Spare parts & Logistics
When the spare parts you need are no longer available or the new generation is not 100% compatible, you risk plant standstills. That's why SMS group constantly monitors the availability of all parts and, where necessary, offers modern alternatives - even for parts from third-party suppliers. This ensures competitiveness and full productivity over the entire life cycle of your plant.
Service
Upgrades & Modernization
Keep your plant state-of-the-artEven plants "built to last" need to be critically examined from time to time, because markets and production processes are continuously evolving. Together with you, our service experts will find the best revamp options for your requirements. Once again bang up to date, your plants will then be ready to bolster your strong position on the market.
Electrical and automation systems
Electrical and Automation Systems
Operation and Visualization
The key role of the human elementOur ergonomically designed control stations support the activities of your operating personnel. Included here is our new HMI system which guides them intelligently through the process.
Electrical and Automation Systems
Plug & Work
Time is moneyMany customers around the world have already benefited from Plug & Work for more than 100 new plant and modernization projects.
Downloads
-
We transform…the world of service
-
Fullservice für Wartungsstillstände
-
Equipment Check
-
Wartungsservice
-
Zukunftssichere Komplettlösungen aus einer Hand
-
Integrated Process Control in the Steelworks
Contact
Dr. Jochen Wans
SMS group GmbH
Technical Sales Special Technologies/ New Developments
Eduard-Schloemann-Straße 4
40237 Düsseldorf
Germany
Telefon
: +49 211 881 5861
Fax
: +49 211 881 775861
Ronald Wilmes
SMS group GmbH
Sales Electrical and Automation Systems Metallurgical Plants and Environmental Technology
Eduard-Schloemann-Straße 4
40237 Düsseldorf
Germany
Telefon
: +49 211 881 6712
Fax
: +49 211 881 776712