Concast – pioneering partner along the caster lifecycle
As a global reference for billet, beam blank, and bloom continuous casters, whether vertical, curved, or semi-continuous, SMS Concast helps steelmakers get the most out of their equipment throughout its entire life cycle: from designing a new plant or casting line to optimizing operations and quality; supporting modernizations, maintenance, consumables, OEM spare parts, and repairs; and implementing innovative upgrades.
Planning a new casting machine, introducing new steel grades, replacing old equipment, or upgrading existing systems? SMS Concast provides exceptional standalone products, both technological and digital. With its extensive experience and pioneering ideas, SMS Concast is your leading partner for long‑product casting optimization.
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Billet caster
Custom solutions for all steel grades
Main dataSMS Concast supplies highly versatile billet casters that enable rapid adaptation to changing market demands while raising both product quality and plant throughput. Billet casting covers small and medium square and rectangular sections, as well as round sections with comparable cross section, with typical dimensions between 85 mm and 200 mm.
The continuous casting solutions accommodate a wide spectrum of steel grades, from basic construction steel and rebar to stainless steel for wire rod and bars enabling downstream products ranging from wire rods of approximately 5.5 mm up to bars of about 90 mm.
Main technical data billet caster
Number of strands1 – 10Casting speedUp to 7 m/min (up to 60 t/h per strand)Capacity300,000 – 2,500,000 t/yearFormat sizesSquare, rectangular, CONREX: 105 to 200 mm / Round: Ø130 mm – Ø220 mmCasting radius6 – 10.25 mCasting modeSubmerged (powder) and open (oil)Withdrawal and straighteningWithdrawal and straightening unit or Dynamic Mechanical Soft Reduction modulesCutting length6 – 16 mConnection to rolling millBillet storage, semi-endless, endlessSteel gradesRebar, construction steel, low, medium, high-carbon, SBQ Special Bar Quality (SBQ), stainless steel![]()
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Bloom caster
High-end solutions for the best quality and large products
Main dataSMS Concast develops bloom casting solutions tailored for applications demanding the highest metallurgical purity and flawless internal soundness. Where final products must perform without compromise, from ball bearing to stainless steel products, bloom sections provide the consistent chemical cleanliness and internal soundness required for premium markets.
SMS Concast’s bloom casting technology supports improved yield, tighter process control and higher throughput, paving the way for plants to enhance both the quality and volume of their high‑end steel products.
Main technical data bloom caster
Number of strands1 - 8ThroughputUp to 60 t/h per strandCapacity300,000 – 2,500,000 t/yearFormat size210 – 750 mm (square/rectangular) / Ø220 – Ø1,320 mmround)Casting radius10.25 – 18 mCasting modeSubmerged (powder)Withdrawal and straighteningWithdrawal and straightening unit or Dynamic Mechanical Soft Reduction modulesCutting length3 – 12 mConnection to rolling millBillet storageSteel gradesConstruction steel, low, medium, high carbon, Special Bar Quality (SBQ), stainless steelMain technical data jumbo caster
Number of strands1 - 3ThroughputUp to 60 t/h per strandCapacity600,000 t/yearFormat sizesØ500 – Ø1320 mm roundCasting radius14 – 18 mCasting modeSubmerged (powder)StirringMold – strand – final (adjustable, several fixed positions)Withdrawal and straighteningWithdrawal and straightening unit or Dynamic Mechanical Soft Reduction modulesCutting length6 – 12 mSteel gradesConstruction steel, low, medium, high carbon, Special Bar Quality (SBQ), stainless steel![]()
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Beam blank caster
Optimal solutions from the market leader
Main dataBeam blanks are near‑net‑shape products used to feed medium and heavy section mills. This state‑of‑the‑art casting technology was pioneered by SMS Concast.
The Concast optimized mold tubes have a positive impact in reducing web‑crack formation. The wide range of beam blank sections of Concast casters requires completely new and individualized approaches to the design and dimensions of the molds as well as to the overall continuous‑casting equipment set‑up.
Main technical data
Number of strands1 – 8ThroughputUp to 60 t/h per strandCapacity1,000,000 t/yearFormat sizes150 x 150 x 100 mm to 1300 x 550 x 150 mmCasting radius9 – 12 mCasting modeSubmerged (powder) and open (oil) / Single or double pouringStirringNoWithdrawal and straighteningWithdrawal and Straightening Unit with multiple unbending pointsCutting length6 – 12 mConnection to rolling millBillet storage![]()
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Vertical caster
High-end solutions for special steels and semi-continuous vertical caster
Main dataVertical continuous casting is the preferred alternative to curved bloom casters to replace ingot casting for the most demanding applications, where quality and cleanliness are of paramount importance, while still guaranteeing high production rates up to about 1,000,000 t/year.
Vertical casting eliminates the need to straighten a curved, just-solidified strand into a horizontal direction: an operation that, depending on section size, caster radius and casting speed, induces high strain and stress in the strand shell and can cause surface or solidification‑interface cracks in critical grades. Vertical casting therefore eliminates the risk of bending/straightening‑related defects and provides superior conditions for the separation and distribution of non‑metallic inclusions in the mould.
Main technical data
Number of strands1 – 4ThroughputUp to 45 t/h per strandCapacity600,000 - 1,000,000 t/yearFormat sizesSquare/rectangular: 410 x 610 mm to 750 x 750 mm / Round: Up to Ø1,000 mmCasting modeClosed (powder)StirringMold – FinalCutting length6 – 12 mWithdrawalPinch roller or Dynamic Mechanical Soft Reduction modulesConnection to rolling millnoSteel gradesLow , medium, high-carbon, Special Bar Quality (SBQ), Stainless steel, Tool steel![]()
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VERSCON
Semi-continuous casting
Main dataThe VERSCON semi‑continuous casting process adapts the established semi‑continuous practice used for non‑ferrous metals (aluminium, copper) to steel production, addressing the increased complexity deriving from steel’s slower solidification. The concept casts one or two ladles on one or more vertical strands into very long blooms using a conventional mould and oscillation table; once a strand reaches its final length, casting is stopped, and the strand is held in position until final solidification. Typical section diameters range from about 400 mm (1 t/m) up to around 1,400 mm (12 t/m), with round sections generally preferred.
Main technical data
Number of strands1 – 4ThroughputUp to 45 t/h per strandCapacity150,000 t/yearFormat sizesSquare: 350 – 750 mm / Round: Ø360 – Ø1,600 mm / Bloom weight: up to 250 tCasting modeClosed (powder)StirringMold – Final (dynamic, online position adjustment)Cutting length6 – 18 mWithdrawalBloom elevator and tilting tableConnection to rolling millNoSteel gradesLow, medium, high-carbon steel, Special Bar Quality (SBQ), Stainless steel, SuperalloysThe VERSCON semi‑continuous casting process developed by SMS Concast adapts the established semi‑continuous practice used for non‑ferrous metals (aluminium, copper) to steel production, addressing the increased complexity deriving from steel’s slower solidification. The concept casts one or two ladles on one or more vertical strands into very long blooms using a conventional mould and oscillation table; once a strand reaches its final length, casting is stopped, and the strand is held in position until final solidification. Typical section diameters range from about 400 mm (1 t/m) up to around 1,400 mm (12 t/m), with round sections generally preferred.
VERSCON is a practical, proven alternative to ingot casting for smaller production units (approximately 50,000–200,000 t/year). It offers lower capital expenditure through small‑scale units, improved yield compared with ingot casting, surface quality superior to ingots, and internal homogeneity and overall quality comparable to continuous casting, making it a cost‑effective and quality‑competitive option for producers seeking flexibility between ingot and full continuous casting.
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CONDRIVE
Online oscillation control simplified
CONDRIVE is a new electric oscillation drive that delivers the functionality of hydraulic servos at a much lower price. Its innovative torque drive enables online adjustment of the amplitude, frequency, and oscillation profile independently.
Oscillation parameters are no longer a compromise because each casting section and grade gets its own oscillation parameters, tuned to the best product surface. Online stroke adjustment is now both affordable and easy to use.
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CONDRIVE -
CONGAUGELB6755
Steel & powder level measuring
One compact unit reads liquid steel and powder levels simultaneously. Getting the steel and powder levels right in a continuous caster supports smooth casting and higher product quality. Until now, steel level sensors have ignored powder thickness. Establishing this vital parameter required an additional device, adding costs and complexity. SMS Concast’s CONGAUGELB6755 is a new, multitasking radiometric sensor that determines both the steel level and the thickness of the powder layer in the mold tube. Product quality goes up, and stoppages go down.
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CONSTIR-EMS & CONSTIR ReNEW
Robust, long-life stirrers customized for your caster
Electromagnetic stirrers (EMS) improve steel quality and support a smooth and stable production process. Durable and cost-effective, SMS Concast’s stirrers are the industry benchmark, with more than a thousand units installed worldwide.
Almost any SMS Concast EMS can benefit from a CONSTIR ReNEW overhaul and return to service either with its original specifications or new customized needs.
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CONFLOW
Assuring a stable steel floe for reliable casting
Especially for special steelmakers, consistency is vital to profitability. Precise stopper control in the tundish is where consistency begins. CONFLOW Tundish Stopper Controls assure stable and accurate steel levels in the mold, which are key to product quality. With over 2,000 units installed worldwide, SMS Concast’s CONFLOW is the industry standard for tundish stopper controls. It’s engineered for ease of use and a long, trouble-free service life.
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COOL
The real-time solidification model. Fine-tune your continuous caster.
SMS Concast’s real-time solidification simulator, COOL, has proven itself in many plants around the world. It enables you to control and fine-tune your caster with an accurate, detailed temperature profile of the strand as it solidifies – online, and now, also offline. Combining SMS Concast’s vast metallurgical and process automation know-how, COOL lets you optimize caster inputs for maximum product quality and process stability.
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Solidification model -
CONREAD optical product recognition
Track your products seamlessly, from caster to customer
Product tracking is part of modern steel production. Steelmakers supplying the machine tool or automotive industries, among others, face stringent quality requirements. Delivery mix-ups simply cannot be tolerated and their consequences for the steelmaker can be costly. CONREAD tracks every product you make, assuring flawless deliveries every time.
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CONSHAPE online cross-section checker
Online, on-the-fly shape detection for enhanced quality and productivity
Productivity and quality are every steelmaker’s goal. SMS Concast is dedicated to providing steelmakers with solutions to achieve both. Using our proven high-resolution imaging system, our CONSHAPE cross-section checker acquires an image of the precise shape of every billet or bloom and checks it for quality parameters like rhomboidity and bulging.
It enables steelmakers to make rapid, on-the-fly adjustments to improve quality and yield.
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CONSHAPE -
Continuous casting mold tube
Tapered precisely to your specifications
The right continuous casting mold tube will greatly contribute to the billets’ quality in terms of surface, internal structure, and shape. We have the knowledge, experience, and expertise to create the right continuous casting mold tube every time. Your continuous casting mold tube maintenance and care will increase its lifespan and enhance overall quality and productivity. Each copper mold tube is a financially viable option that will last for many heats with our range of aftercare and refurbishment services.
SMS Concast has been designing molds since it introduced continuous casting to the steel industry in 1954. In 1991, our CONVEX Technology® mold tubes boosted caster throughput by up to 30 % over conventional molds. For many years now, SMS Concast has not only designed but also manufactured mold tubes tailored to your specific needs. We don’t outsource these critical parts, we produce them in-house.
The mold assembly being the heart of every continuous casting machine, SMS Concast offers advanced integrated mold solutions based on the caster requirements and optimized for:
- Higher casting speeds
- Optimized metallurgical processes
- Extension of mold service life
- Improved quality (geometry, surface, internal)
- Reduced break-out rate
- Increased yield
SMS Concast is not only at the forefront of mold technology developments, it also manufactures mold tubes itself.
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