Near-Net-Shape Casting Reduces Rolling Stands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional continuous casting and rolling plants are inefficient in reducing costs and increasing productivity, as they require multiple rolling steps and large equipment setups, leading to higher energy consumption and construction costs.
Innovation Solution
A compact casting-rolling plant design that allows direct feeding of uncut cast strands into a rolling mill, using near-net-shape casting and rolling with multiple strands, which reduces the number of rolling steps and equipment size by using smaller cast strand formats and a simplified rolling process with integrated feed and straightening rollers, and pairs of rollers with calibrated openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional continuous casting and rolling plants use large casting formats (130x130 mm or 150x150 mm) with multiple rolling steps, then they can produce long products, but they require more rolling stands, increase energy consumption, and raise construction costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the casting process into multiple smaller parallel casting strands (e.g., four 80x80 mm strands instead of one 130x130 mm or 150x150 mm strand). This segmentation allows each strand to be rolled more efficiently with fewer rolling stands, reducing total energy consumption while maintaining or increasing overall productivity through parallel processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the casting format parameters from conventional large sizes (130x130 mm or 150x150 mm) to smaller optimized sizes (80x80 mm). This parameter change reduces the forming work required in rolling, decreases energy consumption per ton of product, and allows for more compact mill design while maintaining productivity through multi-strand operation
2Productivity
If conventional plants use multiple rolling stands and large casting formats, then they can handle production requirements, but the equipment setup becomes larger and construction costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the production into multiple smaller casting strands, the patent reduces the number of rolling stands needed per strand. The parallel arrangement of fewer rolling stands processing multiple strands achieves the same or higher productivity with reduced device complexity and smaller plant footprint
Solution Approach 2:
The rolling mill is designed to handle multiple casting strands simultaneously through universal rolling stands that can process different strands in sequence or parallel. This multi-functionality allows a single rolling stand to serve multiple strands, reducing the total number of stands required while maintaining production capacity
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional plants use large casting formats with dimensions of 130x130 mm or 150x150 mm, then they can produce long products, but they require more rolling steps and a conventional roughing mill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies near-net-shape casting to produce strands with cross-sections already close to the final product dimensions (80x80 mm). This preliminary action eliminates or reduces the need for conventional roughing mill operations and intermediate rolling steps, allowing direct rolling to finished size and simplifying the overall process while maintaining manufacturing precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces energy consumption, saves on construction costs, and increases productivity by enabling faster casting speeds and fewer rolling steps, allowing for smaller plant construction and reduced rolling train requirements, while maintaining high-quality long product production.
Implementation Method 1
the guide and straightening rolls (24) for bending the cast strands (11, 12) inwards by a specific angle and for bending them back by the same angle in the casting or rolling direction
Implementation Method 2
a rolling mill (30) with a number of rolling stands (31, 32) arranged one behind the other, with pairs of rolls (33, 34), through which these cast strands (11, 12) are rolled to form these long products (13, 14)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
In a process for the near-net-shape production of long products, molten metal is fed from a metallurgical vessel for each casting strand (11, 12) through a spout and regulated by a control element (16) arranged on the spout into a mold (21) of a continuous casting machine (20). The at least one cast strand (11, 12) is rolled into these long products (13, 14) in a rolling mill (30) downstream of the continuous casting machine, which has a number of rolling stands (31). The molten metal is fed openly into the mold (21) without a pouring tube immersed in it, and the casting strand (11, 12) is produced near-net-shape with a strand cross-section, in particular, of less than 120 x 120 mm, at a casting speed, in particular, between 4 and 12 m/min. In the subsequent rolling mill (30), a smaller number of rolling stands (31) are preferably used, preferably between 2 and 6 fewer than standard.This process enables the direct feeding of uncut casting strands into a subsequent rolling mill and near-net-shape casting and rolling in a compact casting and rolling plant.