High-quality steel slabs with cutting-edge casting technology
SMS group supplied an ultra-wide slab caster to Shandong Iron & Steel Group's Rizhao plant, producing up to 1.5 million tons annually. Equipped with X-Pact® automation, it ensures high-quality slab production with advanced control systems and Industry 4.0 integration.
The single-strand caster at Shandong Iron & Steel Group’s Rizhao Base in China produces high-quality slabs up to 3,250 mm wide and 150 mm thick. It handles various steel grades, including structural and micro-alloyed steels, with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tons. The caster supports advanced automation, ensuring efficient slab casting and superior internal quality, primarily for plate and hot strip production.
Design Features: Mold, Machine Design, and Strand Support
The caster features a 900 mm mold designed for producing 150–180 mm thick slabs. The machine’s vertical bending design (VLB) has a metallurgical length of 18.7 m, using a nine-segment strand guide with smart roller configurations to optimize slab support and prevent defects like bulging or cracking.
X-Pact® Automation System
The X-Pact® automation system integrates advanced control features like X-Pact® Level, Width, and Solid Control to maintain slab quality. Its X-Pact® Width Control system allows precise width adjustments with soft clamping, reducing wear. The automation system monitors and optimizes mold performance, strand movement, and cooling. X-Pact® Tech Assist provides automatic parameter settings for various steel grades, ensuring efficient and stable production processes with minimal human intervention.
Impressions
Main data
| Machine Type | Vertical Liquid Bending (VLB) |
| Slab Thickness | 150 mm (180 mm provision) |
| Slab Width | 2,000–3,250 mm |
| Metallurgical Length | 18.7 m |
| Machine Radius | 6.67 m |
| Production Speed (low-carbon steel, 150 mm) | 2.0 m/min |
| Annual Production Capacity | 1.5 million tons |
| Number of Segments | 9 |
| Nominal Heat Size | 210 t average (240 t max) |