Patents Assigned to Nucor Corporation
  • Patent number: 11590667
    Abstract: A material handling tool having a support member, a magnet, a magnet control, a power source, and a magnet coupling. The support member may be made of two or more support member portions that allow for interchangeable support members of various lengths to be used in order to adjust the length of the material handling tool. The magnets used with the material handling tool may also be interchangeable in order to use magnets of different strengths. A magnet coupling may be used that provides angular and/or rotational movement of the magnet with respect to the support member. The magnet may be an electromagnet, which may have a magnetic field that can be adjusted. As such, a magnet control and/or power source may be used to adjust the magnetic field by turning the magnetic field on or off or adjusting the strength of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric Ray Rayburn
  • Patent number: 11542567
    Abstract: Described herein are thin metal strips having hot rolled exterior side surfaces characterized as being primarily or substantially free of all prior austenite grain boundaries, or at least primarily or substantially free of all prior austenite grain boundaries, and including elongated surface structure. As a result, because the prior austenite grain boundaries are not primarily or substantially present, all such prior austenite grain boundaries are not susceptible to grain boundary etching due to acid etching or pickling. In particular examples, the thin metal strips undergo hot rolling performed with a coefficient of friction equal to or greater than 0.20 with or without use of lubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tao Wang, Kishlay Mishra, Jeffery Edward Keffer
  • Patent number: 11536034
    Abstract: Support members for a roof system are provided to allow for positioning panels of a roof apart from building members so that building components, such as insulation may be placed between the roof panels and the building members. The support members may be utilized in new buildings or to retrofit existing buildings. Each of the support members may comprise a single support member that has a base portion operatively coupled to an offset portion that is operatively coupled to an upper portion. One or more channels may be provided in the base portion, offset portion, and/or the upper portion to provide structural support and to allow the support members to be operatively coupled to each other and other building members without the need for additional components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian K. Cluck
  • Patent number: 11529676
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously casting thin strip has a pair of internally cooled counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces, the pair of casting rolls laterally positioned to form a gap at a nip between the casting rolls through which a thin metal strip can be cast, where the casting surface of each casting roll has a roll profile extending in an axial direction of the corresponding casting roll; a metal delivery system adapted to deliver molten metal above the nip to form a casting pool; and a temperature altering source external to the casting roll and having one or more zones configured to alter the casting roll profile of at least one of the pair of casting rolls by locally heating or cooling the casting roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert G. Nooning, Jr., Wilhelm Schmitz, Roland Sellger, Ulrich Albrecht-Frueh
  • Publication number: 20220372757
    Abstract: A joist assembly system that is structured for dynamic retrieval of components, dynamic and precise positioning and location of retrieved components, assembly of the components to form a joist, and delivery of the assembled joist. The joist assembly system has a plurality of material handling systems, a plurality of welding systems, and a rigging table system. The material handling systems are structured to load and position the components such as chords and webs onto the rigging table. The rigging table in turn supports the chords or webs. Subsequently, the plurality of welding systems weld the webs to the chords to form the joist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason Alan Freidenberger, Joseph Patrick Cagle, Christopher Ray Couch, Richard Thomas Erickson, Travis Marshall Fuhrman, John Lyman Hale, Matthew Glenn Hire, Christopher William Martin, James E. Ogburn, III, Jonathan Pressley Poston, Peter Michael Puglisi, Phillip Murray Sylvester, JR., Adam Taylor Watkins
  • Publication number: 20220372587
    Abstract: A system and method of direct reduction of iron (DRI) is disclosed, having a reduction unit configured to reduce iron oxides to metallic iron; a process gas heater coupled to the reduction unit, the process gas heater configured to supply the reduction unit directly with a source of heated reducing gas, where the process gas heater is further configured to receive a synthetic combustion air stream for heating the reducing gas, the synthetic combustion air stream comprising a source of oxygen with essentially no nitrogen. A method of carbon dioxide emission reduction from a direct reduction of iron (DRI) process is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Mirmohammadyousef Motamedhashemi
  • Patent number: 11427877
    Abstract: A DRI product and method of forming the DRI product. DRI is formed from a reducing process, and thereafter the DRI is subjected to another heat treatment that produces a DRI product. The DRI product formed has a metallic shell around at least a portion of a DRI core. The heat treatment may be delivered through the use of a plasma torch, a gas burner, an oven, or any other like heat source. The heat treatment may heat the DRI for a fraction of a second and quickly cool the DRI in order to melt the surface and form the metallic shell without vaporizing a significant portion of the DRI and without losing a significant amount of the latent energy in the DRI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bradford Granger True, David William Hendrickson
  • Publication number: 20220235430
    Abstract: Methods of reducing copper metal content of shredded scrap steel are provided. The method includes continuously separating a first scrap steel fraction from an amount of scrap steel concurrently with separating a second fraction from the amount of scrap steel; continuously separating the second fraction and providing a nonmagnetic fraction and, concurrently, a third scrap steel fraction; grinding the nonmagnetic fraction followed by magnetic separation to provide a fourth scrap steel fraction and, concurrently, an enriched nonmagnetic fraction; continuously combining the first scrap steel fraction, the third scrap steel fraction, and the fourth scrap steel fraction to obtain a combined scrap steel product comprising scrap steel with reduced copper metal content; and introducing the combined scrap steel product to an electric arc furnace. Systems of reducing copper metal content of shredded scrap steel are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brad True, David W. Hendrickson
  • Publication number: 20220213566
    Abstract: A method of direct reduction of iron (DRI) is disclosed, the method comprising generating metallic iron by removing oxygen from iron ore using a reducing gaseous mixture with excess carbon monoxide that produces an excess CO2 by-product is provided. CO2 by-product is optionally sequestered. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brad True, Lindsay Leveen, Mirmohammadyousef Motamedhashemi
  • Publication number: 20220143844
    Abstract: A material handling tool having a support member, a magnet, a magnet control, a power source, and a magnet coupling. The support member may be made of two or more support member portions that allow for interchangeable support members of various lengths to be used in order to adjust the length of the material handling tool. The magnets used with the material handling tool may also be interchangeable in order to use magnets of different strengths. A magnet coupling may be used that provides angular and/or rotational movement of the magnet with respect to the support member. The magnet may be an electromagnet, which may have a magnetic field that can be adjusted. As such, a magnet control and/or power source may be used to adjust the magnetic field by turning the magnetic field on or off or adjusting the strength of the magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric Ray Rayburn
  • Publication number: 20220138367
    Abstract: A construction management system allows a user to capture an item identifier from an item (e.g., shipment, group of components, and/or one or more components) using a mobile device. The item identifier may be used to identify a project and access a model for the product, identify a component in a model, and/or identify the components in a shipment for staging purposes. Moreover, the system may be used to identify a status for the one or more components. The status may be that the one or more components are shipped, received, staged for assembly, installed, or the like. The status of the one or more components may be automatically updated by capturing the item identifier. Moreover, the user may also select shipment information for past, current, and/or future shipments in order to identify the one or more components associated with each of the shipments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11285529
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are TRIP (transformation induced plasticity) steel alloy thin metal strips or, stated differently, high strength, high ductility steel alloy thin metal strips formed of a composition described herein, being substantially free or free of aluminum. In being substantially free, the aluminum content is equal to or less than 0.01% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Morye Field, David C. Van Aken
  • Publication number: 20220090220
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise; annealing steel sheets (e.g., hot rolled steel sheets or thin cast strip steel); cold rolling the sheets in one or more cold rolling steps (e.g., with annealing steps between multiple cold rolling steps); and performing one or more of tension leveling, a rough rolling, or a coating process on the sheets after cold rolling, without an intermediate annealing step between the final cold rolling step and the tension leveling, the rough rolling, or the coating process, or the customer stamping or final customer annealing. In order to achieve the desired properties for the steel sheet, stamping and final annealing is performed by the customer. The new process provides an electrical steel with the similar, same, or better magnetic properties than an electrical steel manufactured using the traditional processing that utilizes an intermediate annealing step after cold rolling and before the stamping and final annealing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Theodore E. Hill, Eric E. Gallo
  • Patent number: 11256833
    Abstract: A construction management system allows a user to capture an item identifier from an item (e.g., shipment, group of components, and/or one or more components) using a mobile device. The item identifier may be used to identify a project and access a model for the product, identify a component in a model, and/or identify the components in a shipment for staging purposes. Moreover, the system may be used to identify a status for the one or more components. The status may be that the one or more components are shipped, received, staged for assembly, installed, or the like. The status of the one or more components may be automatically updated by capturing the item identifier. Moreover, the user may also select shipment information for past, current, and/or future shipments in order to identify the one or more components associated with each of the shipments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11250176
    Abstract: A construction management system allows a user to capture an item identifier from an item (e.g., shipment, group of components, and/or one or more components) using a mobile device. The item identifier may be used to identify a project and access a model for the product, identify a component in a model, and/or identify the components in a shipment for staging purposes. Moreover, the system may be used to identify a status for the one or more components. The status may be that the one or more components are shipped, received, staged for assembly, installed, or the like. The status of the one or more components may be automatically updated by capturing the item identifier. Moreover, the user may also select shipment information for past, current, and/or future shipments in order to identify the one or more components associated with each of the shipments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11225697
    Abstract: A hot rolled light-gauge martensitic steel sheet made by the steps comprising: (a) preparing a molten steel melt comprising: (i) by weight, between 0.20% and 0.35% carbon, less than 1.0% chromium, between 0.7% and 2.0% manganese, between 0.10% and 0.50% silicon, between 0.1% and 1.0% copper, less than 0.05% niobium, less than 0.5% molybdenum, and silicon killed containing less than 0.01% aluminum, and (ii) the remainder iron and impurities resulting from melting; (b) solidifying at a heat flux greater than 10.0 MW/m2 and cooling the molten melt into a steel sheet less than 2.0 mm in thickness in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to below 1080° C. and above Ar3 temperature at a cooling rate greater than 15° C./s; and (c) hot rolling the steel sheet to between 15% and 50% reduction and rapidly cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: James W. Watson, Paul Kelly, David C. Van Aken, Christopher Ronald Killmore
  • Patent number: 11220720
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise; annealing steel sheets (e.g., hot rolled steel sheets or thin cast strip steel); cold rolling the sheets in one or more cold rolling steps (e.g., with annealing steps between multiple cold rolling steps); and performing one or more of tension leveling, a rough rolling, or a coating process on the sheets after cold rolling, without an intermediate annealing step between the final cold rolling step and the tension leveling, the rough rolling, or the coating process, or the customer stamping or final customer annealing. In order to achieve the desired properties for the steel sheet, stamping and final annealing is performed by the customer. The new process provides an electrical steel with the similar, same, or better magnetic properties than an electrical steel manufactured using the traditional processing that utilizes an intermediate annealing step after cold rolling and before the stamping and final annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Theodore E. Hill, Eric E. Gallo
  • Patent number: 11193188
    Abstract: A nitrided steel product or thin cast steel strip comprising, by weight, less than 0.25% carbon, between 0.20 and 2.0% manganese, between 0.05 and 0.50% silicon, less than 0.01% aluminum, niobium between 0.01 and about 0.20%, and between 0.01 and 0.075% nitrogen, and having a majority of the microstructure comprised of bainite and acicular ferrite, having more than 70% niobium in solid solution prior to nitriding and having yield strength between 650 MPa and 800 MPa and tensile strength between 750 MPa and 900 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuxuan Xie, Chen Zhu, Julie M. Cairney, Simon P. Ringer, Christopher R. Killmore, Frank Barbaro, James Williams
  • Patent number: 11155902
    Abstract: A galvanized dual phase steel sheet with a martensite phase and a ferrite phase and a composition containing within the following ranges by weight: carbon from about 0.01% to about 0.18%; manganese from about 0.2% to about 3%; silicon?about 1.2%; aluminum from about 0.01% to about 0.1%; one or both of chromium and nickel from about 0.1% to about 3.5%; calcium from about 0.0003% to about 0.01%; phosphorus?about 0.1%; sulfur?about 0.03%; nitrogen?about 0.02%; molybdenum?about 1%; one or more of niobium and titanium?about 1%; and boron?about 0.006% by weight; and with the balance of the composition being iron and incidental ingredients. The steel sheet may be both galvanized and galvannealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Weiping Sun
  • Patent number: 11148193
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus for continuously casting thin strip where one or more expansion rings are positioned within at least one of a pair of casting rolls, and automatically measuring a thickness of the cast strip close to the first side edge of the strip using at least one sensor. If the thickness measured is too thin, automatically decreasing the radial dimension of the expansion ring arranged in close proximity to the first side edge to cause the cylindrical tube to contract and increase the thickness of the cast strip during casting. If the thickness measured indicates that the thickness of the cast strip is too thick, automatically increasing the radial dimension of the expansion ring arranged in close proximity to the first side edge to cause the cylindrical tube to expand and reduce the thickness of the cast strip during casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Nooning, Jr., Harold Bradley Rees, Jeffery Edward Keffer