Abstract: There is disclosed an arrangement and a process for alternatively producing a hot-rolled strip, a hot-formed pre-strip or an unformed slab, of steel by the continuous casting method. In order to obtain a high product quality for strips as thin as possible and to ensure a high operational flexibility, the following characteristic features are realized individually or in combination:casting of a strand at slab thickness in an open-ended mold having a continuously constant cross section,a first forming step including forming of the strand having a liquid core to reduce its thickness,a second forming step including forming of the already completely solidified strand to further reduce its thickness to pre-strip format, anda third forming step including forming of strand pieces separated from the strand by hot-rolling the strand pieces.

Abstract: An anode for a d.c. arc furnace is described. The furnace area receiving the melt (2) is provided on the inside with an electrically conductive, refractory lining (8,9,11). The latter is electrically connected to a conductor (12) located on the outside and which has a cylindrical construction and is placed around the electrically conductive lining. The conductor is advantageously fixed to the inside of the steel jacket (3) of the furnace.