Abstract: A method and plant for making long metal rolled products, in which a continuous casting is provided made by a single casting machine, defining a casting axis, to cast a product with a quadrangular or equivalent section, a reduction of the section in a rolling mill defining a rolling axis substantially coinciding with the casting axis, and a selective accumulation and maintenance at temperature of a plurality of segments of cast product sheared to size in a misaligned position with respect to the casting axis and/or the rolling axis, inside a maintenance box furnace, for a time correlated to a condition of temporary interruption of the reduction step, so as to allow continuity of the continuous casting step.

Abstract: A rolling method in a rolling line, to obtain strip with a thickness varying from 0.7 mm to 20 mm, for steel which can be cast in the form of thin slabs with a thickness from 30 mm to 140 mm, the line includes a continuous casting device; a tunnel furnace for maintenance/equalization and possible heating; a rolling train having a roughing train and a finishing train; a rapid heating unit, with elements able to be selectively activated, interposed between the roughing train and the finishing train. For each lay-out of the rolling line, the position of the rapid heating unit which defines the number of stands which form the roughing train, disposed upstream of the unit, and the number of stands which form the finishing train, disposed downstream of the unit, is calculated as a function of the product of the thickness and speed of the thin slab.

Abstract: A process and an ultracompact plant for the endless production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mold (15) that produces a very thin slab, having narrow sides with thickness in the range between 40 and 55 mm and a central swelling, at a speed in the range between 4 and 16 m/min. Such a slab, which displays a core in which the steel is still liquid, is passed through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) that reduces the thickness of the slab and flattens it. The solidified slab may thus be subjected to a first mild rolling by a conveyor (17) and, by forming a free curve, takes a horizontal position where it is subjected to a first surface descaling, a first rolling, a heating in an inductor (23), a second surface descaling and a series of reductions in a rolling mill (30) formed by at least two stands, by maintaining its temperature along the mill above the recrystallization point Ar3.

Abstract: Process and ultracompact plant for continuous production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mould (15) which produces a very thin slab at a speed between 4 and 16 m/min, wherein the thickness of the narrow sides is between 15 and 50 mm with a central swelling. Such slab has a core in which the steel is still liquid; it is run through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) which reduces the thickness of the slab, flattening it. The solidified slab can thus undergo a first light rolling process using a pinch roll (17) and, by forming a free curve, it moves to a horizontal position where it can undergo a second light rolling process by another pinch roll (22?). A heating process (if required) includes an inductor (50). A superficial descaling process and a series of reductions in a rolling mill made up of at least three stands (20?, 20?, 20??) are provided maintaining a slab temperature along the train above the Ar3 recrystallization point.

Abstract: Ingot mold for casting ultra thin slabs to be used, for instance, in a manufacturing plant for the manufacture of metal strips, having two wide concave walls (11) in the center and two flat portions (12) parallel to the plane of symmetry X in the end zones connected by two convex connecting zones (13) wherein the ratio between the lengths d/l is between 10 and 60% and the ratio h/f is between 10% and 60%.

Abstract: A process and an ultracompact plant for the endless production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mould (15) that produces a very thin slab, having narrow sides with thickness in the range between 40 and 55 mm and a central swelling, at a speed in the range between 4 and 16 m/min. Such a slab, which displays a core in which the steel is still liquid, is passed through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) that reduces the thickness of the slab and flattens it. The solidified slab may thus be subjected to a first mild rolling by a conveyor (17) and, by forming a free curve, takes a horizontal position where it is subjected to a first surface descaling, a first rolling, a heating in an inductor (23), a second surface descaling and a series of reductions in a rolling mill (30) formed by at least two stands, by maintaining its temperature along the mill above the recrystallisation point Ar3.

Abstract: Ingot mold for casting ultra thin slabs to be used, for instance, in a manufacturing plant for the manufacture of metal strips, having two wide concave walls (11) in the center and two flat portions (12) parallel to the plane of symmetry X in the end zones connected by two convex connecting zones (13) wherein the ratio between the lengths d/l is between 10 and 60% and the ratio h/f is between 10% and 60%.

Abstract: Process and ultracompact plant for continuous production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mould (15) which produces a very thin slab at a speed between 4 and 16 m/min, wherein the thickness of the oairrow sides is between 15 and 50 mm with a central swelling. Such slab has a core in which the steel is still liquid; it is run through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) which reduces the thickness of the slab, hence flattening it. The solidified slab can thus undergo a first light rolling process by means of a pinch roll (17) and, by forming a free curve, it moves to a horizontal position where it can undergo a second light rolling process by means of another pinch roll (22?), a heating process (if required) in an inductor (50), a superficial descaling process and a series of reductions in a rolling mill made up of at least three stands (20?, 20?, 20??), thereby maintaining its temperature along the train above the Ar3 recrystallization point.

Abstract: Apparatus for the rolling and heat treatment of elongated metal product of relatively small cross section, such as rods and bars, is described in which the elements required for the conduct of a variety of heat treatments are arranged in in-line disposition whereby any of several heat treatment procedures can be performed on the product without need for transferring the product to remotely located heat treatment facilities. The methods of performing various heat treatments through use of the disclosed apparatus are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for the rolling and heat treatment of elongated metal product of relatively small cross section, such as rods and bars, is described in which the elements required for the conduct of a variety of heat treatments are arranged in in-line disposition whereby any of several heat treatment procedures can be performed on the product without need for transferring the product to remotely located heat treatment facilities. The methods of performing various heat treatments through use of the disclosed apparatus are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for the direct reduction of mineral iron comprising a vertical reduction furnace (10) of the type with a gravitational load to achieve therein reduction reactions of the mineral iron, means (11) to feed the mineral iron into the furnace (10) from above, means to raise the temperature of a reducing gas, mixing means suitable to obtain a mixture of the reducing gas with at least a hydrocarbon, means to inject the mixture of high temperature gas, and means to remove (15) the reduced mineral from the lower part of the furnace (10), the furnace (10) being provided with at least two zones (12, 14), arranged vertically distanced, in each of which a mixture of high temperature gas is suitable to be introduced so as to achieve the reduction reactions in a controlled manner.

Abstract: Apparatus for the rolling and heat treatment of elongated metal product of relatively small cross section, such as rods and bars, is described in which the elements required for the conduct of a variety of heat treatments are arranged in in-line disposition whereby any of several heat treatment procedures can be performed on the product without need for transferring the product to remotely located heat treatment facilities. The methods of performing various heat treatments through use of the disclosed apparatus are also described.

Abstract: Method for the direct reduction of mineral iron inside a vertical reduction furnace (10) of the type with a gravitational load, wherein the reducing gas flows in counter-flow with respect to the material introduced into the furnace, comprising the following steps: the mineral iron is fed from above into the furnace (10), a mixture of high temperature gas consisting of reducing gas based on H2 and CO is injected, and the reduced mineral is removed from the furnace (10). The mixture of gas is introduced into at least a zone (14) of the furnace (10) and consists of the process gas, which emerges from the same furnace, and of additional gas arriving from an outside reforming circuit.

Abstract: Apparatus for the rolling and heat treatment of elongated metal product of relatively small cross section, such as rods and bars, is described in which the elements required for the conduct of a variety of heat treatments are arranged in in-line disposition whereby any of several heat treatment procedures can be performed on the product without need for transferring the product to remotely located heat treatment facilities. The methods of performing various heat treatments through use of the disclosed apparatus are also described.

Abstract: Method to control the profile of a strip (13) in a rolling stand for strip and/or sheet comprising at least two working rolls, respectively upper (11a) and lower (11b) and defining a reference pass-line (15) substantially coinciding with the center line of said strip (13), said rolls (11a, 11b) defining between them a transit gap (12) through which said strip (13) passes and is rolled and being supported at the ends by respective chocks, said method providing the axial movement (shifting) of said working rolls (11a, 11b) with respect to said pass-line (15), said working rolls (11a, 11b) having a shaped surface profile (14) which can be expressed by a polynomial equation, said method providing to apply a first value (“s1”) of axial translation, or shifting, to said upper working roll (11a) and a second value (“s2”) of axial translation, or shifting, to said lower working roll (11b), s1 being ≠s2.

Abstract: Method for the direct reduction of mineral iron inside a vertical reduction furnace (10) of the type with a gravitational load, wherein the reduction gas flows in counter-flow with respect to the material introduced into the furnace, comprising the following steps: the mineral iron is fed from above into the furnace (10), a mixture of high temperature gas consisting of reducing gas based on H2 and CO is injected, and the reduced mineral is removed from the furnace (10), the mixture of gas being introduced in at least two zones (12, 14) of the furnace (10) arranged one above the other so as to achieve, in a controlled manner, a first stage of pre-heating and pre-reduction in the upper part (12) of the furnace (10) and a second stage of final reduction in the lower part (14) of the furnace (10).

Abstract: An integrated plant for the production of elongated metal products, such as bars and rods, is described in which the product is initially cast in continuous caster equipment and conducted toward a rolling mill which is positioned in-line with the continuous caster equipment. A tunnel furnace is disposed between the continuous caster equipment and the rolling mill for heating, equalizing and/or holding the product at a predetermined rolling temperature and a descaling assembly operates to descale the product prior to delivery to the rolling mill.

Abstract: An integrated plant for the production of elongated metal product of relatively small cross section, such as bars and rods, is described in which the product is initially cast in a pair of continuous casters and conducted along parallel conveyor lines toward a rolling mill which is in-line with one of the conveyor lines. A tunnel furnace operative to heat the product to rolling temperatures contains transfer mechanism for transferring product on the out-of-line conveyor to the in-line conveyor whereby the benefits of substantially continuous rolling of the product is achieved. A method for operating the plant is also described.

Abstract: Method and device to reduce and eliminate vibrations in a rolling stand for plane rolled products comprising working rolls associated with by motor a kinematic chain, there being included nozzles to deliver a mixture of water and lubricant to the surface of each of the working rolls; the method providing to measure the effective value of torque transmitted to each of the working rolls and to selectively vary the percentage of lubricant contained in the mixture delivered to each of the working rolls according to the effective torque measured.

Abstract: This invention is an electric arc furnace that can be continuously charged with ferrous materials, that can continuously melt the incoming charged materials, and that can semicontinuously tap molten steel by tilting to tap one side of the furnace or another. Continuous melting and refining can occur in lateral shafts adjacent to the central melting zone, and molten steel can be tapped from either of these shafts or directly from the central melting zone if desired. The furnace can be operated and tapped continuously, which provides many distinct advantages over what is currently available in the art.