Abstract: Molten steel is poured into a water cooled continuous casting mold in which the steel solidifies partially with the formation of a strand having a length and a peripheral shell. The strand has a cross-sectional surface area with one of a round shape, an oval shape and a polygonal shape having more than four sides. Additionally, the strand has a minimum circumference of 200 mm. The cross-sectional surface area of the strand leaving the mold is then reduced using rolls before the strand fully solidifies. The reducing includes deforming the strand into a polygonal shape having at least four corners while maintaining the circumference as well as the length of the strand at the peripheral shell constant.

Abstract: A continuous casting mold includes a pair of opposed, spaced apart front and rear mold wall members and a pair of opposed, spaced apart side wall members arranged between the front and rear mold wall members. Each of the side wall members includes a pair of opposed side edges, the first side edge of the pair of edges being defined as that portion of the side wall member in contact with the adjacent front mold wall member and the other side being defined as that portion of the side wall member in contact with the adjacent rear mold wall member. Each lateral surface of the sidewall members defines a recess formed in each side edge for providing a clearance between a portion of each side edge and the adjacent mold wall member. Within each recess is disposed a linear bearing assembly which holds the front and side wall members at a predetermined distance and which absorbs clamping forces applied to the front and rear wall members.

Abstract: A method and system for continuously producing a flat steel product from flat stock produced by the arcuate continuous casting method with a horizontal direction of emergence are disclosed. In one form of the invention, flat stock is shaped after solidification of a strand in a first shaping stage at temperatures exceeding about 1100.degree. C. The stock is then inductively reheated to a temperature of about 1100.degree. C. with approximate temperature equalization of an entire cross-section of the flat stock. The flat stock is additionally shaped in at least one additional shaping stage with rolling speeds in accordance with the stock's accompanying reduction in thickness per pass.