Patents Assigned to SMS GROUP GMBH
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Patent number: 12358034Abstract: A method for producing an ultra-thin strip of less than 0.8 mm from cast steel in batch/continuous operation with a casting-rolling system. The method includes casting a thin slab having a casting thickness of 90-150 mm and width of at least 1000 mm at a casting speed of 7 m/min. The thin slab is heated/homogenized to a first temperature in a continuous furnace and subsequently rolled by at least seven final roll stands into an ultra-thin band. Neither the thin slab nor strip undergo inductive heating during production. The thin slab rolling steps include rough rolling the thin slab at the heated/homogenized first temperature by a roughing stand; heating/homogenizing the rough-rolled thin slab to a second temperature by a further continuous furnace; and finally rolling the rough-rolled thin slab at the second temperature to the ultra-thin strip by the final roll stands arranged downstream of the further continuous furnace.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: July 15, 2025Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBHInventors: Dieter Rosenthal, Christoph Klein
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Patent number: 12330196Abstract: In the case of a production plant which comprises in series a thin-slab continuous casting plant (1), which is arranged upstream of a roller hearth furnace (2), the roller hearth furnace (2) and a rolling mill (3), which is arranged downstream of the roller hearth furnace (2) and has an assigned reeling plant (21), wherein the continuous casting plant (1) and the rolling mill (3) can be operated in a continuous operating mode, the intention is to provide a solution that allows a slab buffer capacity to be provided for a continuously operated thin slab continuous casting plant when there is a fault causing a standstill in the transport of the slab or strip. This is achieved by the production plant having four slab or strip cutting devices (10, 14, 17, 24), which are arranged upstream and downstream of the roller hearth furnace (2), in a section along the length of the roller hearth furnace (2) and on the outlet side of a first separate roll line (12) of the rolling mill (3).Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2017Date of Patent: June 17, 2025Assignee: SMS Group GmbHInventor: Christoph Klein
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Publication number: 20250161871Abstract: A method and a device serve for treating primary gas from a metallurgical vessel for the effective reduction of NOx constituents. The primary gas is supplied with a reducing agent. Additionally, secondary gas is suctioned at an auxiliary suction point in the surroundings of the metallurgical vessel. The primary gas is mixed with the colder secondary gas to produce a gas mixture. Thereby NOx constituents in the primary gas are effectively reduced without an undesired reactive influence on the process within the metallurgical furnace and without requiring high investment costs. This is achieved in that the primary gas is mixed with the secondary gas prior to supplying the reducing agent, namely such that the gas mixture is cooled to a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 600° C. prior to supplying the reducing agent, and the reducing agent is then supplied to the gas mixture, containing the primary gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2023Publication date: May 22, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventor: Thilo WÜBBELS
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Publication number: 20250144700Abstract: The invention relates to a system for isothermally forging metal semifinished products close to the final contours within a vacuum and/or a protective gas atmosphere, comprising at least one forging press (1) which comprises at least one press ram (4) that extends into a vacuum forging chamber (3), at least one upper tool (5), and at least one lower tool (6); at least one workpiece changing chamber (9) which is connected to the vacuum forging chamber (3) in a gas-tight manner; and a plurality of lock chambers (11, 12) for preparing and/or heating and/or cooling workpieces, said lock chambers being connected to the workpiece changing chamber (9) in a gas-tight manner, wherein at least the vacuum forging chamber (3) has at least one round cross-sectional contour.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2022Publication date: May 8, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventors: Cihangir DEMIRCI, Serdar TUNCEL, Axel ROSSBACH
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Patent number: 12291757Abstract: A heat-treatment method for controlling austenite content in steel during conveying, heating and cooling the steel though a furnace. The method includes heating the steel until reaching a first location, then cooling the steel until reaching a downstream second or third location in the furnace. First, a quality window of the austenite content having minimum/maximum values at the second or third locations is determined. Upstream from the second/third locations, temperature of the steel for the second/third locations is predicted by a heat-transfer equation and/or conveyance speed of the steel through the furnace. The austenite content is then predicted at the second/third locations by metallurgical/data-based modelling using the predicted temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2020Date of Patent: May 6, 2025Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBHInventors: Ulrich Sommers, Thomas Daube, Alexandre Lhoest, Holger Behrens
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Publication number: 20250129444Abstract: A system for producing flat rolled products from thick-cast metal slabs includes: a continuous casting device, by which a flat continually cast product with a thickness of at least 160 mm can be continually cast; a separating device, arranged so as to adjoin the continuous casting device for separating the flat continually cast product into individual thick slabs; a hot-rolling mill, by which the thick slabs can be rolled to form the flat rolled product; a thick slab supplying device arranged transversely to the transport direction and positioned between the separating device and the rolling train; and an electric heating device arranged in front of the hot-rolling mill, for a direct hot charging process, said electric heating device allowing at least the thick slabs coming from the continuous casting device arranged in the common transport line to be heated to a hot-rolling temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2022Publication date: April 24, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventors: Wolfgang FUCHS, Georg PADBERG, Matthias PETERS
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Publication number: 20250128321Abstract: An atomization unit (1) for atomizing metal melts, in particular for powder-metallurgical purposes, includes a crucible (2) having a base outlet (4). A melt nozzle (16) is arranged below the base outlet (4) and a gas nozzle (9) is preferably arranged concentrically with respect to the melt nozzle (16). The melt nozzle (16) is formed in multiple parts and comprises a casing body along with a nozzle core (17). The nozzle core (17) passes through a conical seat within the casing body.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2022Publication date: April 24, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventors: Peter WEILAND, Norbert VOGL, Reiner PÜRLING, Lukas GELLINGS
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Publication number: 20250121429Abstract: A method for producing an aluminum strip (2) in a coupled casting-rolling process, includes the following steps: a) melting an aluminum raw material comprising at least one aluminum alloy in at least one melting assembly (4); b) determining the alloy composition of the melt (3); c) casting the melt (3) to form a hot strip by means of at least one strip-casting machine (6); d) rolling the hot strip in a rolling system (14) comprising at least one rolling device for shaping the hot strip for thickness and/or width reduction; and e) regulating and/or controlling at least one shaping parameter of the rolling system (14) as a function of the alloy composition of the melt (3). The disclosure also relates to a casting-rolling system (1) for carrying out the method.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2022Publication date: April 17, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventors: Markus FISCHER, Guido FICK, Michael SCHÄFER, Michael BREUER
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Publication number: 20250123615Abstract: A method for planning production in a production plant having a plurality of separate, successive plant parts is disclosed. The products to be manufactured in the production plant are available in a production list and/or production sub-lists are available for the separate, successive plant parts or are established from the production list. The method includes analyzing the production sub-lists and determining production sequences for the relevant plant parts. Those products that can be manufactured in the relevant plant part and can be manufactured without restricting or interrupting production in the plant part are combined in each production sequence. The method further includes analyzing the production sequences of the plant parts and determining at least one overall production sequence for the production plant. Products that are included for all the plant parts in a joint production sequence are included in an overall production sequence.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2022Publication date: April 17, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventor: Carsten Andreas KLEIN
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Patent number: 12276457Abstract: A shell (10) acts as a transporting shoe for steel ingots, which are pushed through a preferably tubular induction furnace for inductive heating for the purpose of producing seamless tubes by the extrusion process. The shell (10) is formed in such a way that it partially reaches around the contour of the steel ingot to be heated. The shell is provided at one end leading in the pushing-through direction or transporting direction, with a shoulder (12), which extends at an angle to the transporting direction, against which the steel ingot rests in such a way that the pushed-through steel ingot takes the shell (10) along with it. A method for inductively heating steel ingots uses a shell (10) as described.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2020Date of Patent: April 15, 2025Assignee: SMS group GmbHInventor: Klaus Fussbroich
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Patent number: 12275047Abstract: A device for handling mandrel rods in a rolling plant for rolling seamless tubes comprises an inserter. The inserter moves a mandrel rod in a rolling direction such that the mandrel rod, starting from an initial state, is pushed into a tube blank situated upstream of the mandrel rod. A retaining device has a fixing unit that is movable along the rolling line and is designed to temporarily hold the mandrel rod at an action point at a rear end of the mandrel rod and to carry out a working stroke. The mandrel rod can be inserted into the rolling mill in the rolling direction and pulled out of the rolling mill counter to the rolling direction by the retaining device. The retaining device is designed such that the starting position of the fixing unit lies between the two ends of the mandrel rod in the initial state.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: April 15, 2025Assignee: SMS group GmbHInventors: Walter Kirchner, Paolo Marin, Patrizio Rinaldi
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Patent number: 12269080Abstract: A modular rolling train, particularly a hot rolling train, preferably in conjunction with an upstream casting facility, and a method for operating a modular rolling train are described. The rolling train is standardized and modularized by dividing the rolling train into discrete units n and by modularization of the discrete units. The rolling train can be flexibly adapted to new requirements by exchanging a module.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: SMS group GmbHInventors: Gokhan Erarslan, Jens Kreikemeier, Joachim Hafer, Kerstin Spill
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Patent number: 12251751Abstract: A crosshead (1) for use as an upper and/or lower beam (50, 60) in a press (100), in particular an open-die forging press or a closed-die forging press, comprises an upper chord (2) and a lower chord (5) connected to the upper chord (2) via a first and a second lateral upright (3, 4). The first lateral upright (3) is arranged in the region of a first distal end (6) and the second lateral upright (4) is arranged in the region of a second distal end (7) of the crosshead (1). The crosshead (1) has a truss support structure (8) between the two lateral uprights (3, 4) by which the upper chord (2) and the lower chord (5) are additionally connected to one another.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: SMS group GmbHInventors: David Hüsgen, Michael Büsch, Mohamed Houari, Frederik Knauf
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Patent number: 12251746Abstract: A roll stand for rolling a metallic product and having two work-rolls supported in the roll stand by respective work-roll chocks. An axial displacement arrangement is provided with which the work-rolls can be displaced in direction of their longitudinal axes, and at least one work-roll locking arrangement is provided with which the work-roll chocks can be locked and unlocked in the roll stand. A rotation prevention arrangement is provided with which the axial displacement arrangement can be prevented from rotation about longitudinal axes of the work-roll. A bending arrangement is provided which includes a bending block and with which a bending torque can be applied to the work-rolls. In order to achieve a simpler design of the assembly and improved lubrication possibilities for the component to be lubricated, the rotation prevention arrangement and the axial displacement arrangement are fixedly connected with the bending block.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: SMS Group GmbHInventor: Dietmar Fontayne
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Patent number: 12246370Abstract: A stretch-rolling device and a stretch-rolling method for pressure-forming workpieces by rolls. The stretch-rolling device includes a pair of work-rolls with two rolls, which can each be rotated about their roll axes and form a roll gap between them. The rolls implement a plurality of stages in an axial direction, which are set up for stepwise deformation of the workpieces as the workpieces pass through the stages successively. A manipulator with a plurality of gripping devices, which are arranged on a working side of the pair of work-rolls, are set up to grip the workpieces at an assigned stage to guide the workpieces through the roll gap in a feed/retraction direction. A support is arranged to temporarily support the workpieces in cooperation with the manipulator to transfer the workpieces to another gripping device, which is preferably an adjacent gripping device of the next higher stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBHInventor: Markus Schaprian
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Patent number: 12248305Abstract: A system and method for monitoring, operating and maintaining an industrial plant in the metal-producing industry, including: a mobile terminal device with at least one sensor for recording measured values within the industrial plant, at least one position sensor for detecting the position of the mobile terminal device in the industrial plant, a central data processing device for processing the measured values recorded by the mobile terminal device by the at least one sensor, taking into account the position of the mobile terminal device recorded by the at least one position sensor in the industrial plant, and at least one communication network for exchanging data between the mobile terminal device, the at least one position sensor and/or the central data processing device.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2020Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBHInventor: Norbert Vogl
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Patent number: 12240023Abstract: A flatness-measuring device for a hot-rolled strip within a hot-rolling mill includes an entry-side deflection roller and an exit-side deflection roller. A central deflection roller is arranged between the entry-side deflection roller and the exit-side deflection roller. The central deflection roller is used as a flatness-measuring roller. To prevent the hot-rolled strip from departing laterally during a flatness measurement, the flatness-measuring device has a sensing apparatus for sensing an actual position of the hot-rolled strip. An adjusting apparatus is connected to the sensing apparatus and to at least one of the deflection rollers. The flatness-measuring device is designed to vary an angle between a longitudinal central axis of the deflection roller respectively connected to the adjusting apparatus and a longitudinal axis of the flatness-measuring device based on a deviation of the actual position of the hot-rolled strip from a predefined target position.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2021Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: SMS group GmBHInventors: Frank Gorgels, Olaf Norman Jepsen, Patrick Siemann, Andreas Kastner
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Patent number: 12235046Abstract: A device and a method are described by which the process control, in particular temperature control, of a metal product passed through along a single running-through line is flexibly influenced by means of at least two adjacent segments. By exchanging segments, the process control can be adapted quickly and flexibly to a wide variety of metal products.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: SMS group GmbHInventors: Joachim Hafer, Matthias Peters, Kilian Kaupper
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Patent number: 12226814Abstract: A method for controlling a cooling device which is set up to control temperature of a rolling stock such as a metal strip, which runs through a cooling device along a conveying direction of a rolling train. The cooling device is arranged upstream of the rolling train. The method includes determining total enthalpy of a system formed by the rolling stock; determining a measure for the formation of scale, which includes a scale factor that depends on chemical composition and surface temperature of the rolling stock, and a heat transfer coefficient of the scale; calculating a temperature distribution and/or average temperature in the rolling stock based on a temperature calculation model, in which the determined total enthalpy and the measure for the formation of scale are included; and setting a cooling capacity of the cooling device taking into account the calculated temperature distribution and/or average temperature in the rolling stock.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2020Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBHInventors: Thomas Heimann, August Sprock, Christoph Hassel, Heinz-Juergen Oudehinken
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Publication number: 20250043370Abstract: A smelting unit for steel production with a tap weight of between 60 t and 350 t and a method for operating the same are disclosed. By a top lance that moves during operation of the smelting unit and the coordinated injection of process gases by sidewall injectors and the top lance, the undulations in the surface of the molten bath are reduced. As a result, fewer drops detach from the surface of the molten bath and soiling of the upper receptacle and the exhaust manifold is significantly reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2022Publication date: February 6, 2025Applicant: SMS group GmbHInventors: Hans-Jürgen ODENTHAL, Andreas SCHÜRING, Peter STARKE, Thomas HENKEL