Abstract: The process is characterized in that, before starting casting, an initialization position is determined for the stopper rod control actuator when the stopper rod is resting on its seat under its own weight and after having filled the tundish equipped with this stopper rod, the actuator is operated to place it in a controlled superclosed position and, to start casting, the actuator is driven according to an imposed movement versus time law, time (t1) for start of casting being determined from this law and the control actuator continues to be driven in opening direction to enable the metal to flow into the ingot mould.

Abstract: The invention relates to the joining of flat products of metallic materials to be interconnected overlapping. The joining takes place in a roll nip into which the flat products to be interconnected are introduced at an acute angle. Before they are pressed on one another in the roll nip, they are heated on their facing surfaces by radiation energy, but not melted. By a suitable profiling of at least one roller generated surface or one flat product the surface pressing is limited to the zone of the overlap joint and any flow of material transversely of the direction of the overlap joint is prevented.

Abstract: Both a process and plant are provided for electrolytically coating with a metal layer the casting surface of a roll for twin-roll or single-roll continuous casting of thin metal strip. The casting surface is at least partially immersed in an electrolyte solution containing a salt of the metal to be deposited, so as to face at least one anode. The surface is placed at a cathode and a relative movement is created between the casting surface and the electrolyte solution. Insulating masks are interposed between the anode or anodes and the arrises of the casting surface, the insulating masks preventing a concentration of the lines of current on the arrises and in their vicinity.

Abstract: A side wall is provided for closing off the casting space of a plant for the continuous casting of metal strip between two counterrotating rolls which define a nip area and have horizontal axes, of the type including an upper edge, a lower edge, and a face that defines part of a casting space. The wall includes a lower part for preventing cracking in the side wall adjacent to the nip area that includes a recess filled with a refractory. Preferably, the refractory enclosed by the recess is a material having a lower hardness than the refractory forming the balance of the wall, and high thermal insulation properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protective coating for a refractory material member of an ingot mold for continuous casting of metals, especially of steel, which consists of a dispersion of particles in a solvent, said particles including essentially boron nitride and at least one of the following metal oxides: zircon, zirconia, alumina and silica, the boron nitride representing between 20 and 50% by weight of said particles.

Abstract: Process for the joining of strips and/or sheets of metallic materials, wherein the strips/sheets are introduced converging on one another at an angle into a roll nip, the surfaces coming into contact with one another being heated, but not melted by a laser beam immediately prior to physical contact and the strips/sheets being so pressed together in a directly following joining pass that they are rigidly connected to one another at material surfaces brought into contact.

Abstract: Process for detecting defects during continuous casting between rolls where, during casting, a signal depending on the rolls separating force (RSF) is measured, the signal being separated into various harmonic components, the result of the comparison of the harmonic components thus obtained with reference harmonics being representative of a defective status of the rolls, this defective status of the rolls enabling various rules to be defined for the execution of the process.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a nozzle for introducing liquid metal into a mold for the continuous casting of flat metal products, having two large walls and two side walls, of the type having at its lower end two outlet ports which are made in its lateral wall opposite each other and intended to send the liquid metal each toward a side wall of said mold, and at least two holes made in the bottom of said lower end, wherein a first group of said holes is arranged on one side of a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the nozzle, which plane includes the axes of the outlet ports, and a second group of said holes is arranged on the other side of said plane of symmetry.

Abstract: The casting roll includes a hub (2) and a shell (3) which are arranged coaxially, and two flanges (5, 6) for supporting and radially centering the shell on the hub. Each flange includes a frustoconical part (51, 61) which cooperates with a corresponding frustoconical surface (34, 35) of the bore in the shell, the frustoconical surface being located in a region (A) where the internal diameter variations of the shell due to the expansion deformations are substantially zero.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for the continuous casting of an austenitic stainless steel strip directly from liquid metal of composition, expressed in percentages by weight: C.ltoreq.0.08%, Si.ltoreq.1%; Mn.ltoreq.2%; P.ltoreq.0.045%; S.ltoreq.0.030%; Cr between 17.0 and 20.0%; Ni between 8.0 and 10.5% on a machine for casting onto one or between two moving walls whose external surface is provided with dimples and in which the region surrounding the meniscus is inerted with an inerting gas of controlled composition, wherein:a Cr.sub.equ /Ni.sub.equ ratio greater than 1.55 is conferred on said liquid metal, with:Cr.sub.equ =% Cr+1.37.times.% Mo+1.5.times.% Si+2.times.% Nb+3.times.% Ti andNi.sub.equ =% Ni+0.31.times.% Mn+22.times.% C+14.2.times.% N+% Cu;one or more moving walls are used whose entire surface includes touching dimples having a diameter of between 100 and 1500 .mu.m and a depth of between 20 and 150 .mu.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for conditioning the copper or copper-alloy external surface of an element of a mold for the continuous casting of metals, of the type including a step of nickel plating of said surface and a step of nickel removal therefrom, wherein:a preparation of said surface, comprising in succession an operation of cleaning said bare surface, an operation of pickling said bare surface in an oxidizing acid medium and an operation of brightening said bare surface, is carried out;then, an operation of nickel plating of said bare surface is carried out by electroplating, by placing said element as the cathode in an electrolyte consisting of an aqueous nickel sulfamate solution containing from 60 to 100 g/l of nickel;then, after said element has been used, an operation of partially or completely removing the nickel from said surface electrolytically is carried out, by placing said element as the anode in an electrolyte consisting of an aqueous nickel sulfamate solution containing fro

Abstract: The solidification of the strip (9) is performed by introducing liquid metal between two horizontal rolls rotating in opposition directions (1, 1') which are cooled by an internal circulation of a coolant fluid. A casting space is defined between the rolls and their outer surfaces (3, 3') have a roughness. The casting space is blanketed by a cooling gas or a mixture of gases through a lid (10) covering the casting space. An adjustment of the crown or profile of the rolls (1, 1') is performed by modulating the quantity of cooling gas blown onto the rolls and/or the nature and composition of the gas at least in the vicinity of the surface of each roll (1, 1') upstream of its region of contact with the liquid metal (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a nozzle for introducing a liquid metal into a mold for continuous casting of metals, of the type comprising a tubular first part, one end of which is intended to be connected to a receptacle enclosing said liquid metal, and the other end of which opens into a hollow second part in which at least one portion of the internal space is oriented substantially perpendicularly to said tubular first part, said portion comprising at each of its ends at least one orifice intended to emerge into the casting space of said mold, which comprises an obstacle placed in the path of the liquid metal inside said tubular first part or in its extension, said obstacle consisting of at least one perforated component intended to divert the metal from its preferential trajectory inside the nozzle.

Abstract: Control process for twin-roll continuous casting, in which, during casting, the roll separation force (RSF) is measured and the position of the bearings of at least one of the rolls is varied in order to increase or decrease the center-to-center spacing of the rolls, with a view to keeping the force substantially constant, a band (.DELTA.RSF) of force values bracketing a desired nominal force (RSF.sub.0) is predetermined and the position of the bearings is varied more sharply when the value of the measured force lies outside the band than when it lies within the band. Application especially to the twin-roll continuous casting of thin steel strip.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for supporting a side wall (2) of an installation for the twin-roll continuous casting of thin metal products of the type including two cooled rolls (1) with horizontal axes, two side walls (2) applied against the sides (3) of the rolls (1), said support device including a carriage (5) which can be displaced on command in a direction parallel to the axes of the rolls (1), a thrust device (6) carried by said carriage (5) and a panel (4), integral with the side wall (2), connected to said thrust device (6) by means of a thrust plate (8) and thrust members (9, 9', 9", 9'") bearing on said thrust plate (8) and said panel (4), wherein said panel (4) includes at least one tie (11, 11') passing through the thrust plate (8) and the free end of which is equipped with a stop (13, 13') which can be applied against the rear face (14) of said thrust plate (8).

Abstract: The device includes two rolls (10, 11) held by bearings (13, 14) on a frame (16) and, for each roll, devices (22) for measuring the position of the generatrix diametrically opposite the neck between the rolls, at three or more points lying respectively in a mid-plane (P.sub.3) perpendicular to the axes and in secondary planes such as (P1, P5) parallel to the mid-plane, and means (23) for measuring, in the said mid-plane, the position of a generatrix lying at 90.degree. to the neck. The method according to the invention uses these measurements to determine continuously the gap between the rolls, taking into account the in-service deformations of the rolls.

Abstract: The twin-roll continuous casting device comprises two counterrotating rolls (1, 2), having parallel axes, defining between them a casting space (5), and a shroud (4) placed above the casting space and including two longitudinal walls (41) which extend respectively along the surface of each roll. Each wall (41) includes two gas inlet pipes (45, 46) which include openings emerging towards the said surfaces, these pipes being mutually parallel and adjacent to the surface of the roll, and are separated by pressure-drop seals (50, 64) so that the flow of gas supplied by the pipe (45) lying upstream, in relation to the direction of rotation of the roll, is exclusively directed towards the outside of the shroud, the flow supplied by the pipe (46), located further downstream, being directed towards the casting space. Application especially to the twin-roll continuous casting of thin steel strip.

Abstract: A strip is continuously cast between rolls that includes a pair of rolls driven in rotation, two side dams urged against the ends of the rolls, and a jack for pressing the side dams against the rolls. The thrust force on the side dams is measured and the friction force exerted on the side dams by the rolls as a result of the rolls rotating is measured. From these measurements of thrust and friction forces, a coefficient representative of friction conditions between each of the surfaces of contact between the side dams and rolls is deduced and casting parameters are adjusted in response to the contact state between the surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for supporting a sidewall of a plant for the continuous twin-roll casting of thin metal products, of the type including two cooled rolls having horizontal axes, and a sidewall applied against the ends of the rolls. The support device further includes a carriage which can be controllably moved in a direction parallel to the axes of the rolls, a thrust device carried by said carriage, and a mounting plate connected to the thrust device and solidly attached to the sidewall. The mounting plate includes at least two pads which can be controllably moved in a direction parallel to the axes of the rolls by devices which can apply each of the pads against an end of one of the rolls.

Abstract: A side dam assembly for a continuous casting apparatus for continuously casting thin steel strips between casting rolls. The side dam assembly has a side dam for bearing directly against the rolls of the casting apparatus for preventing leakage of molten metal therebetween. The side dam is attached by a pair of belts to an insulating refractory plate which is carried by a cooled panel. To allow axial motion, one of the belts is not rigidly affixed to either the insulating refractory plate or the side dam. The cooled panel is carried by a thrust plate and is urged toward the rolls by biasing elements which preferably comprise a plurality of pistons urged outwardly from the thrust plate by springs. Preferably, the biasing elements are constructed and arranged so that they are distributed over a zone of shape corresponding to that of the side dam and are capable of exerting on the side dam thrust forces independently of one another.