Roll Couple Mold Patents (Class 164/428)
  • Patent number: 8327917
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for producing an amorphous alloy foil strip, which are capable of producing an amorphous alloy foil strip having a large sheet thickness in an industrial scale, are provided. A production apparatus 101 for an amorphous alloy foil strip S includes: a pair of cooling rolls 113a and 113b; a driving unit 111 configured to rotate the cooling rolls; and a crucible 114 configured to supply a molten alloy sequentially to an outer circumferential surface of the cooling roll 113a and an outer circumferential surface of the cooling roll 113b. The crucible 114 is movable along a moving unit 116. A molten alloy is supplied alternately to the cooling roll 113a and the cooling roll 113b while rotating and water-cooling the cooling rolls 113a and 113b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 8322402
    Abstract: During continuously casting metal strip, delivering molten metal supported on the casting surfaces of the casting rolls, and counter rotating the casting rolls to form metal shells on the casting surfaces brought together at the nip to deliver cast strip downwardly with a controlled amount of mushy material between the metal shells, determining at a reference location downstream from the nip a target temperature for the cast strip corresponding to a desired amount of mushy material between the metal shells of the cast strip, sensing the temperature of the cast strip cast downstream from the nip at the reference location and producing a sensor signal corresponding to the sensed temperature, and causing an actuator to vary the gap at the nip between the casting rolls in response to the sensor signal received from the sensor and processed to determine the temperature difference between the sensed temperature and the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Walter N. Blejde, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Mark Schlichting
  • Patent number: 8316920
    Abstract: A metal strip casting apparatus and method of casting metal strip include assembling a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls positioned laterally forming a nip between for casting, and assembling a pair of brush rolls, each of the brush rolls associated with one of each of the casting rolls. Each brush roll includes at least one spaced apart brush line extending substantially along the axial length of the casting roll. The brush lines may form a spiral, zigzag, wave or crisscross array about the brush roll. The brush roll may include one or more staggered rings with regularly or irregularly spaced apart bristles which form the brush lines. The brush lines may be between 10 to 50 mm apart and separated by between 2 mm to 45 mm of open space. The brush lines may be one line per 10 mm to 90 mm of axial length of brush roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hiroki Yoshizawa, Katsumi Nakayama, Kazuo Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 8312917
    Abstract: A method of controlling the formation of crocodile skin surface roughness on thin cast strip by forming a casting pool of molten metal of less than 0.065% carbon supported on casting surfaces above a nip, assembling a rotating brush to contact the casting surfaces in advance of contact with the molten metal, and controlling the energy exerted by rotating brushes against the casting surfaces of the casting rolls to clean and expose a majority of the projections of the casting surfaces of the casting rolls by providing wetting contact with the molten metal of the casting pool. The cleaning step is controlled by controlling the energy of the rotating brush against the casting rolls based on the difference between the detected light reflected from the casting surfaces and the light reflected when the casting surfaces are clean, and automating the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20120285651
    Abstract: An apparatus for casting metal strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween through which cast strip can be cast, and on which a casting pool of molten metal can be formed supported on the casting surfaces above the nip, a pair of molten metal delivery nozzles disposed above the nip and capable of discharging molten metal to form the casting pool supported on the casting rolls, a pair of side dams adjacent ends of the pair of casting rolls capable of confining the casting pool, a pair of delivery nozzle actuators capable of positioning the delivery nozzles independently of the side dams and a pair of side dam actuators capable of positioning the side dams independently of the delivery nozzles during casting, and a control system capable of controlling desired distance between the delivery nozzles and the side dams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jay Jon ONDROVIC, Eric FULBRIGHT, Katsumi NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120273156
    Abstract: Described herein is a twin roll caster including a pair of casting rolls arranged parallel to one another with a gap between the casting rolls and side dams parallel to one another forming a pool between the casting rolls and side dams. A side dam support is provided that applies a compression force on at least one of the side dams at a compression angle relative to the axis of the casting rolls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: CASTRIP, LLC
    Inventors: Katsumi Nakayama, Atsushi Hirata, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 8267152
    Abstract: In a twin-roll continuous caster configured to cast molten steel supplied to a molten metal pool between cooling rolls into a cast piece by, for example, cooling and solidifying the molten steel on the surfaces of the cooling rolls, the pair of cooling rolls each have ridges on the surface thereof, and cast-piece edges and a cast-piece central portion are generated. Specifically, the cast-piece edges are generated by pressing and bonding lateral edges of one of solidified shells to lateral edges of the other solidified shells, the lateral edges of the solidified shells being produced by cooling and solidifying the molten metal on surfaces of collars provided at lateral end portions of the cooling rolls. The cast-piece central portion contains the unsolidified molten steel between the solidified shells and is generated by cooling and solidifying the molten steel on the surfaces of the laterally central portions of the cooling rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery, Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kagehira, Tatsunori Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8251127
    Abstract: An apparatus for casting metal strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween through which cast strip can be cast, and on which a casting pool of molten metal can be formed supported on the casting surfaces above the nip, a pair of molten metal delivery nozzles disposed above the nip and capable of discharging molten metal to form the casting pool supported on the casting rolls, a pair of side dams adjacent ends of the pair of casting rolls capable of confining the casting pool, a pair of delivery nozzle actuators capable of positioning the delivery nozzles independently of the side dams and a pair of side dam actuators capable of positioning the side dams independently of the delivery nozzles during casting, and a control system capable of controlling desired distance between the delivery nozzles and the side dams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Jay Jon Ondrovic, Eric Fulbright, Katsumi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8225845
    Abstract: A metal delivery apparatus for casting metal strip includes at least one elongated segment having a main portion extending longitudinally through the main portion with end walls at opposite ends thereof, the main portion communicating with outlets along opposite sides of each segment adapted to upwardly discharge flow of molten metal into a casting pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Schlichting, Brian Bowman, Clark Ponder, Peter Woodberry
  • Patent number: 8191610
    Abstract: Apparatus for continuously casting metal strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls laterally positioned to form a nip there between through which thin strip can be cast, a pair of confining side dams adjacent the ends of the casting rolls capable of confining a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting rolls above the nip, each side dam having a surface capable of contacting the molten metal of the casting pool, with unraised portions and raised portions to form troughs with the unraised portions as base between the raised portion of the side dam and the casting surfaces of the casting rolls to guide the flow of molten metal, and a metal delivery system disposed above the nip and capable of discharging molten metal to form the casting pool supported on the casting rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Brian E. Bowman
  • Publication number: 20120103555
    Abstract: A system of twin-roll casting an ultra-thin slab or thick-strip of metal with a liquid core still present inside the hollow shell of the casting as it exits the nip of the opposing counter rotating casting rolls. The wide sides of the cast shell are formed against a recessed casting surface on each roll and the narrow end walls of the shell are formed against the tapered ends of the recessed area so one half of the narrow end wall is formed on each roll and the two halves are joined together at the nip to form the full perimeter of the metal casting. A liquid-cooled copper mold liner provides continued support to each of the four sides of the casting below the twin-rolls and contact with those chilled copper mold liners continues to remove heat from the liquid core of the casting enabling the shell to continue growing in thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: James B. Sears, JR.
  • Patent number: 8162031
    Abstract: A method of making steel comprising assembling a steelmaking furnace, a thin strip caster, and a mold caster, inputting to a computer data on demand for production output, raw materials, furnace availability and capacity, sequence schedules and through-put, capacities and variability, forecasting by processing by computer from the inputted data a production schedule for the steelmaking furnace, and sequence schedules for the thin strip and the mold casters as a function of molten metal availability, the thin strip and mold caster sequence schedules and through-put, and demand for production output, directing production of molten metal alternatively to the delivery systems of the thin strip caster and mold caster responsive to said forecasting, and varying during casting the rate of metal delivery through the delivery system of the thin strip caster responsive to molten metal availability and the mold caster through-put.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Wechsler
  • Publication number: 20120090804
    Abstract: In a twin roll continuous caster, the contour of the strip cast is controlled during casting by regulating the temperature of temperature-regulating medium circulated through temperature-regulating passages in the casting rolls spaced inward of cooling passages in the circumferential portion adjacent the casting surfaces. The temperature-regulating passages may be positioned in the circumferential portion or in the inner portion of the casting rolls, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8141618
    Abstract: A method of continuously casting metal strip may include assembling a pair of casting rolls having casting surfaces laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween through which thin cast strip may be cast, a metal supply system capable of delivering molten steel above the nip, the casting rolls having a crown shape so that edge portions of the cast strip within 50 millimeters of edge of the cast strip have a higher temperature than the cast strip in center portions of the strip width and controlled edging up, forming a casting pool of molten steel supported on the casting surfaces above the nip and controlling side dams adjacent the ends of the nip to confine the casting pool, and forming a cast strip such that the edge portions of the cast strip within 50 millimeters of each edge of the cast strip is of a higher temperature than the strip in the center portions of the strip width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Walter N. Blejde, Mark Schlichting
  • Patent number: 8136575
    Abstract: A twin-roll continuous casting machine includes: a moving mechanism for moving, relative to one roll, another roll; a plurality of upper side support rolls for supporting the one-roll side of a cast slab separated from the one roll and withdrawn; and a plurality of lower side support rolls for supporting the other-roll side of the cast slab pulled out from the clearance between both rolls. The upper side support rolls are rotatably supported by first bearers, while the lower side support rolls are rotatably supported by second bearers having a force for urging the lower side support rolls toward the cast slab. The cast slab is transported, with an upper surface portion of the cast slab pulled out from the clearance between both rolls serving as a reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery, Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kagehira, Tatsunori Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8122937
    Abstract: A method of forming a textured casting roll may include a step of forming a plurality of contiguous rows of gravure cells on the surface of a casting roll, removing portions of the cells to leave raised portions corresponding to raised portions of the gravure cells not removed. The gravure cells may be formed by diamond engraving, and the step of removing portions of the gravure cells may be accomplished by engraving or etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Eastman
  • Patent number: 8113267
    Abstract: Provided is a twin-roll casting machine capable of suppressing irregularities in crosswise thickness distribution of a strip. The twin-roll casting machine comprises chilled rolls, side weirs, and nozzle pieces. A plurality of openings for supply of molten metal to between the chilled rolls are formed alternately on portions of each of the nozzle pieces adjacent to the one and the other rolls, respectively, and are spaced apart from each other axially of the rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Katsumi Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20120012273
    Abstract: An operation to acquire a strip with less thickness even if arcuate worn steps are formed on side weirs is disclosed. During an operation of a twin-roll casting machine with arcuate worn steps developing on side weirs due to rotational sliding contact of chilled rolls, the thickness of a steel strip from a nip is reduced, and the center-to-center distance between the rolls is increased with the side weirs in contact with ends of the rolls being displaced upward. This prevents interference of outer peripheries of the rolls with boundary surfaces adjacent to the arcuate worn steps of the side weirs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki OTSUKA, Katsumi Nakayama, Hiroki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8087448
    Abstract: A roll polishing apparatus that can suppress cracks on a strip. The roll polishing apparatus includes brush rolls which face outer periphery of chilled rolls over an axial length of the chilled rolls, respectively, cylinders which urge the brush rolls wholly to the chilled rolls, respectively, and cylinders which deform the brush rolls in conformity to crowns of the chilled rolls, respectively. By these elements, wires of the brush rolls are uniformly contacted on outer peripheries of the chilled rolls to wipe off oxides adhering to the outer peripheries of the chilled rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Nakayama, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Shiro Osada, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 8079404
    Abstract: Lateral seal of a casting gap formed between two casting rollers of a strip casting machine that can be placed against the casting rollers on the front face. The lateral seal includes a first moist part and a second part that is assigned to the front faces of the casting rollers. The second part forms a type of snout shape encompassing two legs which extend along the front faces of the casting rollers, join each other at the bottom, above a kissing point, so as to form a common area, and between which the first part protrudes from above. An insulating layer which separates the two parts from each other is inserted between the first and second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Main Management Inspiration AG
    Inventors: Jacques Barbe, Heinrich Marti, Benno Steiner
  • Patent number: 8056612
    Abstract: A discharge device discharges liquid steel into a roller crystallizer for the continuous casting of thin strip. The discharge device reduces turbulence at the meniscus to a minimum so as to eliminate the relative defects on the cast strip by passing the steel between two crystallizer rollers. A relative casting process provides expedients for improving the steel feeding from a tundish to the crystallizer. Advantageously, the feeding of guided steel jet streams inside the nozzle, or delivery nozzle, eliminates the disturbance at the meniscus caused by the air bubbles which can form when free-falling jet streams come into contact with the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche S.p.A.
    Inventors: Nuredin Kapaj, Alfredo Poloni, Fabio Vecchiet
  • Patent number: 8051895
    Abstract: An operation to acquire a strip with less thickness even if arcuate worn steps are formed on side weirs is disclosed. During an operation of a twin-roll casting machine with arcuate worn steps developing on side weirs due to rotational sliding contact of chilled rolls, the thickness of a steel strip from a nip is reduced, and the center-to-center distance between the rolls is increased with the side weirs in contact with ends of the rolls being displaced upward. This prevents interference of outer peripheries of the rolls with boundary surfaces adjacent to the arcuate worn steps of the side weirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Katsumi Nakayama, Hiroki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8047264
    Abstract: A metal strip casting apparatus and method of casting continuous metal strip include assembling a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces positioned laterally forming a nip between for casting, and delivering molten metal through a delivery nozzle disposed above the nip to form a casting pool supported on the casting rolls. The delivery nozzle includes at least one segment having a main portion and an end portion and an inner trough extending longitudinally through the main portion and into the end portion with end walls at opposite ends thereof, the inner trough communicating with outlets adjacent bottom portions formed in each segment adapted to deliver molten metal to a casting pool and the end portion having a reservoir portion having passages adapted to deliver molten metal to a casting pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Bowman, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Peter A. Woodberry
  • Patent number: 8042602
    Abstract: A method of making steel comprising assembling a steelmaking furnace, a thin strip caster, and a mold caster, inputting to a computer data on demand and customer requirements for production output, raw materials, furnace availability and capacity, ladle treatment for casting, sequence schedules and through-put, capacities and variability, forecasting by processing by computer from the inputted data a production schedule for the steelmaking furnace and ladle treatment, and sequence schedules for the thin strip and the mold casters as a function of molten metal availability, the thin strip and mold caster sequence schedules and through-put, and demand for production output, directing production of molten metal alternatively to the delivery systems of the thin strip caster and mold caster responsive to said forecasting, and varying during casting the rate of metal delivery through the delivery system of the thin strip caster responsive to molten metal availability and the mold caster through-put.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Wechsler
  • Patent number: 8042603
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy plate for a lithographic printing plate by continuous casting which includes feeding an aluminum alloy melt through a melt feed nozzle between a pair of cooling rollers and rolling the aluminum alloy melt while solidifying between the pair of cooling rollers, a vessel for feeding the aluminum alloy melt to the melt feed nozzle contains the aluminum alloy melt which is adjusted in such a manner that a vertical amplitude at a level of the aluminum alloy melt existing within the vessel is 10 mm or less. This manufacturing method is capable of obtaining an aluminum alloy plate for a lithographic printing plate with a uniform surface composition and manufacturing a lithographic printing plate support having no surface defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Suzuki, Hirokazu Sawada, Hideki Miwa
  • Patent number: 8042601
    Abstract: A side dam for use in a continuous twin roll caster system includes a body of refractory material having opposed outer surfaces with one outer surface adapted to contact molten metal and casting rolls in a continuous twin roll caster system and retain molten metal, and an opposite outer surface having fastening portions of refractory material adapted to attach the side dam to a side dam holder to hold the side dam in place during casting; an aperture in the outer surface of the body positioned adjacent a nip of the continuous twin roll caster system and adapted to receive a side dam insert; and a side dam insert of a second refractory material harder than the refractory material of the body having a first surface adapted to contact molten metal and form with the outer surface of the body the outer surface of the side dam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Bowman, Michael A. Schueren, Walter N. Blejde
  • Patent number: 8028741
    Abstract: Apparatus for continuously casting metal strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween through which thin strip can be cast, a pair of confining side dams adjacent the ends of the casting rolls capable of confining a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting rolls and formed on the casting surfaces above the nip, a metal delivery system disposed above the nip and capable of discharging molten metal to form the casting pool supported on the casting rolls, side dam actuators each capable of applying cyclical axial force to the side dams without leakage, and a control system capable of actuating at least one side dam actuator to cyclically vary the apply force of the side dam against the ends of the casting rolls during a casting campaign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Harold Bradley Rees, Nikolco S. Nikolovski
  • Patent number: 8028740
    Abstract: A twin roll caster including chilled rolls, side weirs, and a molten-metal delivery nozzle. Baffles, contiguous with bottoms of end faces of the nozzle, project in a casting pool toward the side weirs to suppress stream of the molten metal into a nip between the rolls. Thus, hot molten metal just after poured into the pool does not instantly reach the nip along the side weirs, and molten metal decreases in temperature with lapse of time after the pouring streams into the nip as the rolls are rotated. As a result, belated formation of solidified shells at and adjacent to outer circumferential edges of the chilled rolls is eliminated. Thus, a strip delivered from the nip between the rolls has no reduced thickness at regions adjacent to lateral edges of the strip and has uniform thickness throughout the width of the strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hiroki Yoshizawa, Shiro Osada, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 8025093
    Abstract: A twin-roll continuous casting method that controls occurrence of casting defects in a center part of plate thickness, for Al—Mg series aluminum alloy, a material featuring a wide temperature range for solid and liquid phases coexistence. In the method of manufacturing an Al—Mg series aluminum alloy cast plate, the plate contains Mg in a predetermined amount and has a relatively thick plate size, while casting is performed by a twin-roll type continuous casting method. Twin rolls have a roll diameter, and the rolls have a circumferential velocity. The circumferential length from points where molten metal starts contact with the rolls to kiss points is a solidification distance, and the roll gap at the kiss points is equal to the thickness of the cast plate. Specific relations among the above factors are maintained, and the continuous casting operation is carried out while satisfying such relations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Morishita
  • Patent number: 8006742
    Abstract: A casting roll having an outer periphery capable of being efficiently cooled is disclosed. The casting roll has a roll body on which side weirs abut, short tube-shaped supports each coaxially with and protruding from the roll body, a stub axle fitted into the support, a sleeve fitted over the support and a flange contiguous with the stub axle and abutting on the sleeve on a side away from the roll body. The roll body is formed with longitudinal cooling passages passing through the roll from one end to the other end of the roll as well as radial cooling passages each adjacent to a corresponding end of the roll and extending from an inner periphery of the roll to a corresponding longitudinal cooling passage. A plug is fitted into each end of the longitudinal cooling passages and abuts on the sleeve. With a distance between the longitudinal cooling passages and the outer periphery of the roll body being reduced as much as possible, cooling water is passed through a portion of the roll body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Nakayama, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 8002908
    Abstract: A steel product with a high austenite grain coarsening temperature having less than 0.4% carbon, less than 0.06% aluminium, less than 0.01% titanium, less than 0.01% niobium, and less than 0.02% vanadium by weight, and having fine oxide particles containing silicon and iron distributed through the steel microstructure having an average particle size less than 50 nanometers and may be between 5 and 30 nanometers. The steel product may have fine oxide particles distributed through the microstructure capable of restricting ferrite recrystallization for strain levels up to at least 10.0%, for temperatures up to 750° C. with holding times up to 20 minutes. The steel product may be made by continuous casting of steel strip introduced between the casting rolls to form a casting pool of molten carbon steel having a total oxygen content of at least 70 ppm usually less than 250 ppm, and a free oxygen content 20 and 60 ppm, counter rotating the casting rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Walter N. Blejde, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, James Geoffrey Williams, Frank Barbaro, Philip John Renwick, Harold Roland Kaul, Andrew Phillips, Christopher Ronald Killmore, Lazar Strezov
  • Patent number: 8002016
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously casting thin steel strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls laterally positioned to form a nip there between through which thin cast strip can be cast, an actuator capable of moving each casting roll independently toward and away from a given reference location as desired, location sensors capable of sensing the location of the casting rolls relative to the given reference location and producing electrical signals indicative of each casting roll position and a control system capable of receiving the electrical signals and causing the actuator to move the casting rolls into desired position. Force sensors may be provided capable of sensing the forces exerted on the strip and producing electrical signals indicative of the sensed forces, and the control system may be capable of receiving the electrical signals indicative of the sensed forces and causing actuators to vary the position of the casting rolls responsive to the electrical signals as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: Nucor Corporation, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harold Bradley Rees, Ansgar Gruess, James D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7992621
    Abstract: A side dam for use in a continuous twin roll caster system includes a body of refractory material having opposed outer surfaces with one outer surface adapted to contact molten metal and casting rolls in a continuous twin roll caster system and retain molten metal, and an opposite outer surface having fastening portions of refractory material adapted to attach the side dam to a side dam holder to hold the side dam in place during casting; an aperture in the outer surface of the body positioned adjacent a nip of the continuous twin roll caster system and adapted to receive a side dam insert; and a side dam insert of a second refractory material harder than the refractory material of the body having a first surface adapted to contact molten metal and form with the outer surface of the body the outer surface of the side dam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Bowman, Michael A. Schueren, Walter N. Blejde
  • Patent number: 7984748
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously casting thin strip includes a caster having a pair of casting rolls having a nip there between capable of delivering cast strip downwardly from the nip and an first enclosure capable of forming a protective atmosphere into which the strip can be formed in loop to extend over a plurality of rollers into pinch rolls with the strip having a strain of less than 0.4%, which may be provided by a plurality of rollers at entry of the strip into the pinch rolls to carry the strip into the pinch rolls, with at least a first entry roller having a diameter between 200 and 650 millimeters and being below a majority of other rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Edward Dixon, Gary McQuillis, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Leigh Wolley
  • Patent number: 7975755
    Abstract: A method of producing thin cast strip by continuous casting having a two-piece side dam assembly. The side dam assembly includes a side dam having an upper portion positioned adjacent to a lower portion. The upper and lower side dam portions each have opposite outer surfaces, one surface capable of contacting molten metal and the opposite outer surface having at least one fastening portion capable of attaching the side dam portions to a corresponding side dam holder, in order to hold the side dam portions in place during casting without exposed portions of the side dam holders extending substantially beyond the opposite outer surfaces toward the outer surfaces capable of contacting molten metal, and without the side dam holders preventing the upper side dam portion from being properly positioned adjacent to the lower side dam portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Mike Schueren
  • Patent number: 7975754
    Abstract: A thin cast steel strip and method of making thereof with improved resistance to microcracking, where the steel strip is produced by continuous casting and contains a carbon content between about 0.010% and about 0.065% by weight, less than 5.0% by weight chromium, at least 70 ppm of total oxygen and between 20 and 70 ppm of free oxygen, and manganese to sulfur ratio greater than about 250. The carbon content in the cast strip may be below about 0.035%, less than 0.005% by weight titanium, and the average manganese to silicon ratio in the strip produced may be greater than 3.5. The carbon content may be less than 0.035%, the casting speed less than 76.68 meters per minute, and the tundish temperature of the molten metal is maintained below 1612° C. (2933.7° F.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Koshiro Yamane, Satoshi Terasaki, Mark Schlichting, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, David J. Sosinsky
  • Patent number: 7975756
    Abstract: The method of producing thin cast strip by continuous casting having a side dam assembly. The side dam assembly includes a side dam having opposite outer surfaces, one surface contacting molten metal and the opposite outer surface having fastening portions capable of attaching the side dam to a side dam holder, to hold the side dam in place during casting without exposed portions of the side dam holder extending substantially beyond the opposite outer surface toward the outer surface for contacting molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E Bowman, Alan J Deno, Gordon D Emmert
  • Publication number: 20110108228
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for continuously casting metal strip includes a pair of casting rolls having casting surfaces with a center portion, edge portions each having average surface roughness between 3 and 7 Ra, and intermediate portion between each edge portion and the center portion, the center portion average surface roughness between 1.2 and 4.0 times the edge portion surface roughness, and the intermediate portions average surface roughness between that of the edge and center portions. The surface roughness of the center portion is tapered across its width, and may be tapered across its width is in stepped zones. The center portion may have surface roughness varied across the surface to correspond to a desired variation in metal shell thickness across the cast strip. The center portion may be at least 60% of the casting roll width, and each edge portion may be up to 7% of the casting roll width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rama Ballav Mahapatra, David W. McGaughey, Jay Jon Ondrovic, Tim Patterson, Mike Schueren
  • Patent number: 7938167
    Abstract: A method for operating a two-roll casting machine for casting molten metal into cast strip, which machine has two casting rolls which are each rotatively driven in opposite directions about an axis of rotation and between them delimit a casting gap on its longitudinal sides, with side plates that can be placed on the casting rolls, which side plates seal the casting gap on its narrow sides in the casting operation, bridging the casting gap with a refractory material, wherein the side plates are moved during the casting operation in a direction which is aligned parallel to the direction of conveying in which the cast strip leaves the casting gap. With such a method the formation of grooves distorting the casting result and the casting operation can be suppressed with increased certainty and the service life of the side plates can be increased, compared to the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Nirosta GmbH
    Inventors: André d'Hone, René Leenen
  • Patent number: 7926550
    Abstract: A metal strip casting apparatus and a method of casting continuous metal strip includes assembling a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces positioned laterally forming a nip between for casting, and delivering molten metal through a delivery nozzle disposed above the nip capable to form a casting pool supported on the casting rolls. The delivery nozzle comprises segments each having elongate nozzle body with longitudinally extending side walls, end walls and a bottom part to form an inner trough, a nozzle insert disposed above bottom portions of the inner trough of each segment and supported relative to the nozzle body through which incoming molten metal may be delivered to the inner trough of each segment of the delivery nozzle, and the elongate nozzle body of each segment having passageways in fluid communication with the inner trough and outlet openings capable of discharging molten metal from the nozzle body outwardly into the casting pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventors: Walter N. Blejde, Mike Schueren, David J. Sosinsky, Brian D. White, Mark Schlichting, W. Kent Cooper, James Leacock McIntosh, Peter Woodberry, Rama B. Mahapatra, Malcolm McDonald
  • Patent number: 7926549
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for casting metal strip involving assembling a pair of casting rolls laterally disposed to form a nip between them, assembling an elongated metal delivery nozzle extending along and above the nip between the casting rolls, with at least one segment having opposing side walls and end walls, an inner trough extending longitudinally within between side walls and forming passages between the side walls and the inner trough and communicating with side outlets adjacent bottom portions, introducing molten metal through the elongate metal delivery nozzle to form a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting rolls above the nip, such that molten metal is caused to flow into the inner trough of the delivery nozzle, from the inner trough through the passages between the inner trough and sidewalls, and from the passages through the side outlets in a substantially lateral direction into the casting pool, and counter rotating the casting rolls to deliver cast strip downwardly from the ni
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: W. Kent Cooper, James Leacock McIntosh, Peter Woodberry, Rama B. Mahapatra, Malcolm McDonald
  • Patent number: 7913744
    Abstract: The invention relates to a strip-casting machine (20) for producing a metal strip (15). Said strip-casting machine comprises a pair of casting rolls (22, 24) which are arranged adjacent to each other, form a casting gap and are rotatably mounted on a machine tool table (32). The casting rolls (22, 24) and at least the machine tool table (32) carrying said rolls can be displaced on rails (48, 48?) or the like from the casting position (G) into a waiting position (W) and vice versa. The machine tool table (32) together with the casting rolls (22, 24) can thereby be displaced away from the casting position (G) by such a distance that a second machine tool table (32) that is provided with prepared casting rolls (22, 24) can be displaced into the casting position (G). The machine tool table (32) is held in a displaceable manner and preferably together with a housing (30) which surrounds said table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignees: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft, Main Management Inspiration AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Marti, Jacques Barbé
  • Patent number: 7891407
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for continuous casting of thin cast strip including removing oxides from the casting surface of each casting roll by contacting the casting surface of each casting roll with a rotating brush between the nip and the casting area, determining the temperature in segments along the casting roll surfaces or across the cast strip adjacent the nip, and delivering gas adjacent the casting surface between the rotating cleaning brush and the casting area regulated in segments corresponding to the determined temperature in the segment to control the quality of the strip produced. The gas delivery adjacent the casting surface between the rotating brush and the casting area may be done in at least five segments along the casting roll, and the temperature determination step may be done in a continuum such as by a scanning pyrometer. The temperature determination of the cast strip may be done between 0.2 and 1 meter from the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Schlichting, Walter Blejde, Eugene Pretorius
  • Patent number: 7874345
    Abstract: An apparatus serves for the continuous surface cleaning of rotationally movable casting rolls (2, 3) of a strip-casting machine. A plurality of laser beam units (25) are arranged on the circumference of the respective casting roll (2, 3), which laser beam units (25) are arranged next to one another, are distributed over the casting-roll length and by means of which the casting-roll surface (2a, 3a) can be acted upon with one or more laser beams over the entire casting-roll length. Additional cleaning units (30, 31, 35, 45) for the mechanical cleaning of the casting-roll surface are advantageously connected ahead of and/or behind the laser beam units (25). This makes gap-free and regular surface cleaning of the casting rolls possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Main Management Inspiration AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Marti, Jacques Barbe, Philip Eichenberger
  • Publication number: 20100310896
    Abstract: An aluminum-based sliding alloy containing 1 to 15 mass % of Si is provided. Si precipitates in the form of particles in an observation field of the aluminum-based sliding alloy. The Si particles have a maximum diameter of 0.01 to 7.5 ?m and the total area of Si particles having a diameter of not more than 5.5 ?m accounts for not less than 95% of the total area of the Si particles present in the aluminum-based sliding alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: DAIDO METAL COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Kouichi SARUWATARI, Yukihiko Kagohara, Tomoyuki Nirasawa
  • Publication number: 20100300643
    Abstract: A casting roll for a two-roll casting device for the casting of metallic strip from a metal melt, in particular a steel melt, includes a roll body, on a casing surface of which a coating consisting of a coating material is applied by thermal spraying, which has a higher degree of hardness than the roll body. The casting roll according to the invention and the two-roll casting device, while easy to manufacture, has not only a long service life, but also allows for the manufacture of cast strips of optimum quality. This is achieved by the fact that the free surface of the coating, after thermal spraying, has a peak number RPc of at least 10 cm?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Nirosta GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Albrecht-Frueh, Roland Sellger, Johann Wilhelm Schmitz, Reiner Kopp, Joerg Lauscher, Martin Franzke
  • Patent number: 7814961
    Abstract: A casting nozzle for supplying a molten alloy liquid of aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy to a movable mold for continuous casting from a tundish, in which the molten alloy liquid is stored. The casting nozzle is fixed to the tundish. The casting nozzle tip arranged on the movable mold side is made of a highly heat-conductive material having a heat conductivity of 0.2 W/mK or more, and a highly elastic material having an elastic modulus of 5000 MPa or more, etc. By making the tip of the casting nozzle with a material having superior thermal conductivity, the irregularity in solidification of the molten alloy liquid is decreased and thereby the surface quality of a cast alloy is improved. The nozzle tip is formed with a material having high elasticity and superior elastic deformability, whereby the interstice between the movable mold and the tip of outer peripheral edge of the nozzle is narrowed, and accordingly a cast alloy having superior surface quality can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatada Numano, Yoshihiro Nakai, Toshiya Ikeda, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100243194
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a side dam for a continuous metal casting apparatus having elongated opposed casting surfaces forming a casting cavity. The side dam has an elongated upstream part and an elongated downstream part that are mutually laterally pivotable, and a smooth metal-contacting side surface extending continuously from an upstream end to a downstream end of the side dam. The surface has regions thereof formed on the upstream part and the downstream part. Mutual pivoting of the upstream part and the downstream part of the side dam enables the regions of the smooth metal-contacting side surface to be moved out of mutual coplanar alignment. The side dams can therefore be used to form either a convergent or divergent casting cavity to assists the casting procedure and to enhance the properties of the cast article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Edward Luce, Eric Lees, Kevin Gatenby, Daniel Godin, Rejean Leblanc
  • Publication number: 20100236747
    Abstract: A metal strip casting apparatus and method of casting metal strip include assembling a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls positioned laterally forming a nip between for casting, and assembling a pair of brush rolls, each of the brush rolls associated with one of each of the casting rolls. Each brush roll includes at least one spaced apart brush line extending substantially along the axial length of the casting roll. The brush lines may form a spiral, zigzag, wave or crisscross array about the brush roll. The brush roll may include one or more staggered rings with regularly or irregularly spaced apart bristles which form the brush lines. The brush lines may be between 10 to 50 mm apart and separated by between 2 mm to 45 mm of open space. The brush lines may be one line per 10 mm to 90 mm of axial length of brush roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: CASTRIP, LLC
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hiroki Yoshizawa, Katsumi Nakayama, Kazuo Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20100175848
    Abstract: In a twin-roll continuous caster configured to cast molten steel supplied to a molten metal pool between cooling rolls into a cast piece by, for example, cooling and solidifying the molten steel on the surfaces of the cooling rolls, the pair of cooling rolls each have ridges on the surface thereof, and cast-piece edges and a cast-piece central portion are generated. Specifically, the cast-piece edges are generated by pressing and bonding lateral edges of one of solidified shells to lateral edges of the other solidified shells, the lateral edges of the solidified shells being produced by cooling and solidifying the molten metal on surfaces of collars provided at lateral end portions of the cooling rolls. The cast-piece central portion contains the unsolidified molten steel between the solidified shells and is generated by cooling and solidifying the molten steel on the surfaces of the laterally central portions of the cooling rolls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery, Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi KAGEHIRA, Tatsunori SUGIMOTO