Roll Couple Mold Patents (Class 164/428)
  • Publication number: 20100163204
    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 1a and 1b, side weirs 2a and 2b and nozzle pieces 11a and 11b. A plurality of openings 13 for supply of molten metal 5 to between the rolls 1a and 1b are formed alternately on portions of each of the nozzle pieces 11a and 11b adjacent to the one and the other rolls 1a and 1b, respectively, and are spaced apart from each other axially of the roll 1a, 1b.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Katsumi Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20100132912
    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: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rama Ballav MAHAPATRA, Brian E. BOWMAN
  • Patent number: 7721786
    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: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatada Numano, Yoshihiro Nakai, Toshiya Ikeda, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7721785
    Abstract: Thin cast strip is produced in a twin roll caster by delivering molten steel between the rolls to form a casting pool confined between the rolls by a pair of side dams adjacent the ends of the casting rolls. Steel strip is delivered downwardly to the nip through a metal delivery system having a tundish and core nozzles. One or more of the refractory components, including the tundish, core nozzles and side dams, or portions thereof, are replaced by first preheating the refractory component(s) being replaced at a removed location, and then rapidly transferring the preheated component(s) from the preheating position and installing the same in the operating position by a transfer device. The desired refractory component is rapidly removed and the preheated replacement refractory component rapidly transferred and installed in the operating position in an amount of time that avoids thermal shock to the refractories that are not replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: W. Kent Cooper, Steven R. Gage
  • Publication number: 20100108284
    Abstract: Intended is to provide a casting roll having an outer periphery capable of being efficiently cooled. The casting roll has a roll body on which side weirs 11 abut, short tube-shaped supports 13 each coaxially with and protruding from the roll body 12, a stub axle 14 fitted into the support 13, a sleeve 15 fitted over the support 13 and a flange 16 contiguous with the stub axle 14 and abutting on the sleeve 15 on a side away from the roll body 12. The roll body 12 is formed with longitudinal cooling passages 17 passing through the roll from one end to the other end of the roll as well as radial cooling passages 18 each adjacent to a corresponding end of the roll and extending from an inner periphery of the roll to a corresponding longitudinal cooling passage 17. A plug 19 is fitted into each end of the longitudinal cooling passages 17 and abuts on the sleeve 15.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Nakayama, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Publication number: 20100108286
    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 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: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harold Bradley Rees, Nikolco S. Nikolovski
  • Publication number: 20100101751
    Abstract: A twin-roll continuous casting machine comprises: 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: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery, Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi KAGEHIRA, Tatsunori Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20100101752
    Abstract: Intended is to acquire a strip with less thickness even if arcuate wear steps are formed on side weirs. During an operation of a twin-roll casting machine with arcuate wear steps 6 developing on side weirs 2 due to rotational sliding contact of chilled rolls 1, where thickness of a steel strip 3 from a nip G is to be reduced, center-to-center distance L between the rolls 1 is reduced with the side weirs 2 in contact with ends of the rolls being displaced upward. This prevents interference of outer peripheries of the rolls 1 with boundary surfaces 8 adjacent to the arcuate wear steps 6 of the side weirs 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Katsumi Nakayama, Hiroki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 7690417
    Abstract: A method for making a thin cast strip with reduced meniscus marks includes assembling a pair of casting rolls laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween, preparing molten steel having a carbon content in the range of 0.01 to 0.3% by weight, a manganese content between 0.1 and 0.8% by weight, a silicon content between 0.05 and 0.5% by weight, a calcium content between 0.0008 and 0.004% by weight, an aluminum content between 2 and 500 ppm by weight, having a free oxygen content below about 50 ppm at 1600° C., forming a casting pool of the molten steel supported on casting surfaces of the casting rolls above the nip, and counter-rotating the casting rolls cause thin strip to be casted downwardly from the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Rama Ballav Mahapatra, David J. Sosinsky
  • Patent number: 7650925
    Abstract: The method of producing thin cast strip by continuous casting is disclosed. At least two sensors are operationally connected to at least one end of at least one of a pair of casting rolls or of a pair of brushes, to continuously measure at least two force-related parameters during casting. At least two time domain signals corresponding to the measured force-related parameters are generated. The time domain signals are continuously monitored and transformed into corresponding frequency domain spectrums. The frequency domain spectrums are analyzed and composite intensity values are continuously calculated from the intensity levels of at least a portion of the frequency component signals within the frequency spectrums. Casting parameters are adjusted in response to reduce strip defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolco Nikolovski, Peter Woodberry
  • Publication number: 20090314458
    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: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jay Jon ONDROVIC, Eric FULBRIGHT, Katsumi NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20090314459
    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 there between 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: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Walter N. Blejde, Mark Schlichting
  • Patent number: 7631685
    Abstract: Pinch roll apparatus has a pair of pinch rolls, each having a diameter between 300-1500 millimeters, positioned to form a nip through which metal strip can be continuously fed. The pinch rolls are positioned one above the other with the axes of the pinch rolls offset in the direction of travel of the strip, with the upper pinch roll offset positioned between 10 and 130 mm downstream of the direction of travel of the strip through the pinch rolls. A rotational drive counter-rotates the pinch rolls to cause strip to pass through the nip of the pinch rolls. A tilt drive tilts the upper pinch roll by a tilt between 0.5 and 5.0 mm to control steering of the strip passing through the pinch rolls. The steering of the tilt drive may be automatically controlled through a controller actuated by a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Jay Jon Ondrovic, Richard Britanik, Tino Domanti, Glen Wallace
  • Publication number: 20090288798
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously casting thin steel strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having a nip there between capable of delivering cast strip downwardly from the nip, a metal delivery system capable of forming a casting pool supported on casting surfaces of the casting rolls above the nip with side dams adjacent the ends of the nip to confine the casting pool, and a hot rolling mill having work rolls with work surfaces forming a gap between them through which hot strip delivered from the casting rolls is rolled, the work rolls having work surfaces relating to the desired strip profile across the work rolls. Misting jets may be in intervals along the path of the cast strip exiting from the hot rolling mill to form a cooling zone, the misting jets capable of directing toward surfaces of the cast strip a mixture of gas and water having a ratio of gas over water between 9 and 90 to cool the cast strip at more than 1.6° C. per liter of water used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jay Jon Ondrovic, Eric Fulbright, Katsumi Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20090283240
    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 said side dam to a side dam holder to hold said 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: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Bowman, Michael A. Schueren, Walter N. Blejde
  • Patent number: 7604039
    Abstract: In twin roll casting of steel strip, molten steel is introduced into the nip between parallel casting rolls to create a casting pool supported on casting surfaces of the rolls and the rolls are rotated to deliver solidified strip downwardly from the nip. Casting surfaces are textured by a random pattern of discrete projections, which may have an average surface distribution of between 5 and 200 peaks per mm2 and an average height of at least 10 microns. In order to suppress chatter defects, the molten steel also has manganese content of at least 0.55% by weight and a silicon content in the range of 0.1 to 0.35% by weight. The strip is thus capable of moving away from the casting pool at a speed of more than 60 meters per minute without substantial high speed chattering defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Castrip, LLC
    Inventors: Nikolco S. Nikolovski, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Lazar Strezov
  • Publication number: 20090255644
    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: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hiroki Yoshizawa, Shiro Osada, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Publication number: 20090242162
    Abstract: A sealing device for a main roller coaster including a transition piece positioned above a melt pool formed between chilled rolls, rotatable cylindrical brushes extending axially of the rolls and each abutting against an outer periphery of the corresponding roll all over an axial length thereof on a side away from the pool and below the transition piece, first cowlings each covering the roll in between the transition piece and the brush, second cowlings each surrounding a portion of the brush not in contact with the roll, third cowlings each covering the roll below the brush and outlets for feeding sealing gas to between the transition piece and the rolls, the sealing gas from the outlets filling up to outlet portions of the third cowlings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Osada, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 7594535
    Abstract: A twin roll caster with the casting roll having longitudinal cooling channels extending from one shoulder portion, adjacent a side dam, to the other shoulder portion, adjacent the opposite side dam. The molten metal pool is confined by side dams that may engage the end surfaces of the shoulder portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Castrip, LLC
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Katsumi Nakayama, Shiro Osada, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 7594534
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a strip casting machine for producing a metal strip during which molten metal is continuously poured between two casting rolls (3, 4) that form a casting gap. Sealing plates (2b) are provided for laterally delimiting the casting gap, whereby the sealing plates (2b) are displaced during the casting operation in an oscillating manner transversal to the direction of the axis of the casting rolls (3,) counter to the front surface (3a, 4a) of said casting rolls (3, 4). Said sealing plates (2b) are displaced in an oscillating manner in and counter to the direction of the periphery (U3 and/or U4) of the casting rolls (3, 4), whereby displacement takes place in an alternating manner along one or the other casting roll edges (3k and/or 4k). Partial solidifcations can, to a large extent, be prevented from forming and can be removed if need be. The produced metal strip has clean edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignees: SMS Demag AG, Main Management Inspiration AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Marti, Jaques Barbè
  • Publication number: 20090236068
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously casting thin steel strip include a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls mounted in a roll cassette capable of being transferred from a set up station to a casting position through a transfer station, where at the set up station the casting rolls mounted in the roll cassette are capable of being prepared for casting, at the transfer station casting rolls are capable of being exchanged, and in the casting position the casting rolls are operational, and a guide positioned capable of moving the casting rolls mounted in the roll cassette between the set up station and the casting position through the transfer station. The guide may move the casting rolls mounted in the roll cassette from the set up station to the casting position through the transfer station at substantially the same elevation. A scrap receptacle positioned beneath the casting position movable in either direction to a discharge stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jay Jon Ondrovic, Eric Fulbright, Katsumi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 7591300
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a cast metal strip using a twin roll casting installation comprising two casting rolls and two lateral plates that together define a molten metal chamber and a casting gap. Molten metal is introduced in to the molten metal chamber and forms the molten metal chamber a molten metal bath with a bath surface that is open to the top. A cast metal strip is conveyed from the molten metal chamber and through the casting gap. A delimiting surface area for collecting particles that are foreign to the molten metal is produced on the surface of the bath under the effect of at least one gas jet. The aim of the invention is to substantially avoid the introduction of particles that are foreign to the molten metal into the surface or into the near-surface zone of the cast strip. For this purpose, the at least one gas jet is directed together with the casting roll onto the bath surface at a distance of the gas jet axis to the contact line of the bath surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerald Hohenbichler, Gerald Eckerstorfer, Markus Brummayer
  • Patent number: 7584779
    Abstract: A twin roll casting machine and method of continuously casting thin strip that enables the manufacture of thin strip by applying a thrust force through casting roll support structures on each casting roll to bias the casting rolls together, such that a majority portion of the thrust force counterbalances ferrostatic pressure. Cooling water is caused to flow through rotary joints (10) that are attached to one or both of the ends of casting rolls (1). The rotary joints at each casting roll cause cooling water to flow into and from the passages in the casting rolls and exert forces on the casting rolls generally in the direction along the rotational axis of the casting rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Castrip, LLC
    Inventors: Katsumi Nakayama, Toshiro Matsushita, Hisahiko Fukase
  • Patent number: 7556084
    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: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Bowman, Alan J. Deno, Gordon D. Emmert
  • Publication number: 20090139685
    Abstract: A continuous casting apparatus having a pair of drums rotating in opposite directions, and bearing housings for rotatably supporting drum shafts protruding from opposite end surfaces of the drums, the continuous casting apparatus comprising, on a side of at least one of the drums: a base portion; an arm having an end portion on which the bearing housing is installed fixedly, and having an opposite end portion pivotably supported by the base portion; and an adjusting device for pivoting the arm to move the pair of drums toward or away from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: Kanji Hayashi, Kiyoshi Kagehira, Tatsunori Sugimoto, Hideaki Takatani, Hideaki Furumoto
  • Publication number: 20090126895
    Abstract: A nozzle end is provided with an extension 11 which has a lower portion immersed in a molten metal pool and extends toward a side weir 2 such that a stagnation area disappears on a free liquid surface of molten metal. The extension 11 is in the form of a quadrangular pyramid lying sidelong and is converged to a point P1 extremely close to the side weir 2. According to this molten metal feed nozzle, a stagnation area on a free liquid surface of molten metal is displaced by the extension 11 contiguous with the nozzle end to suppress generation of an unwanted solidification shell. Thus, no unwanted solidification shell is pinched as foreign matter by solidification shells generated on outer peripheries of chilled rolls 1 for production of a strip and break of a strip derived from enlargement of nip between the rolls can be averted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co.,Ltd
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Akihiko Kimatsuka, Shiro Osada, Hiroki Yoshizawa, Hisahiko Fukase, Rama Mahapatra, Peter Woodberry
  • Patent number: 7530384
    Abstract: A twin roll casting machine that can reduce an amount of inert gas supplied. A duct is upwardly urged by cylinders to compress resilient sealing members respectively between a flange on a casting module and an upper flange on the duct and between a lower flange on the duct and a lower surface on a peripheral edge of an upper-end opening of an enclosure to maintain air-tightness of connections between the casting module and the duct and between the duct and the enclosure. A scrap box is moved upward by jacks to make a lower edge of a partition plate of an upper sealing member on the enclosure penetrate into the sealing material stored in a groove on the scrap box to maintain air-tightness of a connection between the scrap box and the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Nakayama, Katsumi Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20090090480
    Abstract: Twin roll casters for casting thin steel strip comprise cooled casting rolls mounted on carriers. One roll is fixed and the other is moveable laterally and biased toward the other roll by carrier drive units acting on the moveable roll carriers. A casting pool of molten steel is supported on the rolls which are rotated to produce a solidified steel strip delivered downwardly from the nip therebetween. A gap is regulated between the rolls such that unsolidified molten metal passes through the nip between the solidified shells of the forming strip and solidifies below the nip. The carrier drive units are effective to apply to the biased roll substantially intermediate biasing forces such that the roll separation force at the casting rolls is regulated to a value between 2 and 4.5 Newtons per millimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: James D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7503378
    Abstract: A method of continuous casting non-ferrous alloys which includes delivering molten non-ferrous alloy to a casting apparatus. The casting apparatus rapidly cools at least a portion of the non-ferrous alloy at a rate of at least about 100° C. thereby solidifying an outer layer of the non-ferrous alloy surrounding an inner layer of a molten component and a solid component of dendrites. The dendrites are altered to yield cast product exhibiting good resistance to cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventor: Ali Ünal
  • Patent number: 7503375
    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: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Mike Schueren
  • Publication number: 20090056905
    Abstract: A device and a method for casting of strips from a metal melt includes the use of two casting rollers, which delimit between them a casting gap at their longitudinal sides, and two side plates, which, arranged opposite one another, are held in contact at face sides of the casting rollers, allocated to narrow sides in each case of the casting gap. With the device and method, metallic strips can be reliably produced which have high dimensional stability even in the area of their strip edges, in that the risk of a gathering of solidified melt at the side plates in casting operation is reduced to a minimum. This is achieved by providing at least one heating device for the heating of the casting rollers in at least those sections of their face sides at which the side plate, allocated to the face side in each case, is in contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Nirosta GmbH
    Inventors: Andre d'Hone, Roland Sellger
  • Publication number: 20090038771
    Abstract: A casting roll moving apparatus for a twin roll type continuous strip casting process is disclosed. The casting roll moving apparatus is used with a twin roll type strip casting machine that produces a strip through a method in which, while high-temperature steel melt is supplied between twin rolls which rotate in opposite direction, a large amount of heat is dissipated through the rolls by contact between the steel melt and the rolls, so that the steel melt is rapidly solidified. Opposite ends of the rolls are automatically aligned, so that the recovery rate of the apparatus is increased, and a stable casting process is ensured. Because friction of the apparatus is markedly reduced so that an even rolling force is ensured, a gap between the rolls is maintained constant. Thus, the thickness of a cast strip is maintained constant, and the problem of the occurrence of an uneven surface pattern is solved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: Posco Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheol-Min Park, Du-Hyong Yoon, Tae-Wook Kang, Sang-Hoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20090020258
    Abstract: Plant for the continuous casting of thick slabs, blooms or other similar steel products comprising an ingot mould and a series of containment and guiding rollers placed in the area below the ingot mould on both sides of the cast product, i.e. on the intrados and extrados, respectively. The rollers are arranged on at least three longitudinal rows and all have an axial length shorter that the width of the cast product. The rollers of a central longitudinal row are advantageously staggered with respect to the lateral longitudinal row rollers in such a way as to reduce the surface of the bulges created due to the ferrostatic pressure existing in the liquid core of the product at ingot mould outlet. Furthermore, the pitch between the adjacent rollers is advantageously always of different values so as to not cause the buckling of the bulges with a single frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Nuredin Kapaj, Alfredo Poloni
  • Publication number: 20090000759
    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: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masatada NUMANO, Yoshihiro Nakai, Toshiya Ikeda, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7464746
    Abstract: Twin roll casters for casting thin steel strip comprise cooled casting rolls mounted on carriers. One roll is fixed and the other is moveable laterally and biased toward the other roll by carrier drive units acting on the moveable roll carriers. A casting pool of molten steel is supported on the rolls which are rotated to produce a solidified steel strip delivered downwardly from the nip therebetween. A gap is regulated between the rolls such that unsolidified molten metal passes through the nip between the solidified shells of the forming strip and solidifies below the nip. The carrier drive units are effective to apply to the biased roll substantially intermediate biasing forces such that the roll separation force at the casting rolls is regulated to a value between 2 and 4.5 Newtons per millimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventor: Jim Edwards
  • Publication number: 20080264599
    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: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Walter N. Blejde, Mike Schueren, David J. Sosinsky, Brian D. White, Mark Schlichting
  • Publication number: 20080257524
    Abstract: Discharge device for discharging liquid steel into a roller crystallizer for the continuous casting of thin strip capable of reducing 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 is also described, said process providing for particular expedients for improving the steel feeding from the 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 form when free-falling jet streams come into contact with the air, as occurs in the known devices and plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Nuredin Kapaj, Alfredo Poloni, Fabio Vecchiet
  • Publication number: 20080251232
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Gianpietro Benedetti, Alfredo Poloni, Nuredin Kapaj
  • Publication number: 20080245499
    Abstract: A magnesium metal thin plate manufacturing method includes at least a casting process of supplying a molten metal obtained by melting a magnesium metal to a molten metal bath, drawing out the molten metal, supplying the molten metal into the gap between a pair of casting rolls composed of at least a pair of casting upper roll and casting lower roll, applying pressure to the molten metal, and casting a plate solidified at a predetermined temperature and having a predetermined thickness, and a rolling process of rolling the cast plate by means of at least a pair of rolling rolls by applying pressure thereto to manufacture a magnesium metal thin plate. With the above arrangement, there can be provided a magnesium metal thin plate manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus that can effectively manufacture a magnesium metal thin plate by plastic working without requiring a heat energy generation step again in rolling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: GONDA METAL INDUSTRY CORPORATION LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Haga, Kazunari Yoshida, Yoshio Gonda
  • Publication number: 20080169082
    Abstract: When a molten steel (106) is supplied into a moving mold defined by concave rolls (101, 102) and side checks (103, 104), the molten steel (106) is cooled by the surfaces of the rolls (surfaces except steps) to form solidified shells (111, 112). Both solidified shells (111, 112) are pressure bonded, and pulled out as a cast piece (113). A heat insulator (ceramic coating) has been applied to the circumferential surfaces of steps (101a, 101b, 102a, 102b) which are opposite end portions of the rolls. Thus, at these portions, heat dissipation does not proceed, and no solidified shells are formed. Hence, clearances are formed between the opposite ends of the solidified shells (111, 112) and the side checks (103, 104), and the solidified shells (111, 112) do not contact the side checks (103, 104), with the result that the wear of the side checks (103, 104) is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI-HITACHI METALS MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventors: Kanji Hayasi, Kiyoshi Kagehira, Hideaki Takatani, Tatsunori Sugimoto, Shigeki Sueda
  • Patent number: 7398817
    Abstract: A twin roll caster for an apparatus for confining the impurities in a molten metal fed by means of a discharger and contained into an area of a strip continuous casting mold delimited by the side surfaces of two casting rolls with counter-rotating horizontal axis and by two containment side plates positioned in contact with the rolls' bases is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignees: Thyssenkrupp Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A, Thyssenkrupp Nirosta GmbH
    Inventors: Romeo Capotosti, Riccardo Tonelli, Franco Macci
  • Publication number: 20080105399
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a cast steel strip of preferably hot crack-sensitive or hot-brittle steel quality by means of a strip casting plant and to a strip casting plant for carrying out this method. In this case, steel melt is conducted into a melt space formed by two casting rolls and two sideplates, slab shells are formed in the melt space on cooled surface areas of the casting rolls and are brought together in the strip forming cross section between the casting rolls to form an at least partly solidified steel strip, the cast steel strip is then guided along the surface area of one of the two casting rolls from a vertical casting direction into an essentially horizontal transport direction, and the cast steel strip is supplied essentially horizontally on a transport device to a strip winding device and is wound there into a coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Gerald Hohenbichler, Gerald Eckerstorfer, Michael Zahedi
  • Patent number: 7367378
    Abstract: A method of producing cast steel strip having low surface roughness and low porosity by casting with molten steel having a total oxygen content of at least about 100 ppm and a temperature that allows a majority of any oxide inclusions to be in a liquidus state. The steel strip produced by the method may have a per unit area density of at least about 120 oxide inclusions per square millimeter to a depth of about 2 microns from the strip surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: Walter Blejde, Rama Mahapatra, Lazar Strezov
  • Patent number: 7337827
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating a strip casting machine for producing a metal strip, during which molten metal is continuously poured between two casting rolls (1, 2) that form a casting gap. Lateral seals (10) having sealing plates (11) are provided for laterally delimiting the casting gap, whereby the sealing plates (11) are placed or pressed with a preset placement or pressing force, whose magnitude can be set, against the end surfaces of the casting rolls (1, 2). The sealing plates (11) are, in repeatable stop-and-go steps, placed with a preset force and time against the end surfaces of the casting rolls (1, 2) and are held in the placing position for a preset time. This enables a distinct reduction in the wear of the sealing plates and of the casting roll end surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignees: SMS Demag AG, Main Management Inspiration AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Marti, Jacques Barbé, Hans Streubel
  • Publication number: 20080047681
    Abstract: The method of producing thin cast strip by continuous casting is disclosed. At least two sensors are operationally connected to at least one end of at least one of a pair of casting rolls or of a pair of brushes, to continuously measure at least two force-related parameters during casting. At least two time domain signals corresponding to the measured force-related parameters are generated. The time domain signals are continuously monitored and transformed into corresponding frequency domain spectrums. The frequency domain spectrums are analyzed and composite intensity values are continuously calculated from the intensity levels of at least a portion of the frequency component signals within the frequency spectrums. Casting parameters are adjusted in response to reduce strip defects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nikolco NIKOLOVSKI, Peter Woodberry
  • Publication number: 20080035302
    Abstract: Twin roll casters for casting thin steel strip comprise cooled casting rolls mounted on carriers. One roll is fixed and the other is moveable laterally and biased toward the other roll by carrier drive units acting on the moveable roll carriers. A casting pool of molten steel is supported on the rolls which are rotated to produce a solidified steel strip delivered downwardly from the nip therebetween. A gap is regulated between the rolls such that unsolidified molten metal passes through the nip between the solidified shells of the forming strip and solidifies below the nip. The carrier drive units are effective to apply to the biased roll substantially intermediate biasing forces such that the roll separation force at the casting rolls is regulated to a value between 2 and 4.5 Newtons per millimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jim Edwards
  • Patent number: 7328737
    Abstract: A process for the continuous production of a thin steel strip, in which a steel melt from a melt reservoir is introduced onto one or more, in particular two, cooled shaping wall surfaces which move synchronously with a casting strip, in particular rotate in the form of casting rolls and at least partially solidifies at the shaping wall surface to form the casting strip. The steel melt, in terms of the crucial alloying constituents, contains less than 1% by weight of Ni and less than 1% by weight of Cr and less than 0.8% by weight, in particular less than 0.4% by weight, of C and at least 0.55% by weight of Mn. In the process, recesses are arranged on the shaping wall surface in a random pattern, distributed uniformly over the shaping wall surface, and the roll separating force (RSF) at the shaping wall surface is set to a value of between 5 and 150 N/mm, in particular between 5 and 100 N/mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Gerald Hohenbichler
  • Patent number: 7323135
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling gas layer thickness on the surface of casting rolls in a twin roll strip caster includes: a pair of chambers fixedly mounted on both lateral portions of the meniscus shield in a width direction of a strip; blocking units for blocking introduction of pollutants into the molten metal pool, wherein each of the blocking units includes front and rear barrier members which are mounted on each of the chambers and in close contact with an outer periphery of each casting roll and a blower for injecting inert gas toward the outer periphery of each casting roll; operating units for adjusting the thickness and the width of gas layers at both ends of the casting rolls, wherein each of the operating units includes suction lines connected with each chamber to transmit a suction force to ends of each casting roll and a pair of movable plates slidably assembled to both side portions within each chamber for being reciprocated by movable members; and a control unit for controlling the suction force
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignees: POSCO, Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology
    Inventors: Ju-Tae Choi, Han-Nam Cheong, Kyung-Ah Lee, legal representative, Yong-Gi Lee, deceased
  • Patent number: 7308930
    Abstract: A method of continuously casting thin strip where, at the start of a casting campaign, the side dams are pressed against the end surfaces of the casting rolls with a pressure of less than 3.0 kg/cm2 but more than 1.25 kg/cm2 and after the target casting pool height is reached, reducing the pressure exerted by the side dams against the end surfaces of the casting rolls to below 1.25 kg/cm2 to reduce wear of the side dams against the end surfaces of the casting rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Nucor Corporation
    Inventors: John Huffman, Brian Bowman, Jason Gilliland, Chad Slavens
  • Patent number: 7302996
    Abstract: A drop feeder (1) for feeding molten metal into an ingot mould (15) comprises a distributor (3) having a substantially prismatic shape, with one of the faces open, in which the inside of the distributor comprises three tanks (4, 5, 6), separated by walls (7, 8) functioning as weir for the molten melt poured into the intermediate tank (5). There are provided slots (10) arranged on the faces of the distributor (3) for emptying of the molten metal from the distributor into the ingot mould or into a second distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alfredo Poloni, Nuredin Kapaj, Andrea De Luca