Product Withdrawing Patents (Class 164/454)
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Patent number: 11660665Abstract: A roller stand for a continuous billet casting machine, having a carrying frame for mounting at least one lower supporting roller and at least two lateral supporting rollers. The lateral supporting rollers are mounted elastically on the carrying frame by means of at least one passive elastic element, and have an amount of elasticity at least in a direction perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the lateral supporting rollers. A method for determining the position and/or the shape of a billet is provided. During passage through at least one roller stand, alterations in the position at least of the lateral supporting rollers relative to a reference are detected and, on the basis of this information, the shape of the billet and/or the position of the billet in relation to the center line of the billet-guide channel are/is determined.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: PRIMETALS TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA GMBHInventors: Lukasz Bilski, Enrico Mayer
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Patent number: 11034053Abstract: Concrete product machine apron gap adjustment by actuating a gapper mechanism to set a desired gap between a reciprocally-movable apron plate and an interchangeably installable mold assembly installed in a concrete products machine. The gapper mechanism sets a desired gap between the machine apron plate and the mold assembly by injecting an index amount of hydraulic fluid into fluid communication with the rod side of a primary apron plate positioning cylinder, causing the machine's apron plate to retreat a desired gap distance away from an engaged position against the mold assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2020Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: BESSER COMPANYInventor: Douglas Krentz
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Patent number: 10782032Abstract: An electronic controller device for automatic control of a heating, ventilating, air conditioning or refrigeration (HVACR) system, which has at least a delayed start controller that is capable of delaying sending of a signal to power on a load unit and achieve a selected conditioned space temperature variation, and a demand regulator controller that is capable of calculating on times and off times to obtain a selected electrical demand. The electronic controller device can include a computer-readable storage medium that comprises programs to implement the delayed start and demand regulator controllers, and optionally other controller modules, can delay OEM ON signals and/or adjust the “on” and “off” states, and/or provide other load unit control, to manage and reduce energy consumption and/or demand.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: PACECONTROLS, LLCInventor: Richard Kolk
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Patent number: 10207316Abstract: A primary object of this invention is to provide a continuous casting method by which a slab of excellent internal quality can be obtained even if the casting speed is changed. In this invention, upon continuous casting with two pairs of the reduction rolls arranged along a casting direction and support rolls arranged between the reduction rolls, when a casting speed is reduced compared to a state where combination of reduction with reduction rolls at a first stage on an unsolidified portion of the slab and reduction with reduction rolls at a second stage on a solidified portion thereof is employed, the combination is switched to combination of reduction with the reduction rolls at the first stage on a portion of the slab at an end of solidification and the reduction with the reduction rolls at the second stage on the solidified portion thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Naoki Tajima, Akihiro Yamanaka, Kenji Taguchi
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Patent number: 10189077Abstract: A primary object of this invention is to provide a continuous casting method by which a slab of excellent internal quality can be obtained even if the casting speed is changed. In this invention, upon continuous casting with two pairs of the reduction rolls arranged along a casting direction and support rolls arranged between the reduction rolls, when a casting speed is reduced compared to a state where combination of reduction with reduction rolls at a first stage on an unsolidified portion of the slab and reduction with reduction rolls at a second stage on a solidified portion thereof is employed, the combination is switched to combination of reduction with the reduction rolls at the first stage on a portion of the slab at an end of solidification and the reduction with the reduction rolls at the second stage on the solidified portion thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Naoki Tajima, Akihiro Yamanaka, Kenji Taguchi
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Patent number: 10183325Abstract: A primary object of this invention is to provide a continuous casting method by which a slab of excellent internal quality can be obtained even if the casting speed is changed. In this invention, upon continuous casting with two pairs of the reduction rolls arranged along a casting direction and support rolls arranged between the reduction rolls, when a casting speed is reduced compared to a state where combination of reduction with reduction rolls at a first stage on an unsolidified portion of the slab and reduction with reduction rolls at a second stage on a solidified portion thereof is employed, the combination is switched to combination of reduction with the reduction rolls at the first stage on a portion of the slab at an end of solidification and the reduction with the reduction rolls at the second stage on the solidified portion thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Naoki Tajima, Akihiro Yamanaka, Kenji Taguchi
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Patent number: 9937539Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a metal strip (1) in a continuous casting and rolling process, in which a slab is first cast in a casting machine and is then fed to a finishing rolling mill situated downstream in the direction of feed (F) of the strip (1), where it is rolled.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2014Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBHInventors: Juergen Merz, Heinz-Adolf Mueller
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Patent number: 9360406Abstract: A process and system for self-calibration of a density profiler is disclosed. The process may include measuring a density profile of a fluid in a vessel using a plurality of sensors or a single sensor, and measuring a density profile of the fluid in the vessel using a plurality of sample ports. A density of the fluid proximate a location of at least one of the plurality of sample ports based on the sensor measured density profile may then be interpolated. A density of the fluid proximate a location of at least one of the plurality of sensors based on the sample port measured density profile may also be interpolated. Adjustment of a calibration of at least one of the plurality of sensors may then be made based on both the interpolated sample port density and the interpolated sensor density.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2013Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.Inventors: Alex Kulik, Michael George Brosseau, Hai Wang
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Publication number: 20150101776Abstract: A method and a system for forming a solid casting. A material is fed into a mold having a retractable bottom. A first portion of the material at a first, lower position within the mold is allowed to solidify to thereby form a portion of the casting. The retractable bottom is withdrawn downwards at a withdrawal rate. A second portion of the material at a second, upper position within the mold is maintained in a liquid state by application of heat thereto, using a plasma arc generated by a plasma arc torch. A voltage of the plasma arc is measured, and the withdrawal rate of the retractable bottom is controlled based on the voltage of the plasma arc.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Inventors: Tony Tesoriere, Robin Lampson
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Patent number: 8820392Abstract: A method for adjusting a roll segment of a strand guide of a slab-casting installation against a strand, wherein the roll segment has an upper and a lower roll support that each have an adjusting element for adjusting the two roll supports relative to each other. The method includes individual control of the individual adjusting elements, wherein the actual profile of the strand, including the heights of the right and left lateral edges of the strand, is detected and compared with a set profile that includes a predetermined set height, which is the same for the right and left lateral edges, and the individual adjusting elements of the roll segment are individually controlled based on the control deviation that results from the comparison so that the actual profile is adapted to the set profile, including equalization of the heights of the right and left lateral edges of the strand.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: SMS Siemag AktiengsellschaftInventors: Axel Weyer, Christian Stolp, Hans Esau Klassen
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Patent number: 8387681Abstract: A strand guiding apparatus includes a plurality of pairs of rollers arranged along a moving direction of a strand, a plurality of drive motors for generating driving forces to drive the pairs of rollers, a plurality of worm reducers for transmitting the driving forces of the drive motors to the pairs of rollers while reducing the rotational speed of the drive motors, each worm reducer having a worm extending in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the corresponding roller, and operable to transmit a load occurring at the roller to the corresponding drive motor, and a control unit for controlling the respective rotational speeds of the rollers and/or the respective driving forces of the drive motors based on the load to the drive motors. The reliable control for drive rollers can be attained to have a proper rotational speed without causing a reduction in surface quality and chatter in a strand guiding apparatus for continuous casting equipment using worm reducers.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Fumiki Asano, Kazunori Okada
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Patent number: 8342232Abstract: A speed synchronization system in an aluminum alloy slab continuous casting and rolling line having a twin-belt casting machine and skin pass rolling machine which suitably controls a belt speed of the twin-belt casting machine and roll speed of the skin pass rolling machine so as to obtain a sound aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab and a production facility and method of production of an aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab using the same.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2006Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.Inventors: Isao Shikine, Kazumi Tono
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Patent number: 8336602Abstract: A continuous casting installation (20) including a strand guide having strand casting segments with rollers (2) for guiding a cast strand, wherein at least one of the strand casting segments (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27) is formed as a measurement segment, wherein there is provided at least one measurement point for direct or indirect determination of a force acting on one or several rollers (2), wherein further the at least one measurement point is provided on a support housing (30), preferably between the support and the segment frame of strand casting segment, and there is provided a data processing unit that based on data of the at least one measurement point determines the solidification states of the cast strand.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2008Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: SMS Siemag AktiengesellschaftInventors: Ina Huellen, Andreas Runge, Holger Beyer-Steinhauer, Markus Reifferscheid
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Patent number: 8327918Abstract: A method of fabricating a steel strip (1) including a) providing a functional relationship in a machine controller (8) between a slab casting speed (v) or the mass flow as a product of casting speed and strip thickness or as a product of strip speed and strip thickness and the strip temperature (t) downstream of the last rolling stand (7) for a different number (n) of active rolling stands (7) and different final thicknesses, b) determining or specifying the casting speed (v) or the mass flow (v×H) and feeding the determined value into the machine controller (8), and c) determining the optimum number of active rolling stands (7) and the final thicknesses and thickness reductions which can be rolled with them in the rolling train using the functional profiles.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2008Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: SMS Seimag AGInventors: Juergen Seidel, Ernst Windhaus, Markus Reifferscheid, Juergen Mueller
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Patent number: 8302662Abstract: A continuous casting plant in particular for long steel products is provided with a mould (1), from which a cast strand (2) is continuously cast. The cast strand (2) is guided along a, in particular curved, guideway formed by guide rollers (11, 12, 13, 14) arranged one after the other, and at the same time in a cooling chamber having spray members. The guide rollers (12, 13, 14) and/or the spray members are contained in a plurality of centring modules (10) or spray modules (3) arranged one after the other and are adjustable in a controlled manner substantially concentrically with respect to the desired axis of the cast strand. As a result, on the one hand, the risk of thermally overloading the rollers and damaging the strand surface is considerably reduced and symmetrical cooling is ensured.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2008Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: SMS Concast AGInventors: Franz Kawa, Christian Dratva
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Patent number: 8205661Abstract: A method for adjusting a roll segment of a strand guide of a slab-casting installation against a strand, wherein the roll segment has an upper and a lower roll support that each have an adjusting element for adjusting the two roll supports relative to each other. The method includes individual control of the individual adjusting elements, wherein the actual profile of the strand, including the heights of the right and left lateral edges of the strand, is detected and compared with a set profile that includes a predetermined set height, which is the same for the right and left lateral edges, and the individual adjusting elements of the roll segment are individually controlled based on the control deviation that results from the comparison so that the actual profile is adapted to the set profile, including equalization of the heights of the right and left lateral edges of the strand.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2006Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: SMS Siemag AktiengesellschaftInventors: Axel Weyer, Christian Stolp, Hans Esau Klassen
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Patent number: 8205662Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous casting of a metal strand (1), in which the cast strand (1) leaves a die (2) vertically or arcuately downwards and is subsequently guided in a strand guide (3), wherein the strand guide (3) has a number of pairs of rollers (4), which define between them an adjustable roller nip (5), and wherein, at the start of casting, to close the die (2) in the downward direction, a piece of strand (6) is introduced into the die (2) and is followed by the cast strand (1). In order to improve the adjustment of the roller nip, the invention provides that the piece of strand (6), which is produced with a defined or calibrated thickness (d), is inserted between the respective pairs of rollers to calibrate and/or measure the roller nip (5).Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: SMS Demag AktiengesellschaftInventors: Albrecht Girgensohn, Lothar Schaps, Uwe Plociennik
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Patent number: 8176969Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 28, 2011Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Nucor CorporationInventors: Andrew Edward Dixon, Gary McQuillis, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Leigh Wolley
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Patent number: 8066054Abstract: A measuring system for measuring the strand condition of a continuous casting machine, the system comprising a plate member mounted on a caster chain (10) in use, the plate member (12) having an edge (14) that protrudes outwardly from one surface (13) of the caster chain (10); a pivotally mounted arm (16) capable of protruding outwardly from the opposing surface (17) of the caster chain (10); and means to determine the distance between the tip (18) of the arm (16) and the plate edge (14) at any given interval during use.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2007Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Sarclad LimitedInventor: Richard Cowlishaw
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Patent number: 8006743Abstract: A method of and a device for determining the position of the solidification point (1a) in a strand (1) during continuous casting of liquid metals, in particular of steel, lead to precise results, while an indirect measurement of a movable amount of a core liquid volume per unit of length is carried out by direct measurement of generated process parameters by force and/or path signals on fixed or adjustable individual support rollers or groups of fixed or adjustable support roller pairs, and based on the measurement values, a calculation model for a momentary position of the solidification point (1a) is produced, based on which, changeable casting parameters are continuously adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2005Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: SMS Siemag AGInventors: Axel Weyer, Albrecht Girgensohn
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Patent number: 7987896Abstract: In a method for guiding a cast material out of a casting chamber of a casting system, the cast material is discharged from a casting chamber by means of a succession of guiding rollers and rolling rollers. A rolling roller exerts a rolling force on the cast material to reduce the thickness of the cast material, whereas a guiding roller, which simply guides, exerts no rolling force on the cast material. At least the rolling rollers are driven by a drive, each drive applied under load. Because the rolling force of at least one rolling roller is detected, and the load of the drive of this rolling roller is controlled according to the detected rolling force, a method can be provided by which the stability of the casting speed is increased, and a significant reduction of the thickness of a cast material is achieved.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Hans-Joachim Schmidt
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Patent number: 7984748Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Nucor CorporationInventors: Andrew Edward Dixon, Gary McQuillis, Rama Ballav Mahapatra, Leigh Wolley
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Patent number: 7954539Abstract: A process and an ultracompact plant for the endless production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mold (15) that produces a very thin slab, having narrow sides with thickness in the range between 40 and 55 mm and a central swelling, at a speed in the range between 4 and 16 m/min. Such a slab, which displays a core in which the steel is still liquid, is passed through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) that reduces the thickness of the slab and flattens it. The solidified slab may thus be subjected to a first mild rolling by a conveyor (17) and, by forming a free curve, takes a horizontal position where it is subjected to a first surface descaling, a first rolling, a heating in an inductor (23), a second surface descaling and a series of reductions in a rolling mill (30) formed by at least two stands, by maintaining its temperature along the mill above the recrystallization point Ar3.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2008Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: Danieli & C.Officine Meccanicite, S.p.A.Inventors: Gianpietro Benedetti, Alfredo Poloni, Nuredin Kapaj
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Patent number: 7913745Abstract: A method for continuously casting a billet with a small cross section in which a curved type or vertical type continuous casting machine is used while oscillating the mold upward and downward is characterized in that the casting machine is provided with a mechanism for withdrawing speed oscillation. The mechanism has structural play in the directions of driving and reverse driving in such a manner that the amount of a play-incurred displacement from the neutral position of the structural play in the direction of billet driving or reverse driving is ±2 to ±30 mm in the direction of driving on the pinch roll circumferential length equivalent basis. The mechanism produces a returning force toward the neutral position and operational parameters such as the billet length, the specific amount of secondary cooling water, the casting speed as well as the oscillation amplitude and frequency are optimized.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yuichi Tsukaguchi, Masayuki Kawamoto, Masahito Hanao, Atsushi Hirata, Hiroshi Hayashi, Manabu Adachi
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Patent number: 7909086Abstract: Continuously casting a billet with a small cross section by pouring molten steel into a mold using a cylindrical immersion nozzle is characterized by measuring the molten steel level in the mold using an eddy current sensor. The level is controlled based on the thus-measured value, motion of steel in the mold is adjusted by electromagnetic stirring, a cooling zone during the final period of solidification is disposed within a certain region ranging from the meniscus to the specific site, and casting speed is adjusted so that the region in which the solid phase ratio at the billet center is 0.3-0.99 may be included in the cooling zone during the final period of solidification. The secondary cooling water amount and the billet surface temperature at the entrance to the cooling zone the density of cooling water in the cooling zone during the final period of solidification are optimized.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yuichi Tsukaguchi, Masayuki Kawamoto, Masahito Hanao, Atsushi Hirata, Hiroshi Hayashi
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Patent number: 7845389Abstract: A method and continuous casting device for dynamically placing rolling segments against a cast bar made of metal, particularly steel. The continuous casting device is a bloom or billet casting device and has pairs of rollers that are placed against each other in a position-controlled and pressure-controlled manner by piston-cylinder units. The hydraulic pressure is switched from position-controlled operation to pressure-controlled operation when a threshold pressure is reached. The roller segments are arranged in the hot bar zone and the soft reduction zone.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2003Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: SMS Siemag AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adolf-Gustav Zajber, Holger Beyer-Steinhauser, Christian Geerkens, Axel Weyer
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Publication number: 20100276110Abstract: A continuous casting plant in particular for long steel products is provided with a mould (1), from which a cast strand (2) is continuously cast. The cast strand (2) is guided along a, in particular curved, guideway formed by guide rollers (11, 12, 13, 14) arranged one after the other, and at the same time in a cooling chamber having spray members. The guide rollers (12, 13, 14) and/or the spray members are contained in a plurality of centring modules (10) or spray modules (3) arranged one after the other and are adjustable in a controlled manner substantially concentrically with respect to the desired axis of the cast strand. As a result, on the one hand, the risk of thermally overloading the rollers and damaging the strand surface is considerably reduced and symmetrical cooling is ensured.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2008Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: SMS CONCAST AGInventors: Franz Kawa, Christian Dratva
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Patent number: 7806164Abstract: A system and method for tracking and positioning a continuous cast strand in a casting plant. Lateral positions and, optionally, elevational positions of a cast strand are monitored by sensors as casting proceeds and are fed to a computer-based system as corresponding position information where the information is stored as associated data. The computer-based system processes the associated data and generates corresponding control signals which are used to control at least one correcting device to maintain desired orientation of the cast strand as casting proceeds.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2007Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Nucor CorporationInventors: Darrell Morales, Kevin Evans
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Publication number: 20100116456Abstract: A process and an ultracompact plant for the endless production of hot rolled steel strip comprising an ingot mould (15) that produces a very thin slab, having narrow sides with thickness in the range between 40 and 55 mm and a central swelling, at a speed in the range between 4 and 16 m/min. Such a slab, which displays a core in which the steel is still liquid, is passed through a vertical pre-rolling device (16) that reduces the thickness of the slab and flattens it. The solidified slab may thus be subjected to a first mild rolling by a conveyor (17) and, by forming a free curve, takes a horizontal position where it is subjected to a first surface descaling, a first rolling, a heating in an inductor (23), a second surface descaling and a series of reductions in a rolling mill (30) formed by at least two stands, by maintaining its temperature along the mill above the recrystallisation point Ar3.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2008Publication date: May 13, 2010Inventors: Gianpietro Benedetti, Alfredo Poloni, Nuredin Kapaj
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Publication number: 20100051226Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous casting of a metal strand (1), in which the cast strand (1) leaves a die (2) vertically or arcuately downwards and is subsequently guided in a strand guide (3), wherein the strand guide (3) has a number of pairs of rollers (4), which define between them an adjustable roller nip (5), and wherein, at the start of casting, to close the die (2) in the downward direction, a piece of strand (6) is introduced into the die (2) and is followed by the cast strand (1). In order to improve the adjustment of the roller nip, the invention provides that the piece of strand (6), which is produced with a defined or calibrated thickness (d), is inserted between the respective pairs of rollers to calibrate and/or measure the roller nip (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2007Publication date: March 4, 2010Inventors: Albrecht Girgensohn, Lothar Schaps, Uwe Plociennik
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Patent number: 7617863Abstract: A continuous casting furnace includes a temperature control mechanism for controlling the temperature of a metal casting as it exits a continuous casting mold in order to provide improved characteristics of the metal casting. The temperature control mechanism includes a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the metal casting, and a heat source and cooling device for respectively heating and cooling the metal casting in light of the temperature of the metal casting. A control unit determines if the temperature of the metal casting is within a predetermined range and controls the heat source and cooling device accordingly. The heat source may double as a cooling device or the cooling device may be separate from the heat source.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2006Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: RTI International Metals, Inc.Inventors: Kuang-O Yu, Frank P. Spadafora, Michael P. Jacques
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Publication number: 20090272510Abstract: A speed synchronization system in an aluminum alloy slab continuous casting and rolling line having a twin-belt casting machine and skin pass rolling machine which suitably controls a belt speed of the twin-belt casting machine and roll speed of the skin pass rolling machine so as to obtain a sound aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab and a production facility and method of production of an aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab using the same.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2006Publication date: November 5, 2009Inventors: Isao Shikine, Kazumi Tono
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Publication number: 20090084517Abstract: Maintaining the shell surface temperature profile under transient conditions by spray water cooling in continuous casting of steel is often desired to reduce occurrence of surface cracks. For this purpose, a real-time spray-cooling control system is provided that includes one or more of: a virtual sensor for accurate estimation/prediction of shell surface temperature, control algorithm and data checking subroutines for robust temperature control, server and client programs for communicating between these software components and the caster, and a real-time monitor to display the predicted shell surface temperature profiles, water flow rates, and operating data, among other things.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2008Publication date: April 2, 2009Inventors: Brian G. Thomas, Joseph Bentsman, Kai Zheng
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Patent number: 7448430Abstract: A manufacturing method for a continuously cast product of steel includes the steps of detecting a position of a crater end of the product by measuring a solidification state of the continuously cast product using a sensor which is not a contact with the product, and controlling at least one condition selected from the conditions of the casting speed and the quantity of secondary cooling water based on the detected position of the crater end. The method for measuring a solidification state of the continuously cast product includes the steps of cooling the product until the surface layer portion is ? transformed, transmitting transverse waves of electromagnetic ultrasonic waves to the colled product as a transmitting signal, receiving a signal after said transmitting signal propagates in said product as a receiving signal, and judging the solidification state of said product based on the receiving signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: NKK CorporationInventor: Yukinori Iizuka
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Patent number: 7156148Abstract: A manufacturing method for a continuously cast product of steel includes the steps of detecting a position of a crater end of the product by a method for measuring a solidification state of the continuously cast product using a sensor arranged so as to be in non-contact with the product, and controlling at least one condition selected from the conditions of the casting speed and the quantity of secondary cooling water based on the detected position of crater end.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2005Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: NKK CorporationInventors: Yukinori Iizuka, Yutaka Awajiya, Masayuki Nakada, Makoto Suzuki, Koichi Tsutsumi
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Patent number: 7069974Abstract: A method for producing thin slabs whereby the cross-section thereof is reduced during solidification in a continuous casting device wherein the strand guide adjacent to the mold includes wedge-shaped adjustable roller-strand sections for regulating the thickness of the strand or the thin slabs. The thickness of the strand is reduced only on one point of the strand guide below the first segment downstream from the mold in an area of the strand containing a liquid core by regulating the strand guide rollers with a soft transition. The segment following the segment situated directly after the mold comprises a pivoting point on the input side and an adjusting means arranged on the output side.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2001Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignees: SMS Demag AG, Aceria Compacta de Bizkaia S.A.Inventors: Karl Rittner, Jürgen Müller, Fernando Vergniory, Armando Villareal Gutiérrez, Pedro Sagasti
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Patent number: 7044193Abstract: In a method for the continuous casting of a thin metal strip according to the two-roll method, metal melt is cast into a casting gap formed by two casting rolls of the thickness of the metal strip to be cast, under formation of a melting bath. In order to form a particular texture within the cast metal strip and/or to influence the geometry of the metal strip, continuous casting is carried out by an on-line calculation based upon an arithmetic model describing the formation of the particular texture of the metal and/or the formation of the geometry of the metal strip, wherein variables of the continuous casting method affecting the formation of the texture and/or the geometry are adjusted in an on-line dynamic fashion, i.e. while casting takes place.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2004Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co.Inventors: Kurt Etzelsdorfer, Gerald Hohenbichler, Christian Chimani, Gerhard F Hubmer, Dietmar Auzinger
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Patent number: 7025118Abstract: A continuously cast strand is subjected to soft reduction between the guide rollers below the mold and between the soft reduction stretch and the mold the strand is subjected to format or thickness reduction between at least one pair of position controlled guide rollers so that independently of the quality of the steel, the casting speed and the spray cooling, the position of the type of the mold cavity and hence the molten steel therein is maintained constant along the soft reduction stretch.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2002Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: SMS Demag AktiengesellschaftInventors: Hans Streubel, Axel Weyer
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Patent number: 6945311Abstract: In a method for vertical continuous casting of a steel band, a strand (11) of a parallelogram-like cross section is cast at first in a revolving chill-mold (2) and is thereafter transferred from said initial cross section with completely solidified longitudinal edges (10) and liquid core into a band (1) with plane-parallel cross section, this occurring in such a way that an already solidified shell (9) of the strand (11) which becomes increasingly thicker by cooling is increasingly compressed in the casting direction in a forming device (4) without upsetting deformation of the completely solidified longitudinal edges (10). In order to provide advantageous conditions it is proposed that after the compression into a band (1) the strand (11) with a still liquid core (16) is guided during the complete solidification of the core merely in a forming gap with a constant width corresponding to the thickness of the completely solidified longitudinal edges (10) and is calibrated in this process.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2002Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Inventor: Anton Hulek
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Patent number: 6935408Abstract: A method for producing steel slabs, whereby the strand leaves an ingot mold with melt enclosed by a strand shell and, in a strand guide located downstream, the opening width of guide rolls mounted in segments with upper and lower frames can be set in a continuous manner with successive steps by adjusting elements that join said guide rolls. An oscillation around a center line of the opening width serves to modify the opening width in order to render the dynamic influences on the guide rolls negligibly small. The amplitude of the opening width oscillation is set to ta quantity, which des not provoke any plastic deformation of the strand shell. The actual opening width of the guide rolls is detected and the actuating force of the adjusting elements as well as the amplitude of the actuating force are determined at the same time.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2001Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: SMS Demag AGInventors: Horst von Wyl, Ingo Schubert, Jung Wolfram
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Patent number: 6907915Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an installation for producing a metal strip. The aim of the invention is to make sure that the metal strip formed in the casting installation passes through the first cooling and grain texturing phase substantially without being subjected to stress and without effects on the subsequent installations. To this end, the molten bath is fed to a two-roll casting device and a cast metal strip is formed in the casting gap between two casting rolls whose rotational axes lie in a horizontal plane (two-roll casting method), the thickness of the cast strip ranging between 1.0 to 20 mm, preferably between 1.5 to 12 mm. The cast metal strip that freely emerges downwards from the two-roll casting installation is directly deflected from the vertical casting direction to a substantially horizontal transport direction. The metal strip is taken up and conveyed in a controlled manner by means of a first drive roll stand that operates at a first transport speed.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2001Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co.Inventors: Gerald Hohenbichler, Heinrich Pühringer, Gerhard Finstermann, Ernest Fuhrmann
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Patent number: 6896035Abstract: A manufacturing method for a continuously cast product of steel includes the steps of detecting a position of crater end of product by a method for measuring a solidification state of continuously cast product using a sensor arranged so as to be in non-contact with the product, and controlling at least one condition selected from the conditions of the casting speed and the quantity of secondary cooling water based on the detected position of crater end. The method for measuring a solidification state of continuously cast product includes the steps of cooling the product until a surface layer portion thereof is ? transformed, transmitting transverse waves of electromagnetic ultrasonic waves to the cooled product, receiving the signal after the transmitting signal propagates in the product, and judging the solidification state of the product based on the received signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2002Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: NKK CorporationInventors: Yukinori Iizuka, Yutaka Awajiya, Masayuki Nakada, Makoto Suzuki, Koichi Tsutsumi
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Patent number: 6879425Abstract: The invention relates to a device for determining and/or monitoring the density and/or the level (L) of a filling material in a container. A transmitting unit which emits radioactive radiation and a receiving unit which is arranged in such a way that it receives the radioactive radiation or the secondary radiation that is produced by the interaction of the radioactive radiation with the filling material are provided. A regulating/evaluating unit which determines the density and/or the level of the filling material in the container using the measuring data that is supplied by the receiving unit is also provided. The aim of the invention is to provide a device which enables the level or the density of a filling material in a container to be measured reliably. To this end, the receiving unit consists of individual detector units.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2001Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KGInventors: Hartmut Damm, Joachim Neuhaus, Wolfgang Kämereit
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Publication number: 20040244941Abstract: A system provided in a high-speed continuous casting plant for casting a metallic strand for automatically operating the high-speed continuous casting plant. In the system, the stopping or slide movement, the modification of the steel level, the heat currents through the mold walls, the temperature of the liquid metal and the drawing-off speed are measured over the casting time, supplied to a computer and compared with predetermined limit values for an automatic operating mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Inventors: Fritz-Peter Pleschiutschnigg, Stephan Feldhaus, Lothar Parschat, Michael Vonderbank, Thomas Ulke, Robert Victor Kowalewski, Rolf-Peter Heidemann
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Patent number: 6793006Abstract: The invention relates to a method for automatically opening a high-speed continuous casting plant According to said method the stopping or slide movement, the modification of the steel level, the heat currents through the mold walls, the temperature of the liquid metal and the drawing-off speed are measured over the casting time, supplied to a computer and compared with predetermined limit values for an automatic operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: SMS Demag AGInventors: Fritz-Peter Pleschiutschnigg, Stephan Feldhaus, Lothar Parschat, Michael Vonderbank, Thomas Ulke, Robert Victor Kowalewski, Rolf-Peter Heidemann
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Patent number: 6789602Abstract: A process for producing aluminum sheet product having a controlled grain structure and texture using a continuous caster to cast molten aluminum into a slab comprising the steps of providing a source of molten aluminum and continuously casting the molten aluminum into a slab using a continuous caster; continuously rolling the slab into a sheet product and continuously annealing the sheet product in a controlled temperature range; measuring grain structure and texture of the sheet product to provide a grain structure and texture related signal on a continuous basis; and relaying the signal to a controller. In the controller, comparing the signal to previous signals reflecting grain structure and texture of the sheet product to provide a comparison; and in response to the comparison, maintaining or changing heat input to the process upwardly or downwardly to increase or decrease the temperature to produce aluminum sheet having the desired grain structure and texture.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2002Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Commonwealth Industries, Inc.Inventors: Zhong Li, Paul Platek
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Patent number: 6779587Abstract: A method and a device for adjusting one or more roll segments (1) in a continuous casting installation for metals, especially for steel materials, the rolls (1a) of which adjusted in the segment upper frame (2) and the segment lower frame (3) on frame cross members (5) by pairs (4) of hydraulic piston-cylinder units in a position-and/or pressure-controlled manner, wherein an operation for guiding and/or pressing the casting strands (6) is switched from a position-controlled to a pressure-controlled operation when pressure within the respective pair (4) of piston-cylinder units reaches a predetermined maximum value, whereby an improved reaction is effected by operating the piston-cylinder unit of every roll segment (1) in the case of overload, in subsequent steps at a reduced pressure or in a pressureless switching mode until the switching mode is reached in which the segment upper frame (2) can be opened to some extent.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2003Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: SMS Demag AGInventors: Axel Weyer, Horst von Wyl, Wolfgang Schmitz, Dieter Böttger, Axel Selke, Peter Schmidt
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Patent number: 6776217Abstract: In a method for continuous casting bars, billets, and slabs from a melt in dimensional ranges of approximately 20 to 150 mm thickness and approximately 600 to 3500 mm width by means of an oscillating, water-cooled casting mold in cooperation with a submerged-entry nozzle and by employing casting powder for formation of casting slag, local temperatures and local heat flux densities of a casting mold wall in a meniscus area of the melt critical for the surface quality of a slab are measured. The working temperature of the casting mold wall in the meniscus area is maintained by adjusting the operating parameters important for the working temperature within a predetermined temperature range (&Dgr;T).Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2000Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: SMS Demag AGInventors: Hans Streubel, Uwe Plociennik
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Patent number: 6712123Abstract: In a method for changing the section of a billet of a continuous casting plant during continuous casting, wherein opposed sides of the billet are in contact with oppositely positioned roll supports arranged below a continuous casting die, wherein the roll supports are comprised of segments having rolls, wherein adjoining ones of the segments of each roll support are connected to one another by a jointed connection and wherein each segment is configured to be adjustable independent of the other segments with respect to an angular position relative to the billet, and wherein in an initial position the segments of the roll supports are adjusted to a uniform billet section, a thickness reduction can be achieved by advancing sequentially in a direction of continuous casting the segments toward the billet by moving the jointed connections toward the billet in a controlled sequence of adjusting steps or a thickness increase can be achieved by moving sequentially in a direction of continuous casting the segments awayType: GrantFiled: July 13, 2000Date of Patent: March 30, 2004Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag AktiengesellschaftInventors: Axel Weyer, Dirk Letzel, Reiner Külchen, Adolf Zajber
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Patent number: 6701999Abstract: A a process for producing slabs from steel, in which the strand leaves a permanent mold with liquid melt enclosed by the strand shell and, in a downstream strand guiding assembly, the gap between guide rollers mounted in stands is set infinitely variably by adjusting elements connecting lower and upper frames, characterized by the following steps: a) the gap(s) is changed by an oscillation about a predeteminable center line (c) of the gap in such a way that the dynamic influences on the guide rollers are negligible, and no plastic deformation of the strand shell occurs; b) the current gap (s) is recorded, c) at the same time, the actuating force (F) of the adjusting elements and the amplitude (A) of the actuating force are determined, and d) with increasing amplitude (A) of the actuating force (F), the gap (s) is set to a predeterminable value and/or is pressure-controlled by at least one adjusting element.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1999Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Mannesmann AGInventors: Horst Von Wyl, Ingo Schubert