ABB has been selected to supply its Flow Control Mold (FC Mold) electromagnetic stirring and braking solution for one of the world’s widest thick slab continuous casters at the new Nucor Corporation steel plate mill at Brandenburg, Kentucky, USA.
With capacity for slabs of up to 305mm thick by 3,150mm wide, the caster is the widest ever to be equipped with FC Mold. The order - placed by caster supplier, SMS Group will be operational by 2022.
In continuous slab casting, conditions in the meniscus area of the solidifying steel are crucial to determining end product quality and have a major impact on productivity and overall operating costs. Integrated with the caster, FC Mold uses electromagnetic fields to control meniscus flow speed and fluctuations, while helping prevent gas bubbles and impurities from becoming trapped in the solidifying steel.
Results from more than 40 installations worldwide have proven that FC Mold delivers higher productivity and quality, and lower operating costs for casters operating at all speeds. Typically, installation of FC Mold results in a significant reduction in defects, rejects and downgraded products. In addition, FC Mold can allow for a higher casting speed.