- Order placed by plant solution provider Primetals Technologies with expected commissioning in early 2024
- Two slab casters, each with two strands, will be equipped with ABB Flow Control Mold (FC Mold) electromagnetic stirring and braking devices, enabling faster and more cost-efficient production of clean steel
- Installation at upgraded Duisburg-Bruckhausen plant in Germany comes after more than 40 similar installations prove higher productivity and quality for slab casters at all speeds
ABB has been awarded a major contract by Primetals Technologies to help optimize production at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe’s (tkSE) Duisburg-Bruckhausen plant in Germany, using the unique and proprietary ABB Flow Control Mold electromagnetic stirring and braking technology for higher quality steel produced faster and at lower cost.
The construction of a casting rolling mill and the upgrade of an existing continuous casting plant is part of a wider project awarded to Primetals Technologies, a global leader in plant engineering for the metals industry. It is part of tkSE’s Strategy 20-30 which aims to optimize operations for the requirements of automotive customers seeking improved surfaces, thinner and high-performance steels to meet crash safety standards in the growing e-mobility market.
By using FC Mold G3 (generation 3), thyssenkrupp can prevent gas bubbles and impurities from becoming trapped in the solidifying steel as the technology will offer simultaneous stirring and braking from one fixed position on the caster. 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. It enables improved process control and increased resource efficiency, requires very little maintenance and typically has a long lifespan.
Continous casting of thick slabs at thyssenkrupp's Bruckhausen-Duisburg plant in Germany. Image rights thyssenkrupp 
ABB FC Mold unique technology delivers simultaneous stirring and braking from one fixed position
With an installed base at 40 sites worldwide, performance improvements delivered by FC Mold technology are well-proven. Typically, these include 50 percent reduction in defects and up to 80 percent reduction in rejected or downgraded product. In addition, FC Mold can allow for a higher casting speed.
“By significantly reducing defects, rejects and downgrades the FC Mold will improve cost and resource-efficiency at tkSE, thereby supporting both sustainability and profitability goals, while contributing to the company’s Strategy 20-30 ambitions to meet customer requirements for higher performance steel grades,” said Zaeim Mehraban, Global Sales Manager, Metallurgy Products at ABB. “Backed by decades of experience working with plant builders, like Primetals, and knowledge of metallurgical processes such as slab casting from numerous installations worldwide, ABB continues to devise solutions to solve bottlenecks in steel and aluminium manufacturing processes and repeatedly prove they are effective.”
thyssenkrupp is one of the world’s leading producers of carbon flat steel and drives innovation in steel and high-quality products for demanding, state-of-the-art applications. It has set itself the goal of producing three million tons of CO₂-neutral steel a year by 2030 as the industry moves towards climate-neutral steel production by 2050 in line with the UN Paris Agreement. Primetals Technologies is a pioneer and world leader in the fields of engineering, plant building, and the provision of lifecycle services for the metals industry.
For more information on ABB’s metallurgical offerings for continuous casting visit https://new.abb.com/metals/abb-in-metals/offering/products/metallurgy-products/electromagnetic-stirrers-and-brakes-for-steel/electromagnetic-devices-for-slab-casting
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com
ABB’s Process Automation business is a leader in automation, electrification and digitalization for the process and hybrid industries. We serve our customers with a broad portfolio of products, systems, and end-to-end solutions, including our # 1 distributed control system, software, and lifecycle services, industry-specific products as well as measurement and analytics, marine and turbocharging offerings. As the global #2 in the market, we build on our deep domain expertise, diverse team and global footprint, and are dedicated to helping our customers increase competitiveness, improve their return on investment and run safe, smart, and sustainable operations. go.abb/processautomation
