CASTERS
4 NOS RUSSIAN MAKE SINGLE STRAND SLAB
CASTERS
RADIAL TYPE BATCH CASTERS,12 M. RADIUS,
MET. LENGTH 23 M
COMMISSIONED IN 1984-85
TOTAL RATED CAPACITY : 1.24 MT /YR
CAST SIZE RANGE : 180-320 X 1300-2000
PRODUCTS :
LOW TO HIGH CARBON STEELS INCLUDING
BOILER QUALITY, HIGH TENSILE, STRUCTURAL
STEELS, SHIP BUILDING QUALITY.
ORIGINAL CASTER DETAILS
12 T TUNDISH WITH MANUAL STOPPER RODS
RADIAL MOULD WITH COPPER WALLS
1 NO. 140 DIA DOUBLE SPLIT 5-ROLL SEGMENT
1 NO. 230 DIA 8-ROLL SEGMENT
RADIAL PINCH ROLL SEGMENTS :
DIA 320 - 6 NOS.
DIA 360 - 4 NOS.
DIA 400 - 4 NOS.
DIA 450 - 3 NOS
HORIZONTAL PINCH ROLL SEGMENT: DIA 480 - 5 NOS
PINCH ROLL SEGMENTS ARE SINGLE SPAN, 2-ROLL WITH 1
DRIVEN ROLL
SOLID LINK TYPE BOTTOM INSERTED DUMMY BAR
GCM WITH OXY. – ACETYLENE FLAME CUTTING
DRAWBACKS OF BHILAI CASTERS
MOULDWALLS OF COLD ROLLED COPPER WITH
LOW HARDNESS, CAUSING SHRINKAGE AND
DIMENSIONAL VARIATION.
SMALLTUNDISH SIZE MEANS INCREASED NMI
AND LESS TIME FOR CHANGEOVERS
HIGH ROLL PITCH LIMITS CASTING SPEED
17
NOS. RADIAL SEGMENTS WITH INADEQUATE
FASTENING ON BASE FRAME CAUSES
MISALIGNMENT OF PASS LINE, AND LENGTHY
REALIGNMENT PROCESS
DRAWBACKS OF BHILAI CASTERS
HEAVY DUMMY BAR WITH SINGLE TAPER LINK
CAUSES SHOCK LOADS ON CASTER ROLLS
INADEQUATE SECONDARY COOLING LIMITS
CASTING SPEEDS AND AFFECTS QUALITY
DRIVEN ROLLS IN TOP ZONE AFFECT SURFACE
QUALITY
SINGLE SPAN ROLLS OFFER POOR STRAND
SUPPORT CAUSING INTERNAL DEFECTS
MANUAL CENTRALIZED GREASE LUB. SYSTEM
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
MOULD
MODIFICATIONS
COPPER NARROW WALL CHANGED TO CR-ZR-CU ALLOY,
WIDE WALL TO AG-CU ALLOY
INLET COOLING PIPE INCREASED FROM DIA 125 TO DIA 200,
FLOW INCREASED FROM 160 M³ /HR AT 6 BAR TO 220 M³ /HR AT
8 BAR FOR WIDE WALL, AND 20 M³ /HR TO 30 M³ /HR FOR
NARROW WALL
BENEFITS
MOULD LIFE INCREASED FROM 50 TO60 HEATS TO AVERAGE
135 HEATS
BETTER COOLING ALLOWED HIGHER CASTING SPEED
IMPROVEMENT IN SLAB SURFACE QUALITY
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
IDLE SEGMENTS
8-ROLL SEGMENT
MODIFICATIONS
8-ROLLS 230 DIA SINGLE SPAN MODIFIED TO 10-ROLLS
180 DIA SPLIT
LUBRICATION MODIFIED FROM ONE TIME GREASE PACKING
TO CENTRALISED GREASE LUB. SYSTEM
BEARING PEDESTAL COOLING INTRODUCED
ROLL MATERIAL CHANGED FROM 34 XHIM TO 13 Cr SS
BENEFITS
IMPROVEMENT IN SLAB SUB SURFACE AND INTERNAL
QUALITY
10-ROLL LIFE INCREASED FROM 200 TO 300 HEATS
ROLLER LIFE INCREASED
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
PINCH ROLL SEGMENTS
MODIFICATIONS
DIA 320 DRIVEN ROLLS CONVERTED TO IDLE ROLLS
ALL DIA 320, 360, 400 SINGLE SPAN IDLE ROLLS CONVERTED TO SINGLE
SPLIT ROLLS
ALL SEGMENT TOP FRAME BRACKET HOLES MODIFIED TO REDUCE
PIN PLAY CAUSED BY WEAR OUT
DIA 320, 360, 400 ROLLERS NECK AND BEARING HOUSING MODIFIED TO
PREVENT GREASE WASHOUT AND INGRESS OF SCALES AND MUCK
SEGMENT FOUNDATION MODIFICATIONS :
* FOUNDATION FASTENERS CHANGED FROM M 56 TO M 64
STUDS
* FOUNDATION BLOCK PACKINGS MODIFIED FOR BETTER
SURFACE CONTACT BETWEEN SEGMENT AND RADIAL FRAME
* LOOSE PACKINGS MATERIAL CHANGED FROM MS TO SS
* SEGMENT LOCATING DOWEL PINS MODIFIED FOR EASIER AND
QUICKER FIXING
* FOUNDATION STUDS TIGHTENING DONE WITH HYDRAULIC
TORQUE WRENCH
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
PINCH ROLL SEGMENTS
BENEFITS
BETTER SLAB SURFACE AND INTERNAL QUALITY
HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO HIGHER CASTING
SPEED
HIGHER MACHINE AVAILABILITY
INCREASE IN ROLLER AND BEARING LIFE
INCREASE IN SEGMENT LIFE
BETTER FOUNDATION RIGIDITY AND PASS LINE
ALIGNMENT
REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
COOLING SYSTEMS
SECONDARY COOLING SYSTEM
MODIFICATONS
M.S.PIPES CHANGED TO S.S.PIPES, ADDITIONAL FILTERS USED
TO ELIMINATE NOZZLE CHOKING.
COOLING ZONES EXTENDED FROM 5 TO 7 AND COOLING
SCHEMES REDESIGNED TO ATTAIN HIGHER CASTING SPEED
AIR MIST COOLING INTRODUCED FOR UNIFORM & EFFICIENT
COOLING
BENEFITS
HIGHER CASTING SPEED
BETTER SLAB QUALITY
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
COOLING SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT COOLING SYSTEM
MODIFICATION
BOOSTERPUMP INSTALLED FOR EACH CASTER
FLOW INCREASED FROM 300 M³/HR TO 500 M³/HR
BENEFITS
BETTER ROLLER & SEGMENT FRAME LIFE
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
DUMMY BAR
MODIFICATIONS
LINKS WIDTH REDUCED FROM 120 MM TO 80 MM
DUMMY BAR THICKNESS INCREASE USING ONE TAPER LINK
MODIFIED BY USING THREE LINKS OF GRADUAL TAPER
LENGTH INCREASED BY 2.7 M
WEIGHT OF 200 MM DUMMY BAR REDUCED FROM 17 T TO 13 T
AND 250 MM DUMMY BAR REDUCED FROM 21 T TO 17 T
INSERTION PRESSURE REDUCED TO 100 BARS FROM 140 BARS BY
MODIFIED HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT
PROVISION OF GREASE LUBRICATION FOR DUMMY BAR PINS
BENEFITS
SMOOTHER DUMMY BAR INSERTION IN CASTER
REDUCED ROLLER AND BEARING BREAKAGE
ENHANCED DUMMY BAR LIFE
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
GAS CUTTING MACHINE
MODIFICATIONS
WORKING LENGTH OF GCM INCREASED BY 2M TO ALLOW
HIGHER CASTING SPEED
NITROGEN USED INSTEAD OF COMPRESSED AIR FOR GRIPPER
OPERATION
PROPANE GAS REPLACED ACETEYLENE GAS FOR FLAME
CUTTING OF SLABS
BENEFITS
ALLOWED HIGH SPEED CASTING
RELIABLE GRIPPING OPERATION ELIMINATED SLIPPAGE
RELIABLE & CHEAPER SLAB CUTTING
MODIFICATION IN SLAB CASTER
CENTRALISED GREASE LUB.SYSTEM
MODIFICATIONS
MANUAL GREASE SYSTEM OPERATION MADE AUTOMATIC
GREASE CHANGED FROM LITHIUM COMPLEX TO HIGH
TEMPERATURE CALCIUM SULFONATE
BENEFITS
BEARING LIFE INCREASED, REDUCING CASTER REPAIR
TIME
MAINTENANCE STRATEGY
SLAB CASTER
CASTER TAKEN FOR REPAIRS AFTER AROUND 200
HEATS. TIME TAKEN 3 – 4 SHIFTS
TAKEN FOR REPAIRS EARLIER IF ANY INCIDENCE OF
DEFECTS AT SLAB OR PLATE STAGE
MAINTENANCE IS CONDITION BASED
THOROUGH MANUAL INSPECTION OF ENTIRE
CASTER DONE – MOULD, LADLE TURRET, ALL
SEGMENTS, ALL DRIVES & LINKAGES, CASTER
FOUNDATION, DUMMY BAR, ROLL TABLES, GCM ETC.
DEFECTIVE SEGMENTS REPLACED WITH READY
SPARE SEGMENTS
CASTER ALIGNMENTS & ROLL GAP SETTING DONE
FOR ENTIRE CASTER IN EVERY REPAIR.
MAINTENANCE STRATEGY
SLAB CASTER
CAPITAL REPAIR OF CASTER IS CARRIED OUT
AFTER AROUND 1.5 MT OF PRODUCTION, i.e.,
ONCE IN 3 YEARS
MAJOR BUILDING & EQUIPMENT STRUCTURAL
REPAIRS ARE DONE
ALL SEGMENTS ARE REPLACED WITH READY
SPARES SEGMENTS WITH COMPLETE SET OF
NEW ROLLS
CASTER ALIGNED TO AN ACCURACY OF 0.7mm
CAPITAL REPAIRS TAKES AROUND 50 SHIFTS