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By Alberto Lainati

The Bar Reducing and Sizing Technology has a core function in the value-chain for the production of rolled SBQ (Special Bar Quality) products. The EVO 2+4-roll is based on the compact combination of a 2-roll high-reduction module followed by a 4- roll low-reduction module for precise sizing. The EVO 2+4-roll mill, allows to gain significant technical and economical advantages in the hot- and post-rolling process routes: dimensional and surface accuracy, quick adaptability to processing variances and to small lots requirements, superior technological features of as-rolled product, competitive capex and opex. The EVO 2+4 unit has a very compact design, which makes it suitable both for new mills and upgrade applications.

Aug 17, 2017

By Janete Terezinha Ferreira da Silva Lecheta

A CSN Paraná, sempre trabalhando com a cultura de melhoria contínua, passou recentemente por uma reestruturação na gestão das informações estratégicas, mantendo o que já existia de eficiente e aplicando melhorias e novidades que trouxeram ganhos de produtividade, suporte na tomada de decisão e outros ganhos intangíveis. O breve estudo tem como objetivo apresentar o trabalho que foi feito na CSN Paraná, os conceitos utilizados e metodologias aplicadas para que esse trabalho fosse possível.

Aug 16, 2017

By Silvio Pereira Diniz Maranha, Evandro Costa e Silva

The disposal of coal tailings in an economically and environmentally sustainable way can be considered one of the biggest challenges for coal producers due to their physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics and the significant annual volumes generated. The processing and utilization of coal fines is recognized as one of the great technical challenges of this industry. These challenges become even greater when it comes to the use of tailings from coking coals. This is due to the potential changes in their various properties, variability of these characteristics along the deposits, the handling and dewatering aspects of the products and the granulometric restrictions imposed by the coking plants for the coals to be handling and coking. This work presents the current stage of project development for the use of a metallurgical coal fines dam, addressing the general concept of the project, the exploratory sampling program and the characterization of the tailings for process and product development purposes after processing. It aims at the characterization and the carbonization tests for product development, the mining method considered, product alternatives, suitable to the market, to be generated and the next steps.

Oct 3, 2019

By Bart de Graaff, Victor van Straaten, Edo Engel

The hot blast system is key ancillary plant equipment with respect to safe and stable operations during a long blast furnace campaign. Hot blast stove designs have been optimized to such an extent that in some cases, their lifetimes have surpassed the campaign lengths of the associated blast furnaces by a substantial margin, with the exception of the burner and a few critical areas. This article presents recent developments with respect to designing, building new and operating existing hot blast systems for a long lifetime and at optimized performance. These developments include fundamental improvements such as dome combustion designs as well as increasingly comprehensive packages for inspection, assessment and maintenance techniques. Examples of such techniques are burner replacement with the hot blast system at operating temperature, improved double shell approaches and TOFD measurement applications.

Oct 1, 2019

By Antonio Adel dos Santos, Carmos Antonio Gandra, Fabricio Mazola da Silva Paiva, Vicente Tadeu Lopes Buono

Abstract Usiminas Steel Plant in Ipatinga installed an accelerated cooling device named CLC (Continuous On-Line Control) in 2010, enabling it to supply steels produced by TMCP (Thermo Mechanical Control Process) technology. This technology complements the TMCR (Thermo Mechanical Control Rolling), with the inclusion of the accelerated cooling process after controlled rolling. There are various gains in terms of quality and productivity associated to the application of such technology. However, the flatness control for API steel becomes crucial because large thermal stresses may be generated due to thermal heterogeneity during the fast cooling when the austenite phase decomposes mostly into ferrite and bainite. In literature, there is lack of knowledge regarding a full understanding of the relation among cooling conditions and plate flatness. Therefore, this work has focused on the effect of the cooling strategy for API steels, aiming at optimizing flatness and keeping the mechanical properties within the specified ranges. The starting point was dilatometer simulation, where cooling conditions such as start cooling temperature, SCT, finish rolling temperature, FRT, and cooling rate, CR, were changed in order to evaluate their effect on microstructure. Those laboratory conditions supposed to give the best results were transposed to industrial scale, so as to produce experimental lots of plates with five different cooling strategies. It was shown the possibility to find a cooling profile that guarantees the balance between mechanical properties and flatness requirements. The influence of cooling strategy on flatness was explained by the varied heat transfer regimes occurring from hot steel surface to the ambient

Oct 1, 2019

By G. Martino, F. Silva, Emmanuel Marchal

The definition of the chemical specification at multiple steps of the steelmaking process is very common in the industry. Among all elements and compounds, the Sulphur content has a special control over several stages, from the coal blend to the final products. Coke, iron and steelmaking specialists usually agree on a static specification for each intermediate product according to their local operation capacity and production cost. However, local decisions have major impacts on the whole production chain and many global factors should be considered in order to make the best decision. In this study, we will exemplify focusing on Sulphur content concepts and techniques that could be applied to many decisions in an integrated carbon steel plant. The variation of coal and coke prices, the desulphurization cost and time, the processes operating points, the hot metal rate at converters, prices and demands of low and ultra-low Sulphur steel grades are some of the integrated factors that are usually disregarded during the specification process. Mathematical modeling presents itself as a proper option into dealing with all the complexity that emerges from integrating all these processes' trade-offs and decisions. This study presents the results of a mathematical model that encompasses economic, thermal, chemical, and mass balances, physical quality of materials and productivity constraints of all processes of a hypothetical integrated carbon steel plant. It optimizes the iron and steelmaking process on a global and unique objective, dynamically defining targets for product quality to achieve the lowest steel production cost. This study details multiple market-plant scenarios in order to compare economic and operating results of a static vs dynamic specification practice.

Oct 1, 2019

By Sávio José de Oliveira

Neste trabalho foram caracterizados dois tipos de rejeitos arenosos, provenientes do processo de flotação do minério de ferro, com o intuito de aplicá-los na fundição de peças de alumínio. A caracterização foi conduzida de duas formas. Primeiro foram realizados os ensaios de caracterização científica, adotados pela indústria de fundição, de modo a avaliar as propriedades dos rejeitos. E, finalmente, os rejeitos foram misturados com aglomerantes para a fabricação de moldes de fundição por dois diferentes processos de moldagem: processo de moldagem de cura a frio e processo de moldagem em silicato de sódio/CO2. Os dois tipos de rejeito, que diferem na granulometria, se mostraram adequados para uso na indústria de fundição de alumínio, apresentaram propriedades adequadas e foi possível produzir peças sem defeitos.

Oct 30, 2017

By Wilian da Silva Labiapari

Austenitic stainless steels are widely known for their good weldability, excellent mechanical properties for deep drawing and superior corrosion resistance in environments where most of the metals fail. Their uses include many applications subjected to a combination of mechanical and corrosive wear, such as pumps, valves and surgical implants. Although their corrosion resistance has been largely investigated, their resistance to mechanical wear is less studied. In particular, their performance under conditions involving combined corrosive and mechanical wear is not well understood. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effect of the mechanical component on the electrochemical signal of an anodic polarization curve. A test rig was developed to investigate micro-abrasion-corrosion using a fixed ball configuration. Tests were carried out using stainless steel AISI 304 samples and 25.4 mm zirconia balls as counter bodies. The electrolyte was a 1N H2SO4 solution with SiO2 as abrasive dispersed at the concentration of 10 wt%. The results showed an increase in current density when the counter face roughness and the normal load applied during the tests are increased, evidencing a mechanical influence on the surface activity of this material in a corrosive environment.

Jul 31, 2018

By Mariana Alves de Carvalho

O desenvolvimento da indústria e a redução do ciclo de vida de eletroeletrônicos aumentam a geração dos chamados resíduos de equipamentos eletroeletrônicos (REEE). Dentre os REEE, as placas de circuito impresso (PCIs) apresentam um teor de metais em sua composição que as torna importante objeto de estudo visando a recuperação destes metais para fins econômicos e, por conseguinte, impede que sejam dispostos no meio ambiente. O presente trabalho tem por objetivos a caracterização de uma amostra de placa mãe de computadores obsoletos e posterior recuperação dos metais via duas rotas hidrometalúrgicas de lixiviação ácida e lixiviação ácida em meio oxidante. A primeira etapa foi realizada com ácido sulfúrico 2M por 18 horas e a 95°C; a segunda etapa, de lixiviação em meio oxidante, utilizou também o ácido sulfúrico 2M como agente lixiviante, e o peróxido de hidrogênio como agente redutor, por 6 horas e a 95°C. As duas rotas se diferenciaram entre si na proporção sólido-líquido, sendo a primeira de 1:10 e a segunda de 1:20. A rota com proporção 1:20 foi a que apresentou resultado mais positivo, com 100% de lixiviação de Ag, Al, Cu, Fe, Ni e Zn.

Oct 30, 2017

By Daniel Wild, Tobias Scheffer, Marvin Laugwitz, Martin Jochum

Leveling is a standard process in the rolling mill to eliminate flatness deviations. The process layout is based on models and the leveling result depends on the accuracy of the material parameters in these models. Even small deviations from the correct assumptions can have a major effect on the final flatness. Thus, after leveling the products may look optically flat, but subsequent to a final cutting process springback occurs due to residual stresses. The objective of this work is to analyze the influence of material parameters and gravity on the flatness after leveling. To evaluate the sensitivity of the process, an FE parameter study is exerted that reveals the influence of fluctuations in material properties in the case that the leveling setup is fixed. Gravity is neglected to not conceal flatness deviations. Examples of this study are rerun in a further step under consideration of gravity to also analyze its influence on the resulting flatness and residual stresses. Finally, to analyze the consequence of the residual stresses, all information of the plate from the previous step are transferred while gravity is suppressed to prompt springback. This study revealed that slight deviations of the material properties can lead to uneven plates in simulations where gravity is not considered. If gravity is taken into account, the unevenness is concealed and the plate seems flat. A springback simulation of the same plate shows that strong residual stresses are still present and would lead to unevenness if e.g. the plate were cut.

Oct 1, 2019

By Bráulio Salumão de Oliveira

A participação do petróleo e gás natural na matriz energética mundial aumenta gradativamente a cada ano. Em estimativas para as próximas duas décadas, tais fontes continuarão a figurar entre as principais na participação em suprir a demanda por energia mundial. Para que seja tecnicamente e economicamente viável a exploração destes recursos, são necessários utilizar produtos e processos inovadores que, por sua vez, exigem evolução da pesquisa e desenvolvimento de novos materiais e processos. Este estudo objetivou analisar o desenvolvimento tecnológico de ligas ferrosas para os produtos tubulares utilizados nesse mercado, através da elaboração de indicadores a partir de documentos de patentes indexados na base Derwent Innovations Index entre 1995 e 2014. Foram elaborados indicadores de evolução temporal, de identificação dos elementos de liga, das tecnologias em processamento dos produtos e das propriedades requeridas além de comparativos entre principais desenvolvedores e seus mercados de interesse. O número de documentos de patentes sobre o tema aumentou significativamente durante o período estudado. Foram notados países com destaque no número de depósitos de patentes, porém com pouca expressão de pedidos fora de seu território. Os principais titulares são empresas japonesas embora a China tenha apresentado a maior tendência de crescimento de depósitos no tema.

Aug 16, 2017

By Ismar Antônio Sardinha

Usually outer straight steel tubes are used to blow supersonic oxygen into LD converters (BOF) to make liquid steel, although conical tubes are used too. Inner tube for oxygen blow and intermediary tube for water IN and water OUT are normally straight steel tubes. Present paper shows the influence of outer tube shape and metal used to in lance cooling and, consequently, a skull retention on lance surface. There are two parameters more important related to lance cooling: velocity of water out and the total lance cooling by addition of thermal conductivity of outer tube metal to it. For this comparison outer tubes are made of carbon steel or copper, and can be straight or conical. As related to velocity of water OUT, outer straight tubes have bigger efficiency than conical tubes. As related to total lance cooling, outer tube metal made of copper has much bigger efficiency than steel because of its thermal conductivity 7 to 12 times more depending on work temperature. The lance cooling has much bigger efficiency for the patented SKULLS3® technology with no skulls on the lance and no skulls into the mouth of LD converters (BOF).

Aug 17, 2017

By Tobias Krull

The characterisation of iron ore from a materials handling point of view is paramount in order to provide the best possible design for the desired application and maximise equipment uptime at the lowest possible capital and operational expenditure. Problematic issues in materials handling applications often arise in the iron ore industry due to the high density of the ore as well as the abrasive nature of the product. One of the key issues encountered during the handling of iron ore is excessive wear due to either impact or sliding abrasion. The applications and equipment typically affected by accelerated wear issues are mass flow hoppers, transfer chutes and conveyor belts. These wear issues often result in unplanned down times and loss in production which can lead to a considerable loss in revenue. This paper provides an overview of the best practises in the materials handling characterisation of iron ore and discusses available techniques for the modelling of iron ore in applications where accelerated wear is experienced. The application is illustrated through a number of industry relevant case studies for which engineering design work was undertaken to successfully reduce the wear rates of different materials handling equipment.

Aug 1, 2018

By Diego José Inforzato

Hot tensile data were correlated with creep data, in Aluminum Alloy AL7475-T7351, as part of a broader research program, aiming at the validation of a methodology that proposes an equivalence between the two kind of results, for metallic materials in general. The methodology is based on a criterion that establishes correlation among the following parameters from each test: the strain rate, ultimate tensile stress, and time to reach the ultimate tensile stress, in tensile tests, are equivalent respectively to the: minimum strain rate, applied stress and rupture time, in creep tests, for a given test temperature. The present material was tested at 3 temperatures: 133,166 and 193ºC, using 3 nominal tensile strain rates in the hot tensile tests: 3.2x10-6, 1.6x10-4 and 6.4x10-3 s-1 and 9 applied stress levels in the creep tests, varying from 140 to 400 MPa. The conversion of the hot tensile data to creep-like data allowed performing the analysis of all the results together according to the traditional creep relations proposed by different authors, namely: Norton, Arrhenius, Zener-Hollomon and Monkman-Grant, with the determination of the corresponding parameters in each case. The equivalence between hot tensile and creep data is also confirmed for this aluminum alloy.

Aug 8, 2018

By Adriane Lopes Mougo

Super duplex stainless steel presents a biphasic structure composed by ferrite and austenite with different characteristics and properties. In the micromilling process the cutting edge radius has similar dimensions to the grain size. The biphasic structure found in this material could influence on the cutting tool life and the surface integrity of the workpiece. Due to its low machinability, caused by high hardening level and low thermal conductivity, the process can produce built-up edge and high surface roughness (Ra). In this work it is performed an experimental study of the micromilling of super duplex UNS 32750 and the influence of the cutting speed (Vc) and feed per tooth (fz) on the surface integrity and tool wear. The design of experiments considered two levels and three replicates. Results indicate the increase of roughness for bigger feed per tooth, small influence of the cutting parameters on the burr formation. The tool presented flank wear after the experiments.

Aug 8, 2018

By Cermets

Ti(C,N)-based cermets offer good high temperature strength, perfect chemical stability, excellent wear resistance, and relativly better machinability. In the present work, the tribological behaviors of Ti(C,N)/SiC sliding pairs lubricated in water and seawater were evaluated using a ball-on-disk tribometer. The experimental results show that a relatively low friction coefficient (about 0.025) can be obtained when lubricated with artificial seawater at the sliding speed of 200 mm/s, while the date is about 0.2 in purified water. The wear surface profiles and the lubricants collected after running-in process for the high/low friction conditions were compared. In addition, the effect of salt molar concentration of the lubricant on the Ti(C,N)/SiC friction properties was investigated. It was found that the smooth and flat surface is the premise to gain the low friction. At the same time, the proper concentration of silica colloid, which is affected by the salt ions, is also an essential one. Moreover, the high sliding speed (200 mm/s) is beneficial to achieve low friction.

Jul 31, 2018

By Ernesto Furtado de Mello Neto, Eliezer Thuler, Claudio Vano Nunes, Carlos Alberto Cristofari

The Brazilian steel industry is dealing an adverse scenario with direct competition from global emerging markets. In this scenario, the need to improve asset operational performance, makes complex studies involving technical knowledge and asset life behavior, become important tools to support companies strategic accomplish. These studies allow consider performance, costs and operational risks relationship in the decision make process. The Asset Management approach support these studies in order to observe the whole asset life cycle, understand value chain through all company process and optimize the asset economic life. In this context, the present technical work has the purpose to support asset management decision making regarding ArcelorMittal Vega cold rolling drive motors, through the motors fail behavior modelling and estimated the risks involved in asset management decision. Through the Reliability, Availability and Mantenability (RAM) analysis, simulations were performed considering the failure, repair cost data and investments to build options to mitigate the operational risks.

Oct 9, 2019

By Pedro Henrique Vasconcellos Apipe

O objetivo do trabalho consistiu em estudar os modos de transmissão de calor existentes em um conjunto mecânico composto por um rolo de extração e mancais de contato rolante em decorrência do movimento de um tubo laminado sobre o mesmo na planta da Vallourec Brasil. A motivação para o estudo surgiu na avaliação de como os fenômenos térmicos presentes resultariam na distribuição de temperatura através da superfície do conjunto e qual a sua relação com a disponibilidade desse equipamento. Para isso a análise desenvolvida foi baseada no emprego da dinâmica dos fluidos computacionais (CFD), associada a imposições subsidiárias durante a definição das condições de contorno do problema. Como resultado a distribuição de temperatura através da superfície do conjunto foi determinada, sobretudo na pista interna do rolamento e na região na qual se encontra o sistema de refrigeração. Desse modo conclui-se que embora o sistema de refrigeração dissipe uma grande quantidade de calor a sua eficiência não é satisfatória. Fato esse descrito pela presença de temperaturas superiores as necessárias para a ocorrência do fenômeno de ponto de gota.

Jul 31, 2018

By Edwan Anderson Ariza Echeverri

O processo de estampagem a quente também conhecido como press hardening, é um dos métodos mais utilizados atualmente pela indústria automobilística para produzir aços de alta e ultra alta resistência. Esse processo é principalmente usado em peças relacionadas à segurança passiva e à resistência ao impacto, tais como pára-choques e barras de proteção laterais. O uso desse processo aumenta a segurança dos passageiros e reduz o peço do veículo e, portanto, o consumo de combustível. No presente estudo, amostras de aço ao boro foram deformadas a quente, não isotermicamente, a 850ºC e 750ºC em 30% a uma taxa de 0,5s-1. As microestruturas obtidas após deformação a 850ºC foram quase totalmente martensíticas, diferente das amostras deformadas a 750ºC, onde houve uma diminuição da fração volumétrica de martensita e um aumento da fração volumétrica de ferrita. Portanto, a deformação aplicada a 750ºC resultou em uma diminuição dos valores de microdureza. Desta forma, tornou-se possível investigar a influência da deformação em alta temperatura na transformação martensítica, na fração volumétrica de ferrita e nos resultados de microdureza.

Aug 16, 2017

By Mário César Mantovani

The steel for gas turbine compressor discs (26NiCrMoV14.5) requires some mechanical properties like strength, impact, toughness, fatigue, and creep resistance in order to be used in such application. To achieve the properties required for the gas turbine compressor discs, the material should have very low contents of sulfur, phosphorus, antimony, tin and arsenic. The level of cleanliness should also be very high and this is possible by achieving low oxygen content keeping the deoxidation elements like silicon, manganese and even the aluminum in very low percentages. The main problem in refining such steel is to adjust a sufficiently low oxygen content to have a good desulfurization and at same time a good cleanliness without using silicon, manganese or aluminum as deoxidizers. Combination of initial selection material, steelmaking process control, forging sequence and heat treatment cycles can provide uniform mechanical properties throughout the gas turbine compressor discs. Villares Metals SA as a big player on special steels with complex process has been developing this kind of material for several years. The objective of this work is to show the process technology evolution involved in the production of this kind of steel under the discussed preconditions.

Aug 17, 2017