Dresden, Germany:

Eisenkolb J., Engineer, juergen.eisenkolb@gmx.de

Steel Institute VDEh (Düsseldorf, Germany):

Fandrich R., Dr. Eng., Manager of Steel Production and Metallurgy

Bous, Germany:

Gerling R., Engineer

Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH (Siegen, Germany):

Jung H.-P., Engineer, Head of Bloom Casting Dept., Head of Quality Works, Process Development

Different technologies of ingot casting, sizes, moulds, refractories, casting fluxes, cooling, stripping, heat treatment, ingot quality, solidification structure, segregations and surface mistakes are described. Structure of the VDEh Steelworks Committee comprising 43 steel producing companies from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, 23 plant manufacturers, 11 private or university institutes and about 300 personal members. Configuration of up-hill casting, different ingot types and different refractory materials are observed. The scheme of shrouding of pouring stream by inert gas at Stahlwerk Bous is explained, the catalogue of ingot defects is presented. Simulation of casting and solidification processes are displayed. It is shown that ESR plant with inert gas operates at DEW in Siegen (formats: 420 mm · 420 mm, 1000 mm round ingots, max. ingot weights: 25 t), and Vacuum arc remelting plant operates at ThyssenKrupp VDM, Unna (formats: round ingots of 1300 mm, max. ingot weight: 30 t, left: plant consisting of two melt stations; right: remelting ingot). Optimizations are simulation of cas ting and solidification, optimization of refractories and fluxes, automation and safety management. Achievable cleanliness of ingots is characterized by combination of different processes. The remelting processes ESR and VAR are described. A comparison of the remelting techniques shows the achievable cleanness by combination of diffe rent processes. Trends in ESR are larger weights, combined static and sli ding moulds and ESRR.

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