On April 10, 2017, leaders and experts from Jiangsu Shagang Group and Nucor Steel Corporation visited the State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation. The visitors and some staff of RAL who engaged in thin strip cast rolling conducted in-depth exchanges on the short flow technology of thin strip casting, and discussed cooperation issues in the related technical fields of thin strip casting and rolling.
At the meeting, Ma Yi, Deputy General Manager of Shagang, Dr. Li Hualong, senior researcher of Shagang, and Dang Bing, manager of Shagang’ cooperation project with Capital Engineering & Research Incorporation Ltd. briefly introduced the progress of Shagang’s strip casting and rolling production line, and plans in the product variety development. Franck Fisher, President of Castrip LLC of Nucor Inc., and Wal Bledge, chief scientist of Castrip LLC, introduced the development process of Nucor's thin strip continuous casting technology, the related production line construction, and the future technological development direction. In terms of product types, they introduced the development and production of carbon steel varieties in the thin strip continuous casting production line established by Nucor Corporation. In addition, they also highlighted the development, production, and industrialization of high Nb steels produced by the thin strip continuous casting technology and the use of “using heat to replace coldness” in high-strength automotive grades (700-900 MPa）.
Academician Wang Guodong and Director Wang Zhaodong introduced the technological innovation breakthroughs and R&D progress made by the Collaborative Innovation Center for Steel Technology and RAL in recent years to the visitors. At the same time, Academician Wang Guodong highlighted the development and technology evolution of thin strip continuous casting technology in China and Northeastern University. Since 1950s, Prof. Wang Tingpu of Northeastern University designed and constructed a twin-roller tapering narrow-belt continuous casting machine in cooperation with Academician Zhang Zuomei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At that time, it was called “ingot rolling” or “liquid rolling” technology. At the same time, with regard to the characteristics of sub-rapid solidification of casting and rolling, thin strip continuous casting of plain carbon steel, silicon steel, and cast iron were studied, and a wealth of research results were obtained, and a batch production of 100 tons was realized. During the period from 1980 to 2000, Northeastern University, Shanghai Steel Research Institute, Chongqing University, Shanghai Baosteel, etc. successively carried out research on thin strip continuous casting technology for carbon steel, high-speed steel, high-manganese steel, non-ferrous alloys and other series of metal materials. In this period, the roller diameter was concentrated in a small roller diameter range (300mm ~ 800mm), a variety of arrangements (dissimilar Diameter, equal-diameter, equal-diameter, etc.) were tried and tested. From 1990 to 2000, Northeastern University improved the recliner caster, built a new type of equal-diameter horizontal caster (Φ500×254mm) and other large-scale equipment, and had many innovative design in many key rolling equipment such as crystal rolls, cloth outlets, side seals, etc. After 2000, with the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the National 973 Fundamental Research Project, Northeastern University have carried out a large number of innovative researches in silicon steel, stainless steel and other special thin strip continuous casting technologies, published more than 180 academic articles and aroused strong repercussions internationally. We have applied for more than 30 invention patents in the silicon steel and stainless steel casting technology, forming a comprehensive coverage of China's independent intellectual property rights in the field of thin strip casting silicon steel. All the research work on these thin strip continuous casting technologies has been publicly reported in relevant literature.
The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on the characteristics of thin strip casting technology and the direction of product development. Nucor Corporation showed great interest in Northeastern University's research results on special steel technology such as thin strip continuous casting silicon steel. Chief scientist Wal Bledge hopes that both parties can develop further technological cooperation in the field of oriented high silicon steel, which is a patent that RAL applied in America.
Through this visit, the two sides deepened their understanding and hoped that they could carry out cooperative research on thin strip continuous casting process technology and product development on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win results. The two sides agreed to further strengthen academic exchanges and deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest to complement each other and jointly advance the development of thin strip continuous casting technology.