Steel Continuous Casting

The purpose of continuous casting is to bypass conventional ingot casting and to cast to a form that is directly rollable on finishing mills. The use of this process has resulted in improvement in yield, surface condition, and internal quality of product when compared to the ingot-made material. This article outlines the advantages of steel continuous casting, along with its developments and challenges for improvement. It provides a general description of the continuous casting process and the design and layout of a continuous casting steelmaking facility. It reviews process enhancements such as near-net shape casting, tundish metallurgy, and pouring stream protection. The article discusses the use and capabilities of different molds for steel continuous casting, including thin-wall tube-type molds, solid molds, and plate molds. The article explains the methods for enhancing productivity and improving quality in steel continuous casting. It evaluates the applications of horizontal continuous casting in casting steel. The article concludes by outlining priorities for future development such as enhanced control systems and automation.