Title

IMPLEMENTATION OF HOT WIDTH MANAGEMENT AND COOLING SHRINKAGE FACTOR IN THE MES

IMPLEMENTATION OF HOT WIDTH MANAGEMENT AND COOLING SHRINKAGE FACTOR IN THE MES

Authorship

MENESES, ALINE DIAS; JUNIOR, RENARDIR PEIXOTO MACIEL; SILVA, LUCAS CARNEIRO DA; LOPES, CARLOS HENRIQUE; XIMENES, MARIA GABRIELLY MUNIZ; FROTA, RANNA ALVES; JÚNIOR, FRANCISCO NECY ALVES; UCHOA, LUCAS SOUSA; COELHO, HANA LÍVIA FROTA; FEREIRA, HILDER CALDAS

MENESES, ALINE DIAS

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JUNIOR, RENARDIR PEIXOTO MACIEL

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SILVA, LUCAS CARNEIRO DA

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LOPES, CARLOS HENRIQUE

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XIMENES, MARIA GABRIELLY MUNIZ

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FROTA, RANNA ALVES

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JÚNIOR, FRANCISCO NECY ALVES

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UCHOA, LUCAS SOUSA

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COELHO, HANA LÍVIA FROTA

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FEREIRA, HILDER CALDAS

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5300-42686

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Abstract

Accurate dimensional control is crucial in continuous slab casting. While chemical and microstructural properties are largely set before casting, the final slab width is highly influenced by casting variables like speed, temperature, and chemical composition, which dictate thermal, solidification, and phase transformation contractions. This leads to the well-known Operational Shrinkage Factor. This study introduces a new Cooling Shrinkage Factor, derived from the material's cooling after exiting the casting strands. We present the Hot Slab Measurement process at ArcelorMittal Pecém, where slabs are measured at temperatures ∼600°C. Initially, a single cooling shrinkage factor (0.9905) was applied; however, this proved insufficient, causing deviations of up to 9 mm for specific steel grades and dimensions. To address this, we developed a methodology to determine individualized cooling shrinkage factor based on steel family and width range. This approach significantly improved accuracy, reducing the deviation for Peritectic Alloy (PEA) family, in the width range 1451–1600 mm, at from 4.6 mm to just 1 mm. The implementation includes a new feature automated at system (MES) for these factors, incorporating a color-coded tolerance model for immediate visual feedback and operational adjustments. This work demonstrates that individualizing shrinkage factors is key to achieving greater precision in predicting final slab dimensions.

ACCURATE DIMENSIONAL CONTROL IS CRUCIAL IN CONTINUOUS SLAB CASTING. WHILE CHEMICAL AND MICROSTRUCTURAL PROPERTIES ARE LARGELY SET BEFORE CASTING, THE FINAL SLAB WIDTH IS HIGHLY INFLUENCED BY CASTING VARIABLES LIKE SPEED, TEMPERATURE, AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, WHICH DICTATE THERMAL, SOLIDIFICATION, AND PHASE TRANSFORMATION CONTRACTIONS. THIS LEADS TO THE WELL-KNOWN OPERATIONAL SHRINKAGE FACTOR. THIS STUDY INTRODUCES A NEW COOLING SHRINKAGE FACTOR, DERIVED FROM THE MATERIAL'S COOLING AFTER EXITING THE CASTING STRANDS. WE PRESENT THE HOT SLAB MEASUREMENT PROCESS AT ARCELORMITTAL PECéM, WHERE SLABS ARE MEASURED AT TEMPERATURES ∼600°C. INITIALLY, A SINGLE COOLING SHRINKAGE FACTOR (0.9905) WAS APPLIED; HOWEVER, THIS PROVED INSUFFICIENT, CAUSING DEVIATIONS OF UP TO 9 MM FOR SPECIFIC STEEL GRADES AND DIMENSIONS. TO ADDRESS THIS, WE DEVELOPED A METHODOLOGY TO DETERMINE INDIVIDUALIZED COOLING SHRINKAGE FACTOR BASED ON STEEL FAMILY AND WIDTH RANGE. THIS APPROACH SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED ACCURACY, REDUCING THE DEVIATION FOR PERITECTIC ALLOY (PEA) FAMILY, IN THE WIDTH RANGE 1451–1600 MM, AT FROM 4.6 MM TO JUST 1 MM. THE IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDES A NEW FEATURE AUTOMATED AT SYSTEM (MES) FOR THESE FACTORS, INCORPORATING A COLOR-CODED TOLERANCE MODEL FOR IMMEDIATE VISUAL FEEDBACK AND OPERATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS. THIS WORK DEMONSTRATES THAT INDIVIDUALIZING SHRINKAGE FACTORS IS KEY TO ACHIEVING GREATER PRECISION IN PREDICTING FINAL SLAB DIMENSIONS.

Keywords

Hot Measurement, Cooling Shrinkage Factor, Width

Hot Measurement, Cooling Shrinkage Factor, Width