Hyundai upgraded existing combi-caster together with SMS Concast in shortest time

Hyundai Steel Company and SMS Concast successfully commissioned the revamped continuous casting machine in Pohang, South Korea. This start-up was achieved after a revamp time of merely 1.5 months. The combi-caster went into operation smoothly and to the full satisfaction of Hyundai so that the Final Acceptance Certificate was granted.

With a casting radius of ten meters, the six-strand continuous casting machine produces roughly one million tons per year. The steel grades range from carbon to automotive steel and are cast in different bloom and beam blank sections.

The major aspects of the modernization were the introduction of a new section size of 250 x 350 millimeters and the increased level of automation for quality monitoring. The revamp of the machine head included stopper control, new oscillation mechanisms, a new mold powder feeder and electromagnetic stirrers. Furhtermore, the straightener units, deburrers and electrical equipment including a level-2 process management system were renewed.

With the sturdy SMS Concast design and new equipment like a laser measuring device to ensure correct mold tube taper, an extended online mold oscillation monitoring system and an automatic powder feeder, Hyundai is able to ensure a reliable production.

“The cooperation with SMS Concast has been very fruitful and enabled us to restart production on time with an upgraded continuous casting machine adapted exactly to our high quality standards,” says Sang-Hoon Lee, Project Responsible and Mechanical Team Manager at Hyundai.

SMS group is a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry. It has some 13,500 employees who generate worldwide sales of more than EUR 3 billion. The sole owner of the holding company SMS GmbH is the Familie Weiss Foundation.