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By Franco de Castro Bubani

Cu-base alloys (Cu-Zn-Al, Cu-Al-Be, Cu-Al-Ni), depending on their composition, have martensitic transformations that can be thermally or mechanically induced between a metastable structure called austenite and one or more metastable structures called martensites. In single crystals, depending on the specific composition of the alloy and the crystallographic orientation of the tensile axis, martensite-martensite transformations can be mechanically induced. The hysteresis associated to these martensite-martensite transitions is usually much greater than the one associated to the austenite-martensite transformation. Thus, martensite-martensite transitions are potential candidates for energy dissipation in a mechanical damper. Possible applications that would benefit from high hysteresis include seismic damping devices, dampers for satellites and the aerospace industry, defense and others. We present pseudoelastic cycling results of alloys submitted to different thermal treatments. Our conclusions highlight the fact that, under certain conditions, Cu-base alloys deliver better damping performance than commercially available SMAs and even the new Fe-base SMAs.

Aug 7, 2018

By Thiago Rangel Bittencourt

Com a tendência de aumento da complexidade geométrica dos painéis de cobertura dos automóveis, aumento de resistência mecânica e diminuição da espessura dos materiais, a estampagem dessas peças tem tornado cada vez mais difícil. Neste contexto, dois graus de aços que exibem elevada resistência mecânica e boa conformabilidade, têm sido ofertados pela siderurgia à indústria automotiva, o Bake Hardenable (BH) e o Interstitial Free High Strength Steel (IFHSS). O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar aços BH e IFHSS, em termos de propriedades mecânicas, de conformabilidade, de ganho de resistência em função da deformação, envelhecimento e de resistência à indentação, em escala laboratorial. Desse modo, visou-se avaliar sob quais condições de estampagem deve ser decidido o uso do BH ou do IFHSS em aplicações de painéis automotivos. Os aços avaliados, de um modo geral, apresentaram desempenho similar em termos de conformabilidade. O aço BH foi superior ao IFHSS em relação à resistência à indentação. Portanto, o aço BH aparece como uma solução técnica atrativa, comparativamente ao aço IFHSS, quando aplicado em painéis externos (capôs, portas e paralamas) que requerem maior exigência quanto à resistência à indentação.

Aug 7, 2018

By Hugo Leandro Rosa

A CBMM aplicou aços micro ligados ao nióbio em dois tipos de caçambas de carregadeiras de rodas que operam na usina de Araxá, Brasil. O objetivo foi avaliar os benefícios destes aços relacionados com redução dos custos, aumento da produtividade e vida útil dos componentes. Uma das máquinas analisadas coleta peças quentes de ferro nióbio para carregamento dos silos do britador. O uso de um aço ferramenta de alta resistência e resistente ao desgaste solucionou os problemas de deformação, desgaste e rachaduras durante o serviço, aumentando a vida útil da caçamba em cerca de 190%. A outra máquina avaliada foi uma carregadeira de rodas que opera na mina de minério de nióbio. O novo desenho com aços de alta resistência mecânica e resistente ao desgaste reduziu o peso em 14%, correspondendo ao incremento na capacidade de carga. A carga extra possibilitou um aumento na produtividade dos caminhões de 42 toneladas. Com os novos materiais, as trincas anteriormente encontradas na caçamba da pá carregadeira foram eliminadas, enquanto foi mantida a resistência ao desgaste antes oferecida pelo aço revestido com carbeto de cromo reduzindo também os custos de investimento em 7%.

Aug 17, 2017

By Santiago Faucher

Molten slag from pyrometallurgical furnaces is tapped at high temperature, carrying a large amount of thermal energy. But the common slag dumping and water granulation methods used for slag treatment do not permit energy recovery. Furthermore, water is present in these processes and while operations are designed to minimize risks of steam explosions, from the contact of slag with water, these common slag handling practices have never been inherently safe. Common handling practices do permit some slags to be sold, but often in low volumes at low prices. Dry granulation offers advantages over these common slag handling practices, including the production of by-products, the recovery of thermal energy, and the eliminated consumption and safety hazards of water. For these reasons, there have been various studies in dry granulation and heat recovery, but most have never been brought to commercial scale due to scalability and cost challenges. Ecomaister- Hatch has developed and brought to commercial scale a reliable and simple dry granulation and heat recovery technology. Here we review common slag handling practices, the developments in dry slag granulation over the last three decades, introduce the Ecomaister-Hatch dry slag granulation process, and elaborate on future applications of the technology in the processing of argon oxygen decarburization and blast furnace slags.

Aug 17, 2017

By L. Martins Demuner, D. Burzic, V. Cunha Aranda, F. L. Lourenço, G. Romeu Trindade dos Santos, F. Ramstorfer

For many years, Dynamic Soft Reduction has been regarded as a proper method in improving internal quality of slabs. Even though processes models improved significantly over the past years, the efficiency of Soft Reduction was always limited by the discretization error, which inherently exists if segment rollers cannot be positioned individually. The recently developed SRD segment type allows for an individual roller positioning within the mushy zone by avoiding any discretization deviation from the optimal gap. This paper provides a detailed technological overview of the SRD segments as well as operational results at their very first implementation at Ternium Brazil.

Oct 1, 2019

By Helênio Resende Silva Júnior

Arcelor Mittal Asturias coking plant at Gijon works, Spain, is undergoing a complete modernization of the whole coke making complex. In this context, Gijon has to be considered a brownfield project, where Paul Wurth has been awarded with the engineering, supply of key equipment as well as erection and commissioning supervision services for the rebuild of two coke oven batteries the modernization of the adjacent by-product and relevant waste water treatment plants. Main objective of this paper is to present the technological improvements introduced by Paul Wurth in the rebuild of a modern plant focusing on fulfilling all the recent environmental regulations.

Oct 30, 2017

By Liao Jianfeng

The Baosteel Zhanjiang 5,050m3 blast furnaces have been built with highly independent integration and innovation technologies and represented the state of the art of the world’s huge BFs. The proper of BF1 and BF2 is designed with long-campaign technology; both BFs share the same set of stockhouse, water and PCI systems; the BCQS serial-hopper no-bell top, TRT and blower are all local equipment as applied; four top-combustion stoves systems are matched; the BFG is cleaned by fully dry process; and the automation control system for the main process is self integrated. The BFs have been started up and performing with sound indicators. Their smooth proceedings symbolize China’s huge blast furnace ironmaking technology ascending a new high.

Oct 30, 2017

By Tcharllis João da Cunha Demartini

A produção de uma rocha artificial a partir da aglutinação de resíduos finos de mármore dolomítico pela resina epóxi pode ser uma alternativa viável do ponto de vista técnico, econômico e ecológico. O resíduo utilizado é proveniente do desdobramento de mármore dolomítico em teares de lâminas diamantadas e geralmente é descartado. Esta nova aplicação agrega valor ao resíduo, diminuindo o impacto ambiental gerado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as propriedades físicas e mecânicas do mármore artificial produzido pela metodologia de vibro compressão à vácuo. Para isso, foram confeccionadas placas rochosas, em equipamento apropriado, com 85% em peso de partículas de resíduo e 15 % de sistema epoxídico DGEBA/TEPAc. As placas foram produzidas com uma pressão de compactação de 0,5 MPa, à temperatura de 90 °C por um período de 20 minutos. Posteriormente, as placas foram caracterizadas pelos ensaios de densidade, absorção de água, porosidade, resistência à flexão, resistência à compressão e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Obteve-se um mármore artificial produzido pela técnica de vibro compressão a vácuo com absorção de água inferior a 0,06%, uma resistência à flexão de 33,93MPa e uma compressão uniaxial de 96,49MPa, confirmando uma boa adesão entre as partículas de resíduo e a resina epóxi.

Oct 30, 2017

By Eric Schaub

Hot Blast Stove Systems are an important equipment of a Blast Furnace plant. During the last years, performance requirements and operation practice for the Hot Blast Systems have changed and have a big influence on the Blast Furnace operation. Therefore it is necessary to keep the Hot Blast System in proper condition in order to maintain the production capacity of the Blast Furnace. It is important for operators to know the condition and relevant constrains of a Hot Blast Stove Plant. Assessing its condition on a regular basis, especially in advance of a Blast Furnace relining is therefore advisable. Considering the individual condition of the Hot Blast Stove Plant, improvements in operation, but also specific and dedicated repairs might be implemented. Design improvements can be implemented as well during such repairs. This paper will describe some of these design improvements, will illustrate their implementation in new hot blast stoves but will also describe repair methods for existing stoves. In addition new developments became popular during the last decade, like the so called Dome Combustion Stoves, which was invented already 30 years ago in Western Europe. Paul Wurth’s development in this regard will be discussed in this paper as well.

Oct 30, 2017

By Ayumi Yoshioka

Os componentes automotivos em geral devem atender a especificações rigorosas de propriedades mecânicas, requisitos de limpeza inclusionária, entre outros. Enxofre e alumínio são dois elementos adicionados ao banho líquido, que têm papel importante na obtenção destas propriedades, mas que dificultam o processo de produção por lingotamento contínuo por favorecer a formação de partículas sólidas de alto ponto de fusão, que podem prejudicar a limpeza inclusionária e provocar a obstrução das válvulas de lingotamento. O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar e classificar as inclusões de corridas do aço DIN 38MnSiVS6 em escala industrial e avaliar estes resultados em conjunto com os dados de processo de aciaria e com os resultados de simulação termodinâmica utilizando o software FactSage 6.4. Foi observado que as corridas apresentaram tanto sulfetos de cálcio quanto espinélios, mas as primeiras, associadas a uma fração líquida menor na escória, tiveram uma correlação mais perceptível com a má lingotabilidade.

Aug 17, 2017

By Antonio Favia, Carsten Sowa, Spencer Diehl, Maria Carolina Campos, Christian Green, Marco Tulio, Olaf Schulz

Casting fluxes are one of the key factors to guarantee a good performance of the continuous casting process. Fluxes are added over the liquid steel in the mold, where carbon in the flux reacts with any air present, to form a reducing atmosphere of CO (g) to protect molten steel from oxidation. Then the oxide components form the sintered layer and they melt to form a liquid flux pool. Liquid slag from the pool infiltrates into the mold/strand channel and lubricates the newly-formed, steel shell. It was very common in the past that the addition of casting flux in the mold was made manually by the continuous casting strand operator, where the addition uniformity would mainly depend on the attention of the Operator in process and the addition standard would change from one operator to another, may causing variability on the continuous casting quality parameters. This paper presents improvement of continuous casting parameters such as, stability of flux thickness and reduction of dust in the continuous casting process, with the use of flux distribution mechanism in two continuous casting machines from two different steel plants.

Oct 1, 2019

By Ismael Vemdrame Flores

No panorama atual da coqueificação há uma necessidade comum de aumentar o uso de carvão de menor qualidade, principalmente devido ao alto custo e decrescente disponibilidade de carvões coqueificáveis de primeira linha. Neste cenário, uma forma de melhorar a qualidade do coque é através do controle de tamanho de partículas de carvões e misturas. A granulometria dos carvões pode alterar sua petrografia e propriedades reológicas, podendo ser utilizada de forma benéfica. O presente trabalho é uma primeira parte de um estudo de longo prazo e tem como objetivo avaliar os efeitos de preparação de carvão em suas propriedades. Para esse fim, dois carvões coqueificáveis e uma mistura foram selecionadas e caracterizadas em diferentes faixas de tamanho de partícula. Os carvões e suas frações granulométricas foram caracterizadas por análise imediata, petrografia, fluidez Gieseler e índice de inchamento livre. Os resultados demonstraram que as frações granulométricas dos carvões apresentam diferentes propriedades (cinzas, matéria volátil, composição maceral, fluidez e FSI) de acordo com o tamanho de partícula estudado. Além disso, discutiu-se o motivo por trás das diferenças observadas.

Aug 1, 2018

By Mario SINNAEVE, Olivier LEMAIRE, Gisèle WALMAG, Sébastien FLAMENT

Many hot rolling mills worldwide face nowadays bonding zone fatigue problems before reaching scrap diameter of the work rolls. This phenomenon is nowadays known to occur in reversing roughing mills both in stainless steel and in carbon steel rolling. The phenomenon can be explained through longer rolling campaigns, inadequate backup or work roll maintenance, harder steel grades or increased throughput by reduced amount of passes to achieve the same thickness. In order to help users in optimizing the roll use, we developed a numerical tool to evaluate and optimize roll maintenance. This paper will review the influence of roll geometries on stresses generated at the roll surface but also at the bonding zone. We will also show how roll geometries can decrease contact fatigue damages by modifying crowning and chamfering procedures, shell thickness, material design or campaign length

Oct 1, 2019

By Dusan Ilic

Conveyor system wear of belts and transfers attribute to a significant proportion of the maintenance costs and lost productive hours when handling hard abrasive ores at high unit rates typical of the iron ore industry. The recent growth phase has seen a rapid increase in mine and export capacity, with many new and upgraded plants operating at high throughput and utilisation. Subsequently, the industry has progressed to an optimisation phase, seeking to maximise production capacity and reduce maintenance costs with minimal capital spend. To support this, a programme of modifying designs was executed to improve conveyor transfer chute and belt life, which identified a need to challenge the industry practice for specification of designs to improve the functionality of the installed equipment. While acknowledging the importance of selecting the highest wear resistant materials for the intended application, this paper investigates design criteria related to decreasing conveyor transfer and belt wear. Of focus is a shift in the manner in which designs are specified, from specifications primarily governing geometrical constraints, to those meeting technical and functional requirements aimed at producing optimum geometry for a given set of material handling parameters. An assessment of transfer design criteria is presented.

Aug 17, 2017

By Clarissa Hadad de Melo, Jean André François Dille, Rosa Maria Sales da Silveira, Rafaella Martins Ribeiro, Leonardo Sales Araujo, Luiz Henrique de Almeida, Alessandra Vieira Guimarães

Este trabalho tem por objetivo investigar o efeito do Y na precipitação da fase δ na superliga de níquel 718 e correlacionar a caracterização microestrutural com a precipitação/dissolução das fases, por análise térmica. As ligas A, B e C solubilizadas e superenvelhecidas foram caracterizadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura e de transmissão, com o auxílio de EDS para identificar as fases presentes nas ligas. A caracterização microestrutural foi corroborada com técnica de calorimetria diferencial de varredura. Resultados mostraram que a adição de Y influencia no tamanho de grão e consequentemente na fração de δ precipitada. A adição de Y modificou a cinética de precipitação de δ, que variou de acordo com o teor de ítrio adicionado.

Oct 13, 2019

By Karl Berger

Today we are talking about Industry 4.0, as the latest revolution of industrial processes and progress, considering that the steam engine (Industry 1.0), railways and cars, mass production in the 1920th (2.0), Industrial Automation (3.0), and finally integrated manufacturing, integrated communication, and internet (4.0) can be seen as the state-of-the-art situation in industry, nowadays. Similar to the Industry progress, we can approach the rolling process of material, which started about 150 years ago in a very basic way. Steam engine- and belt driven-mills were very operators’ intensive, brutal and risky to operate. Mechanical improvements brought throughput, safety and quantity, as also quality of the products. The rolling of steel, in particular of rails, beams, rebar, strip (focus in this paper) and plate has enabled the large scale transport and travel, the building of bridges and buildings, the manufacturing of ships and cars. From single stands to continuous rolling trains the production and quality of mills increased significantly. From ingots and blooms to slabs, we have to admit a big jump in which has changed the face of the world significantly. Thin Slab Rolling has revolutionized the output and the throughput of rolling mills (Generation 3.0 to 5.0). Finally, Endless Rolling, has boosted the quality and quantity of rolling mill processes and permitted nowadays to enter in market niches which were not thinkable a decade ago. Mastering the automation and applying reliable systems (mechanical and electronically) of drives, actuators and sensors, as also communication and information interchange to all levels of automation are the success factors of such complex mills, we call herein after “Rolling Mills of Generation 6.0”.

Aug 16, 2017

By Pablo Bruno Paiva Leão

The present work is based on the characterization of nonmetallic inclusions in Ti stabilized ultra-low carbon steel, produced in a large steel mill. Due to a large incidence of submersed valve clogging in a continuous casting, the study is important in order to know the characteristics of the inclusions which are causing the problem. Total of 24 heats were sampled in the tundish and manually analyzed with a scanning electron microscope. The results revealed that 98.65% of the 3183 inclusions analyzed were solid in steelmaking temperature and 66.54% were alumina. The solid inclusions of alumina have low wettability for the iron bath, showing a high tendency of agglomeration in the submersed valves, affecting the castability. It has been concluded from the results and literature that some alternative measures such as the application of the treatment with calcium, precautions to avoid steel re-oxidation and the total or partial replacement of the pre-deoxidized element; would reduce the obstruction problem.

Oct 30, 2017

By Douglas Glenn Stalheim

Production of structural hot strip coils in yield strengths up to 700 MPa and higher is increasing worldwide. In addition to requiring higher strengths, structural designs require good formability, toughness and weldability. Toughness and formability come from optimization of ductility properties while weldability comes from lower carbon equivalent alloy designs. The key to the production of optimized cost effective hot strip produced structural coils is to create the correct balance of a proper alloy/processing design to create as fine and uniformly distributed cross sectional grain size as possible. In addition to the creation of the fine/uniformly distributed cross sectional grain size, the correct microstructure needs to be created. In the higher yield strength grades, not only does the grain size/distribution play a role but a proper understanding and control of microalloying precipitation kinetics is required. This paper will present various examples of hot strip alloy designs to produce cost effective hot strip structural coil in yield strengths up to 700 MPa with good ductility and weldability. In addition, steelmaking/casting parameters will be discussed to assure successful production. Optimized reheating, rolling and cooling parameters of these alloy designs will be introduced in an accompanying paper.

Aug 17, 2017

By Alberto Lainati

The Bar Reducing and Sizing Technology has a core function in the value-chain for the production of rolled SBQ (Special Bar Quality) products. The EVO 2+4-roll is based on the compact combination of a 2-roll high-reduction module followed by a 4- roll low-reduction module for precise sizing. The EVO 2+4-roll mill, allows to gain significant technical and economical advantages in the hot- and post-rolling process routes: dimensional and surface accuracy, quick adaptability to processing variances and to small lots requirements, superior technological features of as-rolled product, competitive capex and opex. The EVO 2+4 unit has a very compact design, which makes it suitable both for new mills and upgrade applications.

Aug 17, 2017

By Marco Antonio Meggiolaro

Most cyclic plasticity models used in multiaxial fatigue life predictions are based on a concept of a yield surface, which divides the elastic and plastic domains. Plastic straining occurs when the stress state reaches the surface and tries to move outward. Subsequent plastic straining causes the stress state to remain on the yield surface, which will translate to prevent the stress point from moving outside it according to a kinematic hardening rule that models the Bauschinger effect. The accurate modeling of the yield surface shape is fundamental to predict stress-strain relations. In this work, the main yield surface equations for isotropic materials are compared. Even though most materials can be modeled using Mises and Tresca surfaces, other need to consider the effect on the yield strength of the hydrostatic stress or the normal stress acting on a critical plane. It is shown that pressure-sensitive models originally devised for concrete can be applied to predict yielding in some materials, and even fatigue life for metallic structures with short cracks.

Aug 8, 2018