The manufacture of thin metal slab

Details The manufacture of thin metal slab The manufacture of thin metal slab

1993-03-10

1994-09-20

Batten, Jr., J. Reed

Metal founding

Process

Shaping liquid metal against a forming surface

164417, 164418, B22D 1112

Patent

active

053480759

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to the manufacture of thin metal slab, particularly steel slab, by a continuous casting route.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,363 for a workpiece of generally rectangular cross section to be cast in a continuous casting mould. During the cooling of the workpiece, solidification takes place from the outside inwards and there may be shrinkage at the centre of the workpiece where the core is of semi-solid material. The specification discloses a process where the workpiece is subjected to rolling over the portion of its length between the outlet end of the mould and where solidification of the workpiece is complete.
It is also known from JP-A-55-68102 for a workpiece of generally rectangular cross-section to be cast in a continuous casting mould and for the workpiece to be subjected to a rolling process downstream of the mould. The rolling process comprises rolling a groove in each of the opposite faces of the workpiece and then rolling the workpiece between cylindrical rolls to produce a slab of uniform thickness across its width and a width which is greater than the width of the slab prior to the rolling process.
According to a first aspect of the present invention a method of manufacturing thin metal slab comprises a continuous operation in which a metal workpiece, having a longitudinally extending central region which is of a different thickness from its longitudinally extending edge regions, is cast in a continuous casting mould and, downstream of the mould, a portion of the workpiece which is still connected to the portion thereof in the mould is subjected to a rolling process between parallel cylindrical rolls to produce a metal slab having uniform thickness across its width; characterised in that the portion of the workpiece which is subjected to the rolling process is solid and the rolling process produces a slab having a width which is different from the width of the slab as cast.
The slab so produced has a width which may be greater than or less than the width of the workpiece as it leaves the mould.
According to a second aspect of the invention, apparatus for manufacturing thin metal slab comprises a continuous casting mould having a mould passage such as to produce a metal workpiece having a longitudinally extending central region which is of different thickness from its longitudinally extending edge regions, means for cooling the workpiece and means, downstream of the mould, for rolling the workpiece to produce a slab having uniform thickness across its width, characterised in that the rolling means are located downstream of the position where the workpiece solidifies completely and the rolling means produce a slab having a width which is different from the width of the slab as cast.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation of apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a graph showing percentage spread in a thin slab;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic front elevation of apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a graph showing the effect of rolling on a thin metal slab.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a continuous casting mould 14 is arranged with its mould passage vertical. A pair of refractory feed tubes 2 have their lower ends projecting into the upper end of the mould passage. A containment zone 18 for guiding the workpiece 15 is arranged below the outlet of the mould passage. The mould passage has a longitudinally extending central portion 16 with an enlarged end portion 17 at each end of the central portion. The workpiece 15 as it leaves the mould has a width W.sub.4 and it comprises a solid shell 15A surrounding a mushy core 1

REFERENCES:
patent: 3358358 (1967-12-01), Jenks et al.
patent: 4493363 (1985-01-01), Fredriksson et al.
patent: 4924585 (1990-05-01), Imai et al.
patent: 4926930 (1990-05-01), Gay et al.

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