Innovation & Products
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- Mold tubes
- Mold Plates
- Casting Wheels
- Dam blocks
- Casting sleeves
- Crucibles
- cooling elements
- Bus tubes
- machined parts
THE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET BY MOLDS AND MOLD MATERIALS DEPEND ON THE SPECIFIC APPLICATION AND THE LEVELS OF STRESS INVOLVED.
These stress levels are mainly determined by the machine and casting parameters, which means that many different cast shapes are needed, depending on the type and construction of the mould. KME develops and supplies the whole range of mold tube geometries and dimensions in use today, from small rectangular tubes right through to large-format round mold tubes. Our customers can select from various tapers and special internal geometries, such as WAVE ® Mold Tubes or Textured Mold Tubes.
WAVE® MOLD TUBES
CHALLENGE:
- Reduce billet rhomboidity and improve billet shape
SOLUTION:
- WAVE ® mold having special internal geometry (KME patent pending) for a better guidance of the steel strand through the mould.
APPLICATIONS:
- Billet and bloom molds in all copper alloys
- Compatible with existing equipment.
ADVANTAGES:
- Reduced billet rhomboidity
- Improved billet shape
- Improved internal billet quality
- More uniform shell growth
- Less “snaking” of the billet
- Increased mold life
(c) Copyright by AIST. Distributed by KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG with permission of AIST. All other distribution is strictly prohibited.
TEXTURED MOLD TUBES
CHALLENGE:
- Controlling mold heat removal to improve billet shape and product quality.
SOLUTION:
- Macro texturing on mold hot face in upper zone.
APPLICATIONS:
- All mold tube types
ADVANTAGES:
- Moderated heat transfer in specific areas of the mold
- Improved strand quality due to more uniform shell growth
- Reduced billet rhomboidity
- Increased mold life due to reduced thermal load
ADVANCED TUBE MOLDS
CHALLENGE:
- Eliminate corner gaps
- Improve uniformity of mold cooling
SOLUTION:
- Replace traditional four-piece bloom mold plate with one-piece mold tube design
- Thin-walled copper tube design
- Uniform water gap cooling design
- Low-stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATIONS:
- All bloom moulds
ADVANTAGES:
- Optimized cooling conditions
- Homogeneous temperature profile of bloom
- Increased average heat transfer rate
- Improved beach quality
- Repair by inside copper coating and mechanical machining
- Longer lifetime and reduced maintenance costs
SPECIAL SHAPES
To optimize the casting process and product quality even more, KME offers innovative detailed solutions that can be combined to suit the customer’s specific needs for solving metallurgical or process-related technical problems. Our customers can select from various tapers and special internal geometries, such as Beam Blank Mould, Convex or DiaMold ® tubes.
CONVENTIONAL MOLD TUBES
KME special Products & Solutions develops and supplies the whole range of mold tube geometries and dimensions in use today – from small rectangular or square to straight or curved tubes right through to larger format standard mold tubes.
WHEN DESIGNING A NEW MOLD, THE CORRECT PROFILE MUST BE CHOSEN IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE HIGH PRODUCT QUALITY, OPTIMAL CASTING SPEEDS, SMOOTH CASTING OPERATIONS AND LONG SERVICE LIFE OF THE MOLDS.
A good example of this are the requirements placed on modern mold plates for nearnet-shape-casting processes which have been developed in recent years. KME’s unique combination of expertise, numerical simulation, calculation methods and long-standing experience makes us a highly qualified partner in all mold plates related questions that arise.
ATSM – ADVANCED THIN SLAB MOLD
CHALLENGE:
- Improved thin slab quality
- Lower operating costs
- Ease of maintenance
- Access to water-cooled copper surfaces for periodic inspection and cleaning
- Maintain operating practices
SOLUTION:
- Improved copper plate design (Patent Applied)
- Reduced copper mold internal stress (Patent Applied)
- New anti-bulging system (Patent Applied)
ADVANTAGES:
- Homogeneous copper plate temperature resulting in improved thin-slab quality
- Reduced meniscus bulging
- Easy to install
- No filler bars
- Complete access to water-cooled copper surfaces
- Compatible with existing water boxes and operating practices
AFM® – ADVANCED FUNNEL MOLD
CHALLENGE:
- Improve thin slab quality
- Lower copper weight
- Increase lifetime
SOLUTION:
- Thin copper and adapter plate design
- Water gap cooling design
- Low-stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATIONS:
- Thin slab casting
ADVANTAGES:
- Improved lifetime
- Homogeneous temperature profile – no hot spots
- No bulging at meniscus area
- Low retrofitting costs
- Compatible with existing water box design
ADVANCED SLAB MOLD
CHALLENGE:
- Optimize cooling of standard mold plates
- Improve slab quality
SOLUTION:
- Uniform water gap cooling design
- Low-stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATIONS:
- All slab mold plates
ADVANTAGES:
- Homogeneous temperature profile – no hot spots
- High heat transfer rate
- Higher lifetime due to reduced thermal stress
- Low retrofitting costs
- Compatible with existing water box design
ADVANCED BEAM BLANK MOLD
CHALLENGE:
- Improve beam blank quality
- Lower copper weight
SOLUTION:
- Thin copper and adapter plate design
- Water gap cooling design
- Low-stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATIONS:
- Beam blank mold plates
ADVANTAGES:
- Improved lifetime
- Homogeneous hot face temperature profile
- Improved product quality
- Low retrofitting costs
- Compatible with existing water box design
STANDARD MOLD PLATES
The design and manufacture of mold plates for bloom and slab casting machines, whether furnished with cooling slots or deep-hole drills, is a major part of KME’s product range. For these applications, KME delivers a comprehensive selection of mold materials and coatings. KME has developed various technology packages for the continued development of the molds used in the casting of bloom shapes. Based on a precise analysis of the cooling water flow and the load on the molds arising from the process, an improvement in the service life can often be achieved through local optimization of the cooling geometry.
TODAY KME CASTING WHEELS ARE USED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN ALL TYPES OF PLANTS.
In order to optimize the service life of the casting wheel, and with regard to the specific stresses encountered in the operation, KME Special Products & Solutions has developed different high-end materials like CuAg, ELBRODUR ® G and ELBRODUR ® GF.
THE EXTREME STRESSES TO WHICH DAM BLOCKS ARE SUBJECTED WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING THE BELT DURING A ROTATION REQUIRE HIGH STRENGTH AND HARDNESS TO PREVENT PREMATURE MECHANICAL WEAR.
At the same time, the material must have good thermal conductivity for high-speed casting applications, and must not be sensitive to the formation of thermal shock cracks. The KME developed alloy OSNISIL® G, a material for dam blocks used in twin-belt type continuous casting machines, is the perfect solution for the required properties mentioned above.
MOLDS ARE SUBJECT TO HIGH THERMAL AND MECHANICAL FATIGUE STRESSES WHEN CASTING NONFERROUS METALS IN (THIN)STRIP CASTING.
Mold materials for such applications must satisfy high strength requirements even at elevated temperatures. At the same time, a minimum ductility is required to prevent cracks in the material from spreading.
CHALLENGE:
- Improve ingot quality
- Increase lifetime for crucibles and base plates
- Reduce distortion
- Reduce mechanical damage
SOLUTION OF SEAMLESS FORGED CRUCIBLE WITH:
- More homogeneous grain structure and material
- High mechanical precision
- Excellent material properties
- High degree of thermal conductivity
- Good mechanical strength
- High softening
- High recrystallization temperature
APPLICATIONS:
- For all ESR and VAR furnaces remelting special alloys and Ti
INTEGRATED STEELWORKS USE BLAST FURNACES AS A MEANS OF SUPPLYING PIG IRON.
For high productivity levels to be achieved it is crucial that the downstream casting plants and rolling mills are continuously supplied with iron. Throughout the world, KME’s cooling elements play a vital role in ensuring that blast furnaces are readily available and consequently achieve a high level of productivity.
COPPER STAVES
Modern-day copper stave coolers insulate the outer shell from the process heat generated in highly stressed furnaces. Yet, depending on where they are positioned within the blast furnace, they will be subjected to differing levels of thermal load.
Throughout the world, KME Copper Staves play a vital role in ensuring that blast furnaces are readily available and consequently achieve a high level of productivity. KME was involved in the development of Copper Staves from the very beginning and is also the owner of the basic patent. Copper Stave cooling is today the method utilized in leading blast furnaces worldwide.
FIN TUBES
CHALLENGE:
- High cooling efficiency
- Long lifetime
- Easy to assemble
SOLUTION:
- Fin tubes from high thermal conductivity and deoxidized copper material with excellent weld ability characteristics
APPLICATIONS:
- Wall Cooling Elements for Electric Arc Furnaces
PLATE COOLERS
CHALLENGE:
- Optimization of existing sand cast plate cooler
SOLUTION:
- Plate Cooler made by wrought copper design (extruded and drawn copper profiles)
- Offer a product made by KME Germany
APPLICATIONS:
- Cooling technology used in approx. 50% of all Blast Furnaces in the world, the other Blast Furnaces use Copper Staves
COPPER BUS TUBES FOR HIGH POWER AND SPECIAL APPLICATIONS.
KME manufactures seamless tubes made of high conductive copper for the high current and high voltage engineering and for all imaginable fields of applications. KME offers a wide range of dimensions and alloys:
Outer diameter: 40 – 450 mm
Wall thickness: 3 – 40 mm (depending on the outer diameter)
Other dimensions are available on request.
In addition, larger diameter tubes can be manufactured as longitudinally seam welded tube or as an individual forged piece.
|
Alloy |
EN |
ASTM |
previous DIN designation |
|
Cu ETP |
CW004A |
C11000 |
E-Cu 58 |
|
Cu-OF |
CW008A |
C10200 |
OF Cu |
|
Cu-OFE |
CW009A |
C10100 |
-/- |
|
Cu-HCP |
CW021A |
C10300 |
SE Cu |
|
Cu-DHP |
CW024A |
C12200 |
SF Cu |
Manufacturing will be made according to national and international standards such as: EN 13600 – Seamless copper tubes for electrical purposes and EN 12449 – Seamless round tubes for general purposes. Material safety data sheets are available on request.
MACHINED PARTS ACCORDING TO CUSTOMER’S DRAWING.
KME specializes in supplying complete fully machined items. If required, we can provide a full design service from initial conception to the final product or we can take on board the customer’s drawing. In both cases we will use our highly skilled engineers to optimize the design under economic and technical constraints.
Our modern state of the art CNC machines are linked to our CAD system and these highly efficient machines can produce components with a weight range from a few kilograms up to several tons. KME Special Products & Solutions also has high specification welding/fabrication equipment including all destructive and non-destructive testing facilities in house, enabling a one-stop shop for even the most complex products.
|
STANDARD ALLOYS |
|
|
|
|
Alloys |
EN |
ASTM |
previous DIN designation |
|
Cu ETP |
CW004A |
C11000 |
E-Cu 58 |
|
Cu-OF |
CW008A |
C10200 |
OF Cu |
|
Cu-OFE |
CW009A |
C10100 |
-/- |
|
CuAg0.1P |
CW016A |
C10700 |
|
|
Cu-HCP |
CW021A |
C10300 |
SE Cu |
|
Cu-DHP |
CW024A |
C12200 |
SF Cu |
|
CuCr1Zr |
CW106C |
C18400 |
|
(other alloys on request)
