Strategic Synergy Secures Superior Steelmaking Solution

Xiangtan Iron & Steel (Group) Company Limited has formally awarded SMS group the contract for a new SMS Concast four-strand bloom caster, designated CCM#12, destined for installation within the existing Basic Oxygen Furnace shop located in Xiangtan city, Hunan province. This strategic procurement represents a significant expansion of Xiangtan's production capabilities, specifically targeting ultra-high-quality blooms in two substantial section sizes, the largest measuring 450 × 530 millimeters alongside 395 × 410 millimeter dimensions. Company officials emphasised this investment fundamentally transforms their capacity to serve high-end Special Bar Quality markets. "The CCM#12 project strategically positions Xiangtan to meet escalating demand from the automotive industry, renewable energy sector, and other technically demanding end markets requiring exceptional metallurgical properties," stated senior procurement representatives during the contract finalisation. For SMS group, this commission confirms sustained leadership within technically challenging bloom caster markets globally, demonstrating engineering prowess capable of addressing increasingly stringent product performance guarantees demanded by sophisticated steel consumers worldwide.

Metallurgical Mastery Manifests Monumental Machine Capabilities

The CCM#12 integrates numerous advanced technologies customised specifically to meet Xiangtan's exacting product performance guarantees, combining multiple sophisticated systems into a cohesive manufacturing solution. This installation represents SMS group's largest bloom size reference among all operational plants worldwide to date, encompassing both jumbo rounds and blooms produced on curved and vertical casting machines. The four-strand configuration enables simultaneous production whilst maintaining individual strand control capabilities essential for consistent quality outcomes. Engineers have incorporated state-of-the-art technology throughout the design, ensuring high metallurgical and dimensional quality across all production campaigns. The machine's capacity to produce exceptionally large blooms on a curved caster incorporating Mechanic Soft Reduction technology addresses advanced grade requirements while accommodating dimensional specifications previously achievable only through more complex vertical casting arrangements. This technological convergence demonstrates SMS group's ability to push operational boundaries whilst maintaining practical manufacturing footprints.

Dynamic Damping Delivers Decisive Density Improvements

Central to the CCM#12's quality assurance capabilities is the implementation of Dynamic Mechanic Soft Reduction technology, a sophisticated system designed to improve internal bloom quality through precise control of central porosity and segregation phenomena. This dynamic system actively responds to changing solidification conditions during casting, applying targeted mechanical reduction forces exactly where required to consolidate the liquid core and minimise centreline segregation. The design incorporates the largest Mechanic Hard Reduction system and associated gearbox configuration ever specified for a curved Mechanic Soft Reduction caster, rated at an impressive torque capacity of 250 kilonewton metres. This extraordinary force capability enables effective reduction across the exceptionally large bloom sections, ensuring consistent internal density throughout each cast length. Metallurgists confirm that such robust reduction capacity proves essential when producing ultra-high-quality Special Bar Quality blooms destined for critical automotive applications where internal soundness directly impacts subsequent forging and machining operations.

Mechanical Might Meets Monumental Reduction Requirements

The implementation of Dynamic Mechanic Soft Reduction technology faces additional complexity imposed by existing building constraints, specifically a tight strand distance measuring precisely 2,500 millimetres that required innovative design optimisation. SMS group engineers successfully optimised the mechanical reduction system to operate effectively within this restricted footprint whilst maintaining full reduction capability across all four strands simultaneously. The sophisticated gearbox design delivers the required 250 kilonewton metre torque without compromising strand spacing or access for maintenance operations. This engineering achievement demonstrates SMS group's ability to integrate cutting-edge technology within brownfield site constraints, avoiding costly building modifications whilst delivering performance equivalent to greenfield installations. The Mechanic Hard Reduction system's robust construction ensures long-term reliability under continuous casting conditions, where thermal cycling and mechanical stresses typically accelerate component wear. Material selection and thermal management strategies extend component life whilst maintaining precise reduction control throughout extended casting campaigns.

Flow Finesse Facilitates Flawless Filling Function

Precise control of molten steel delivery to each mold constitutes a critical success factor for bloom quality, addressed through implementation of CONFLOW Stopper Technology across all four strands. This advanced flow control system enables accurate regulation of steel velocity and turbulence patterns within the mold, directly influencing initial solidification behaviour and surface quality outcomes. The stopper mechanism responds rapidly to control system commands, maintaining optimal flow conditions despite variations in tundish level or steel temperature. Hydraulic oscillation units complement the flow control systems by imparting precisely defined mold movement patterns that minimise friction and prevent sticking during initial shell formation. These oscillation units utilise advanced hydraulic actuation providing superior waveform control compared to traditional mechanical systems, enabling optimisation of oscillation marks and lubrication distribution. The combination of precise flow control and oscillation management ensures consistent surface quality across all bloom sizes produced, reducing conditioning requirements and improving yield from subsequent processing operations.

Stirring Sophistication Secures Superior Solidification Structure

Electromagnetic stirring technology features prominently within the CCM#12 equipment package, incorporating a sophisticated stirrer arrangement designed to optimise solidification structure throughout the casting strand. The configuration includes Mold Electromagnetic Stirrers for immediate control of initial solidification, Strand Electromagnetic Stirrers for interrupting columnar dendrite growth, and two complex type Final Electromagnetic Stirrer units positioned strategically within the final solidification zone. This multi-stage stirring approach ensures uniform equiaxed crystal distribution across the entire bloom cross-section, minimising central segregation and reducing centreline porosity. The two complex type Final Electromagnetic Stirrer units represent particularly advanced technology, featuring specialised magnetic field configurations optimised for the final solidification stage where remaining liquid fraction approaches zero. Metallurgical analysis confirms that properly applied electromagnetic stirring significantly improves internal quality for subsequent processing, particularly for bearing steel grades and other demanding Special Bar Quality applications where fatigue performance depends directly on microstructural uniformity.

Quenching Quiddity Qualifies Quality Control Capabilities

A dedicated quenching system integrated within the CCM#12 design enables precise thermal management during bloom solidification and subsequent cooling phases, ensuring consistent metallurgical properties throughout each cast length. The containment and air-mist spray cooling system maintains uniform temperature distribution across all bloom faces, preventing localised reheating or overcooling that could induce thermal stresses or microstructural variations. Individual bloom discharge from a deep pit incorporating a pass line positioned at minus 8.5 metres enables controlled cooling trajectories for each bloom independently, accommodating grade-specific cooling requirements without compromising overall production flow. This deep pit configuration maximises available cooling length whilst maintaining practical building height constraints, demonstrating thoughtful integration of process requirements within existing facility limitations. The quenching system's flexibility proves particularly valuable when processing multiple steel grades during a single casting sequence, enabling rapid transitions between cooling programmes without interrupting strand operation or compromising quality for either grade.

Commissioning Chronology Confirms Commercial Countdown

Project implementation proceeds according to an accelerated schedule targeting commissioning completion by the end of December 2026, allowing approximately two years for engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities. Both parties commit to close collaboration throughout this implementation phase, leveraging SMS group's global experience portfolio alongside Xiangtan's operational expertise within the existing facility context. The engineering phase addresses detailed integration requirements arising from the brownfield installation context, ensuring all ancillary systems interface seamlessly with existing plant infrastructure whilst maintaining access for ongoing production operations. Procurement activities prioritise long-lead items including the specialised Mechanic Hard Reduction system components and electromagnetic stirrer units, securing manufacturing capacity well before site installation commences. Commissioning protocols incorporate comprehensive performance testing verifying all product quality guarantees under full production conditions, ensuring the facility achieves nameplate capability immediately upon commercial acceptance. This carefully orchestrated implementation pathway positions Xiangtan to exploit emerging opportunities within high-end Special Bar Quality markets as global automotive manufacturers accelerate transition toward electric vehicle platforms requiring increasingly sophisticated steel solutions.

OREACO Lens: China's Casting Coup Catalyses Cleaner Commerce

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Key Takeaways

• SMS group will supply Xiangtan Iron & Steel with its largest-ever bloom caster, the CCM#12, capable of producing 450 × 530 millimeter blooms, positioning the Chinese producer for high-end automotive and renewable energy sector supply.

• The four-strand machine incorporates Dynamic Mechanic Soft Reduction technology delivering 250 kilonewton metre torque, the most powerful system ever installed on a curved bloom caster, ensuring internal quality for critical applications.

• Commissioning scheduled for December 2026 enables Xiangtan to expand Special Bar Quality production capacity serving electric vehicle manufacturers and green power infrastructure projects demanding ultra-high-grade steel inputs.

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