Improvement of surface quality of continuously cast steel control of cast structure and straightening temperature

In recent years, most world wide mass produced steels have been made by continuous casting. Despite significant advances in continuous casting technology, including advances made at PL Krakatau Steel in Indonesia, transverse cracking remains one of the most common defects encountered during normal production of steel slabs containing 0.12- 0.18% carbon. The presence of transverse cracks has undesirable influences on the product because they can degrade quality as well as increasing the risk of failure during applications of the material in finished products. The problem of transverse cracking can be eliminated by removing the defect by scarfing the corner of the slab, but this process involves a degree material loss and associated expenditure. Therefore, decrease in the incidence of transverse cracks is demanded to satisfy the customers as well as to obtain a significant yield increment and to improve process efficiency. Consequently, examination of these defects and determination of means of controlling the incidence of them is a matter of considerable importance.