German Salzgitter Group's Peine, Germany-based subsidiary Peiner Träger GmbH has cast the first slabs on an X-Cast® combination continuous caster revamped by German plant equipment provider SMS Siemag, followed by the casting of beam blanks after the section-size change.
According to a SMS Siemag press release, the existing continuous caster for beam blanks was extended into an X-Cast® combination caster for the production of steel slabs or beam blanks, as required. The continuous caster No. 2 of Peiner Träger is therefore the first combination caster in Germany for the casting of beam blanks and slabs.
The X-Cast® two-strand combination caster is designed for the production of slabs with a thickness of 250 mm and widths from 500 to 1,100 mm. The combination caster also produces beam blank sizes with the dimensions 1,150 x 490 x 130 mm and 800 x 440 x 130 mm, meaning that the world's widest beam blank size is produced on the beam blank caster.
Within the scope of an ambitious investment program, Peiner Träger has additionally placed an order with SMS Siemag for the supply of an X-Melt® electric steelmaking plant to double its 1 million production capacity.