Austria-based giant engineering and plantmaking company Siemens VAI Metals Technologies has announced the receipt of an order from Chinese steel producer Shougang Group Co. for the supply of an ultra-thick slab caster to its steel works Qinhuangdao Shouqin Metals Material Co. Ltd, located in the coastal city of Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province.
The new continuous slab-casting machine will be capable of casting up to 1.1 million mt of steel per year for use in the shipbuilding and petroleum industries. Slabs will be cast in thicknesses in a range of 250-400 mm and in widths of 1,600-2,400 mm. The casting-bow radius will be 11 meters and the metallurgical length 45 meters. Moreover, Siemens VAI will increase the casting speeds up to 0.7 meters per minute in order to achieve a higher casting output in comparison with solid-core-unbending solutions.
With the new slab caster, Shougang will be the Chinese first steel producer capable of casting ultra-thick slabs.
The deal includes Siemens' detail engineering for core systems and equipment, basic engineering for the run-out area and maintenance facilities, Level 1 and Level 2 automation, in addition to a wide range of technological packages.
Moreover, Siemens will be responsible for advisory services for local manufacturing, erection, testing, start-up and commissioning, in addition to personnel training.
Plant start-up is scheduled for June 2010.
The financial details of the order have not been disclosed.