UK-based plantmaker Primetals Technologies has announced that China-based Zenith Steel has successfully started production at its continuous bloom casting machine modernized by Primetals Technologies. The caster has an annual production of around 1.3 million metric tons of blooms with both round and square cross-sections.
Primetals Technologies stated that the objective of the modernization was to be able to cast an additional blank format with a rectangular cross-section of 280 mm x 320 mm. The blooms are then further processed into round bars in the company's own rolling mill, which has been specially adapted for this purpose.
The five-strand caster originally constructed by Primetals Technologies and first put into service in July 2013 was designed for the production of round blooms between 400 mm and 600 mm in diameter, as well as rectangular blooms with a cross-section of 370 mm x 490 mm.