This paper is mainly devoted to the presentation and the illustration of chemical microananalysis methods. Four basic techniques will be successively presented: the energy dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDS), the wave dispersive spectroscopy of X-rays (WDS), the electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and the Auger spectroscopy (AES). For each of them, the limitations and advantages will be presented.

SmartCrown is a new technology developed by VAI for a more accurate control of profile and flatness during hot or cold rolling of steel and aluminium. In particular, SmartCrown allows to avoid to a great extent, or even completely, the frequently occurring defect called quarter buckles. The paper highlights the design features of the SmartCrown work rolls and compares the new technique with the well known CVC technology.

This paper describes various technological packages developed and implemented by VAI to help steel companies raise product quality, increase reliability and lower operating and maintenance costs for slab and bloom continuous casters.

In HSLA steels (high strength low alloys), the most important strengthening mechanisms are grain refinement and precipitation hardening by second phases. Therefore, the control of precipitation and chemical composition of the second phases is essential. A model based on thermodynamics alone does not predict the precipitation phenomena that are observed in thin slabs. This paper introduces a kinetic model that makes it possible to take into account the influence of the thin slab casting process on the precipitation and composition of carbonitrides.

The inhomogeneity of deformation in aluminium and copper, processed by Equal-Channel Angular (ECA) pressing, is discussed on the basis of X-ray as well as neutron diffraction pole figure measurements and calculated orientation distribution functions. The influence of short time recrystallization is considered. Structure observations by means of optical microscopy, Electron Back Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy were used to obtain complete information.

The steel industry in Europe has demonstrated a major commitment to reduce the environmental burden of its activities. The investments in environmental protection can be estimated between 5 and 15 % of the total capital expenditures to improve the individual operations. These efforts are strengthened by the technological evolution of the steel making sector and by an increase of the recycling route. The new development of viable techniques is still required to further reduce the emissions to the air, mainly from sinter plants and to decrease the amount of waste. Finally, it will become necessary in the future to fundamentally rethink the use of reducing agents to reduce the CO2 emissions.

Numerical simulation by finite elements of the bending process of aluminium profile coated with rubber was performed, in order to predict the initiation of necking. Special attention was paid to the description of the boundary conditions, to the link between the different stages, and to the analysis of the hardening behaviour during the thermo-mechanical loading. The calculations permit to predict qualitatively the area of potential defect.

Surface treatments have long been considered as an art. With modelling they enter now the area of well controlled processes. Recent progress in this direction is reviewed in this paper: use of balances to define the working point of the reactors, modelling of the transition periods, numerical simulation for the dimensioning of the cells. New challenges and new working areas are discussed: performance prediction of production routes, coupling of models, prediction of product properties.

Ironmaking in Germany has a long tradition, from the factories constructed near the coal mines and the iron ore mines in the second half of the 19th century to the remaining six active locations of integrated iron and steelworks today. This paper describes the main five periods of blast furnace technology and operation mode developments from 1945 on. This includes the decrease of reductant consumption achieved by several measures like improvement of the charge materials (iron ore burden and coke), the injection of auxiliary reducing agents and the main plant technology improvements. This demonstrates that during this period of time the blast furnace process has gained considerable economical ground.

A growing interest for magnesium alloys has been observed recently in the field of weight reduction for structural applications. The purpose of this study is the development of novel alloys by using thermodynamic equilibrium calculations in order to determine the most promising compositions and their process parameters (solidification, heat treatments) within the Mg-Y-Sc-Mn system. Samples have been prepared and analyzed and the results agree well with the predictions.

Good control of steel flow through the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) during the continuous casting process is essential for improving surface quality and reducing cleanliness defects. Argon bubbles, biased flow and alumina deposits may all contribute to actual flow differing from the ideal case. The steel flow visualization project aims to penetrate the “black box”, which is the SEN, using electromagnetic techniques. A sensor array consisting of transmitter and receiver coils is positioned around an SEN and the resultant signals are compared to those from pilot plant measurements designed to simulate known continuous casting conditions.

In order to roll thin and wide material of very high strength grades on our low powered mill, a global optimization of the process has been done. Taking account of the finisher power limit and furnace maximum drop out temperature, improvements have been made on the thickness of the transfer bar regarding the load of the prefinishing stand, on the finisher speed schedule and preset, on the use of the cooling system and on work roll lubrication.

Homogeneity methods are very helpful in the interpretation of X-ray line shift and broadening. The use of self-consistent models becomes general, but the information given by these models, which is shown to be strongly linked with diffraction measurements, can not yet be completely exploited. It is in particular shown that the intra-phase heterogeneity of strains should in certain cases be reflected by the line broadening behaviour.

At the interface between the hot strip mill and the cold plant, the pickling plant is becoming a key point in the production line. The development of new grades and the constant evolution of the order book (warm coiling, direct production of thin gauge strips), most often have productivity and surface quality stakes. All our pickling know-how (kinetics and reactor) has been integrated into a pickling simulation model that makes it possible to assess the potential productivity gains.

The new pickling line of Aceria Compacta de Bizkaia, designed and supplied by VOEST-ALPINE Industrieanlagenbau (VAI), allows to produce high quality hot-rolled strip, which can be used as a substitute to cold rolled strip for an increasing number of applications. This article describes the main features of the highly modern technical solutions implemented in this line.

The degradation of a thermal barrier coating is closely linked to the microstructural and chemical stability of the complex system and of its interfaces. The coating in the as-received condition as well as the modifications during isothermal oxidation at 1100 °C were characterized using TEM and spectral mapping. Significant modifications (precipitation, phase transformations) occurred as a consequence of the oxidation process and interdiffusion phenomena.

A new RH vacuum degassing equipment with a capacity of 2.4 Mt/year has been started up in this steel plant in 2001. This unit allows to decarburize liquid steel to a level of 30 ppm C for the production of ULC-grades, with short treatment times. The main components and features of this RH degasser are described and first metallugical results are presented.

The multiple versions of electromagnetic stirring in continuous casting are described. For long products, linear or rotational stirring appears confusing, but is clarified based on liquid steel flow pattern and metallurgical results. Rotational mould stirring is the predominant application in billet casting. For slabs, butterfly type single and double strand stirring and rotational mould stirring coexist with different metallurgical purposes. Also, the evolution to higher casting speeds has required a new type of mould stirring that combines accelerating and braking functions. The trend goes to multimode systems.

Steel velocity measurement in the mould has been carried out using a Karman vortex flowmeter. The sensor is based on Karman vortex streets, which occur when a flowing fluid encounters a fixed body. A linear relation exists between the velocity of the fluid flow and the shedding frequency of Karman's vortices, therefore by measuring the frequency, the velocity of the fluid flow can be calculated. The system consists of two consumable sensor rods, which are placed at either side of the SEN. With the end plates instrumented with additional thermocouples, it is possible to relate the differential velocity measurement to end plate temperatures.

The electron microscopy and microanalysis techniques available at the CP2M Centre have been used to study the complex precipitation phenomena in a titanium-containing dual phase steel. Nitrides, carbides and carbonitrides of titanium have been characterized at microscopic and nanoscopic scales using carbon extraction replicas and thin foils. Precipitation occurred mainly heterogeneously on existing particles (CaS, TiN). Thin foils have also been examined in a new scanning electron microscope with a field emission gun.