The new S1 is a five-strand circular arc system followed by a comprehensive soft reduction zone. In this zone, the strand in the semi-solid state is defined using upper and lower rolls thus improving the internal microstructure of the steel decisively.
Martin Baues, Chief Technical Officer at Saarstahl, gave representatives of the media a rare look behind the scenes at the ongoing construction work: “This construction site is particularly challenging for us since the new continuous casting plant is the first system in the world designed with mechanical soft reduction (MSR) for casting formats of 180 mm x 180 mm and which is also equipped with the latest automation and communication technology. We are glad and proud that we are precisely on schedule with the construction work.”
The system will be erected in the location where the “old” S1 was decommissioned in 2010. After the dismantling work on the old system and work to build the functional building and in the area of the system pit, now assembly of the main components is being carried out i. e. the continuous casting machine itself and the turnover cooling bed as well as assembly of auxiliary aggregates and the infrastructure. To date, around 125 partner companies have worked on the construction site. Of these, around 70 % are based in the Saarland and in the surrounding area. At the same time, a maximum of around 200 people are working on the construction site at any one time and, in total, 800 people will have been involved in the completion of the project.
Martin Baues highlighted the concept and significance of the system saying, “We are equipping the new continuous casting system S1 with the latest automation and communication technology and we already took the approach of industry 4.0 into account in developing the concept. This will enable us to monitor the processes on the new system even better and to ensure a maximum in quality assurance. As a result, we will be able to manufacture steel solutions tailored to our customers individual requirements even more flexibly and faster in the future.”
_{(Source: SHS – Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH &co. KG)}