This new machine provides izmir Demir Çelik with the flexibility to efficiently meet diverse market demands, while also increasing production capacity and enhancing the quality of billets and blooms.
The installation of the new continuous casting plant significantly expands izmir Demir Çelik’s annual steel production output from 1,550,000 tons to approximately 3,100,000 tons. This increase enables IDC to meet growing market demands more effectively while reducing its dependence on imported semi-finished products. The new caster’s ability to produce billets and small blooms in six distinct section sizes, ranging from 150×150 millimeters to 220×280 millimeters, gives IDC the flexibility to adapt quickly to changing market needs.
The continuous casting plant is designed with a casting radius of 10.25 meters and offers casting speeds ranging from 0.6 meters per minute to 4.0 meters per minute. These features ensure optimal performance across a variety of production scenarios, allowing IDC to maintain high quality standards while reducing operational costs.
The new continuous casting plant integrates advanced technologies to increase product quality and optimize process control. To ensure superior cleanliness and keep inclusions to a minimum, the plant features advanced tundish flow control, an optimized refractory design, and monobloc submerged entry nozzles (SEN). The large casting radius supports inclusion flotation, while state-of-the-art mold level control ensures a precise and stable production process. Surface quality is significantly improved through the use of a convex mold design, optimized secondary cooling systems, and a mold oscillator with remote control capability. Insulation tunnels maintain high surface temperatures before unbending, while the automated CONFEED powder feeding system ensures a stable mold powder layer for consistent quality results. Internal quality is enhanced through electromagnetic stirring (M-EMS) and modular wave stirring (MWS) technologies, which guarantee a homogeneous internal structure. Additionally, precise strand guidance, accurate cooling spray alignment, and a three-zone secondary cooling system further improve billet and bloom quality. This innovative setup enables IDC to produce high-quality steel products efficiently while reducing operational costs and meeting diverse market demands.
This project highlights the partnership between SMS and IDC and serves as a key reference for SMS in Türkiye. The new continuous casting plant optimizes production processes, reduces operational costs, minimizes downtimes, and enhances efficiency. For IDC, this investment strengthens its position in the steel industry, enabling the company to meet diverse market demands with greater flexibility. The new continuous casting plant successfully went into operation in April 2024. The final acceptance was signed shortly thereafter in October.
