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By Alessandra Spaghetti

Rolling small-diameter hot wire rods at high speeds with conventional laying head pipes can wear the pipe out frequently and affect quality and consistency in the final product. Laying head upgrades using Sandvik SAF2507LHP™ (UNS S32750) tubes make possible to achieve optimal metallurgical properties, smooth coil formation and easier coil handling. Operators can also avoid unwelcome shutdowns due to frequent worn pipe changes and turndowns. Sandvik have been developing different customers and understand their process needs. The suitable selection materials that are able to withstand high levels of wear better than low alloy and carbon steel grades that are commonly used in industry is very important to improve the quality and increase productivity. UNS S32750 tubes were demonstrably superior to low alloy and carbon steels when used in Laying Head Pipe system regarding tubes lifetime, reducing replacement, production interruptions and increasing reliability.

Aug 17, 2017

By Thales Lima Da Silva

As cerâmicas avançadas estão em diversas aplicações técnicas devido à possibilidade de melhoria na tenacidade, ao desgaste e corrosão em altas temperaturas. Neste trabalho avaliou-se o aditivo de sinterização Nb2O5 em teores de 0,2%, 0,4% e 0,6%vol. no compósito 98,5% Al2O3 com dispersão de 1,5% de ZrO2 nanométrica. Os pós foram misturados em moinhos de bola e as amostras foram conformadas por prensagem uniaxial. Utilizou-se a sinterização convencional a 1450ºC, 1500ºC e 1550ºC por 1 hora, caracterizando-se a densidade aparente pelo método de Arquimedes e a microestrutura final por microscopia eletrônica de varredura, procurando-se avaliar o efeito inibidor de crescimento de grão da zircônia frente a possibilidade de formação de fase líquida pela adição de nióbia.

Oct 30, 2017

By Robert Horwood, Richard Harvey

The copper stave was a development of the Blast Furnace cooling system intended to utilise the high heat transfer properties of copper within a fully covered shell cooling solution. They were originally conceived as being able to provide a permanent cooling lining for use primarily in the higher heat zones of the Blast Furnace. Despite a large number of campaign successes around the world the everlasting concept has not proven universal, with some plants having suffered issues in two particular areas: stave bending (leading to water leaks at back of the stave) and stave wear (erosion on the hot face). Primetals Technologies have in the past been approached to provide assistance to a number of Blast Furnace operators who were experiencing operational issues with the copper stave furnace cooling systems of others. Through knowledge gained resolving these issues, and with the positive experiences of their own copper stave designs, Primetals Technologies have worked towards developing a new concept in copper stave design capable of providing a more robust solution to cope with the greater productivities of modern ironmaking. This paper will provide an outline to the concepts that have driven the design of this new technology.

Oct 1, 2019

By Paulo Masiero

Sintered titanium carbide has been extensively used since the early 1980s for demanding wear-resistant applications and, in particular, in environments characterized by high temperature and oxidation. Thanks to its physical characteristics, especially its low density, titanium carbide (TiC) has been successfully applied in the manufacture of cassette guide rollers for hot steel rolling. However, the peculiar characteristics of the sintered Ti carbides make it difficult their redressing and hence this has always represented the limit for a more extensive application. Very often iron based alloys are preferred even if, in general, they are less cost effective just because they are easier to be redressed by turning. The availability of a simple, compact, fully automatic and reasonably priced CNC machine; specialized in the grinding of guide rollers and able to operate accurately and efficiently -both in contour and in plunge- can definitively solve TiC’s redressing problems and render its use even more widespread and attractive.

Oct 30, 2017

By Alexandre Rodizio Bento

A competitividade do setor automotivo exige maior agilidade na gestão de ferramentas de usinagem. Para atender esta necessidade flexibilizar e automatizar o processo de gestão de armazenagem é fator primordial. As ferramentas de usinagem muitas vezes têm custo elevado e a necessidade de controle constante é imprescindível no setor automotivo. A padronização de armazenagem aliada a um equipamento específico para controlar ferramentas surge como uma opção. Pois, a troca de produtos deve ser ágil durante a fabricação para evitar perdas e máquinas ociosas no chão de fábrica. Assim, suprir esta necessidade com velocidade é essencial e de suma importância para a integração entre os departamentos de produção e logística. Neste cenário, a tecnologia de armazenagem permite agilizar e flexibilizar a gestão de ferramentas de usinagem, além de possibilitar ganhos de produção. Neste trabalho, apresenta-se a substituição do processo manual de armazenagem de ferramentas de usinagem baseado em caixas e prateleiras, por um sistema com tecnologia de armazenagem vertical. Esta substituição permite automatizar o controle de ferramentas, reduzir o custo de estoque e flexibilizar a troca de produtos na produção. Os resultados deste processo permitem garantir a melhor gestão das ferramentas de usinagem, evitar paradas nas linhas, reduzir custos operacionais e manter estoques em perfeito equilíbrio, entre o aumento de produtividade e a redução de custos.

Aug 8, 2018

By Ana Carolina Fernandes Reis

O objetivo do trabalho foi investigar a recuperação metalúrgica da flotação de sulfeto de ouro utilizando diferentes tamanhos de partículas, a partir de ensaios de moagem e flotação em bancada, visando analisar o melhor desempenho e seletividade do processo. O minério em estudo apresenta um teor médio de ouro de 5,28 ppm e 0,59% de S. Nos testes verificou-se uma correlação diretamente proporcional entre a recuperação mássica e metalúrgica, ambas mostraram-se inversamente proporcional a seletividade no concentrado. A granulometria com 90% passante na malha de 0,053mm obteve o melhor resultado de recuperação tanto do ouro como de sulfetos, em contra partida, apresentou o menor grau de seletividade.

Aug 16, 2017

By Priscilla Pessin Coppo

The prevention of dental enamel wear has particular relevance for preventive and restorative purposes in dentistry. The wear damage can increase due to salivary disorders and/or parafunction (bruxism); antagonists incisal surfaces become flat and coincident. This study aims to investigate the wear behavior and the related mechanisms in sliding pairs of conformal incisal enamel, with similar values of hardness and fracture toughness, with different applied normal loads and lubricated conditions. Bovine incisors, under pin on flat configuration, were tested in two lubrication condition (dry or with natural saliva) and two applied normal loads (8 and 16 N). The worn surfaces were investigated by 3D profilometry and SEM. The analysis of worn surfaces indicated mechanisms of brittle fracture, but with different severities. Under a normal load of 16 N and dry condition, wear is controlled by a brittle process: microcracking with flake-like wear particles, which results in high friction coefficient (> 0.85), wear rate and wear volume. On the other hand, under a normal load of 8 N and natural saliva, wear took place in the interprismatic region, with consequent exposure of prisms and fracture in localized regions. In this case, the friction coefficient was 16% lower and the wear volume was one order of magnitude lower. Under 8 N and natural saliva, the wear was greater than in the dry condition, probably due to tribochemical reactions.

Jul 31, 2018

By Mariana Hellen de Freitas Fonseca

Os produtos feitos de ferro puro contendo Ni expandiram enormemente as aplicações de produtos sinterizados, incluindo a fabricação de peças que suportam altas cargas em automóveis tais como transmissões. Deste modo, este trabalho pretende contribuir com um estudo direcionado à identificação de fases em ligas Fe- Ni-Mo sinterizadas a temperatura de 1.100°C e processadas por moagem de alta energia (MAE), buscando relacionar a variação do percentual do molibdênio (0%, 1% e 2%) e a respectiva dureza da liga sinterizada. O estudo demonstrará as fases presentes pela técnica de difração por raios X (DRX) e o perfil de dureza obtidos após a sinterização. Os resultados mostraram a presença de uma fase estável a (CCC ferrita) e uma fase meta-estável ? (CFC Austenita) com formação de solução sólida de molibdênio na ferrita. O perfil de dureza mostrou que existe uma relação linear entre o % de Mo e a dureza das ligas para os valores utilizados neste estudo.

Aug 16, 2017

By Zhisong Chai, Wei Xu

Q&P steels undergo continuous multiple processes, including hot rolling, intermediate heat treatment, cold rolling and continuous annealing etc. The inheritant effect of initial microstructure could affect the final microstructure and mechanical properties of Q&P steels. In this work, effects of different hot rolled microstructure/texture on the final microstructure and properties subjected to Q&P process were investigated in Fe-0.38C-1.58Mn-1.6Si system. Different initial microstructures were generated combing different TMCP and cooling strategies. The microstructure and texture of hot rolled materials were characterized in detail. The hot rolled material was subsequently processed by intermediate annealing, cold rolling and continuous annealing. The comparison reveals great effects of the initial hot rolled microstructures, i.e. inheritance effect. The faster reverse transformation would lead to more sufficient austenitization and it would greatly weaken the inheritant effect of the initial microstructure. Although the difference of final phase fraction for different initial microstructures was not significant, the inheritance effect was mainly reflected in the effect on austenite morphology. For the mechanical properties, no obvious difference in strength was shown for the samples with different initial microstructures after Q&P heat treatment, but there was fluctuation in elongation.

Oct 1, 2019

By Uwe König

Traditionally quality control of iron ore sinter, its raw materials and raw mixtures has relied on time-consuming wet chemistry. The mineralogical composition that defines the properties is often not monitored. XRD analysis in combination with Rietveld quantification and statistical data evaluation using Partial Least-Square Regression (PLSR) has been successfully established to determine the mineralogical composition and process parameters such as the FeO (Fe2+) content and basicity of iron sinter within an analysis time of less than 8 minutes per sample. Both methods take the full XRD pattern into account and can be simultaneously applied on the same measurement. In addition the Rietveld method was used to quantify the phase content of raw mixtures to monitor the composition of blending beds.

Aug 16, 2017

By Gilberto Álvares da Silva

New elements have been inserted in NiTi lately, resulting in ternary alloys with specific characteristics beyond Shape Memory Effect and Superelasticity. Among all others alloying elements, the Ag additions itself gives potential antibacterial activity to that smart material. So on, the elaboration procedures of ternary NiTiAg alloys was studied in order to obtain a melting procedure to ensure further studies on this alloy. Microstructural and thermal analyses were used to evaluate the VAR-remelting production of NiTiAg with 4.0% wt silver content. The microstructure is composed by a NiTi matrix, pure Ag precipitates, and, scarcely, TiC inclusions. Heat treatments at high temperature could not dilute those Ag particles, but could lead to the precipitation of new ones. The silver element reduces the temperature of the martensitic transformation, yielding a material with superelastic behavior, beyond induces the R-phase on cooling stage of this alloy.

Aug 8, 2018

By Bruno Miranda Ribeiro

Foi verificado que em uma das prensas de rolos (HPGR, High Pressure Griding Rolls), das usinas de pelotização de Tubarão, estava ocorrendo escorregamento do minério entre os pinos (studs) ocasionando um desgaste excessivo no rolo e desprendimento dos pinos. Este fato levou ao desenvolvimento de uma solução para eliminar o problema através da utilização de um produto que contivesse as características necessárias para conter o desgaste e prolongar a vida útil do rolo, sem comprometer a performance da prensa. As etapas para solução do problema passou por uma definição da escolha do produto, preparação da superfície do rolo e método de aplicação. Após implantada a solução, foram comparados os resultados antes e depois da aplicação do produto. Os resultados mostraram que o objetivo foi alcançado quanto a retenção dos pinos, controle do desgaste e manutenção da performance de processo desta prensa.

Aug 16, 2017

By Paul Pugsley

The need for dimensional measurement of products has always been there, now with the industry 4 push to further understand measure and to record process parameters is more important than ever. This applies to both flat and long products, camera systems have always provided the method to measure, stereo Linescan cameras for flat products and innovative applications using 2D and Linescan cameras for long products. Instrumentation will become more important to producers enabling processes to be better controlled and understood, that aim being to make the production process understandable more repeatable and less reliant on operator influence. Primetals Technologies Ltd offer solutions for all types of products.

Oct 30, 2017

By Daniel Carvalho, Marcos Viana, Leonardo Demuner, Herbert Castro

Intensive process and technology improvements related to the BOF converter — the key process to increase steel plant productivity and stability — have been performed at Ternium Brazil. This paper details the road map for process developments and investments in equipment technology, as well as the results achieved. The main topics of this development are the process control and optimization systems, slag forming model, oxygen blowing pattern, end-of-blow point control and slag carryover control. The outcomes of this development are improvements in the reblow rate, end-of-blow oxidation, direct tapping, slag carryover, slopping ratio, metallic yield and lining life.

Oct 1, 2019

By Rodrigo Abreu, Nilson Luiz Biccas, André Luiz Bonelar dos Santos, Odilon José da Silva

A Coqueria no contexto siderúrgico é a área responsável pela produção de coque metalúrgico para os Altos-Fornos. O coque geralmente é obtido em fornos verticais, que tem a finalidade de aquecer a mistura dos carvões minerais até a temperatura de pirolise, através da queima controlada de um combustível. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar as alterações realizadas no Controle de Combustão das Baterias de Coque da ArcelorMittal Tubarão para garantir a estabilidade operacional e o maior controle do tempo líquido de coqueificação. O aprimoramento do modelo matemático ajustado as condições atuais do processo, trouxe benefícios tais como a obtenção de uma melhor distribuição de calor ao longo das paredes de aquecimento e consequentemente a redução das resistências aos desenfornamentos, consumo de calor e emissões de poluentes, preservando a estabilidade operacional das baterias de coque e contribuindo para o prolongamento da vida útil.

Oct 1, 2019

By Hou Xuan

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os parâmetros de lingotamento contínuo e os seus impactos na qualidade superficial do tarugo e principalmente relacionados às trincas superficiais. Alinhado com a literatura de solidificação do aço, a velocidade de lingotamento e a refrigeração secundária foram os parâmetros focados no trabalho devido a sua forte influencia na geração e propagação das trincas superficiais do tarugo. Os parâmetros de processo foram comparados com os utilizados nas outras usinas de aços especiais que são benchmarking em qualidade superficial e as boas práticas aplicadas no equipamento da Gerdau Pindamonhangaba. O resultado deste trabalho gerou uma redução de 40% no sucatamento por trincas superficiais em barras laminadas.

Jul 30, 2018

By Carlos Gonzalez-Rivera

An alternative cooling curve analysis method focused on the experimental determination of the latent heat of phase changes and phase transformation kinetics is proposed in this work. The method analyses the cooling process of a metallic sample, initially liquid that is contained into a cylindrical metallic mold, both of known weight, thermally isolated at its top and bottom. The method is based on an energy balance associated with the experimental measurement of the temperature change of the sample and the mold during their cooling process. From the numerical processing of the cooling curves, are obtained approximate values of the acting global heat transfer coefficient as a function of temperature in order to describe quantitatively the energy exchange of the metal/mold system with its surroundings. These relationships and other experimental data are used to process the cooling curve of the sample and the mold during solidification, in order to obtain the latent heat of solidification.The method was applied experimentally to zinc and tin of commercial purity, initially liquids and contained into stainless steel molds in order to determine its ability to measure the latent heat of solidification. The obtained results suggests that this method shows a good potential to characterize the solidification of metals.

Oct 30, 2017

By Marcos Paulo da Silveira, Carolina Conter Elgert, Messias Prado de Almeida, Rafael Stella Galdino

Microalloyed steels have been intensely studied as an alternative to increase strength by grain refinement and/or precipitation hardening. Long steel products have a wide range of opportunities to apply well-defined principles of controlled rolling (CR) in order to increase strength and toughness with reduced costs. To evaluate the effect of microalloying elements as Nb and Ti with thermomechanical treatment, three conditions were tested: DIN 16MnCrS5 with hot rolling (HR), DIN 16MnCrS5 with Nb and CR and DIN 16MnCrS5 with Nb+Ti and CR. Austenitic grain size, obtained by direct quenching after rolling, has shown a decrease 32% with Nb addition, and 29% when Nb and Ti was added. Controlled rolling generated higher grain refinement and pancacked grains near the surface. When comparing ferritic grain size, controlled rolling plus niobium and titanium additions resulted in significant reduction of 35%. Yield strength increased 15% with microalloying and CR and more than 270% in impact toughness, even at -40°C.

Oct 1, 2019

By Carlos Gonzalo Alvarez Rosario

A reciclagem de resíduos eletroeletrônicos (REEs) é importante tanto no aspecto ambiental quanto econômico, uma vez que através do reaproveitamento do REE há diminuição da quantidade de resíduos a ser destinados, além disso, contribui para a sustentabilidade do setor minero metalúrgico, pois é possível a recuperação dos metais provenientes de REEs. Presentes na maioria dos equipamentos eletroeletrônicos, as Placas de Circuito Impresso (PCIs) são compostas por materiais cerâmicos, metálicos e poliméricos. Além disso, a heterogeneidade do material influi diretamente no tipo de processamento/tratamento a ser utilizado, desta forma a caracterização prévia do resíduo é uma etapa fundamental para determinação da rota de processamento a ser utilizada. Assim, no presente estudo é apresentado o processo de caracterização de PCIs proveniente de computadores obsoletos objetivando a determinação e quantificação dos metais presentes, de forma a estudar a influência dos mesmos em processos de biolixiviação futuros. A rota de processamento físico incluiu inicialmente processo manual utilizando guilhotina e, posteriormente, moinho de martelos com grelhas de aberturas de 6 mm e 2 mm. A caracterização foi realizada através de ensaios de perda ao fogo, lixiviação ácida e MEV/EDS e a concentração dos metais foi determinada por ICP-OES. Os resultados mostraram que 50% do material particulado tem granulometria maior que 0,25 mm; as PCIs estudadas possuem 35,6% de metais, 27,2% de polímeros e 37,2% de cerâmicos. Dos metais presentes nas placas o mais representativo foi o cobre com 21,4% em massa enquanto que metais como Fe e Al apresentaram 1,1% e 1,9% em massa.

Aug 8, 2018

By Nicolás Ariel Zabala

During the make-up and break-out of the connections, threaded joints are exposed to intense mechanical and tribological solicitations. The connection performance is influenced by its geometry, material properties, surface treatments and thread compound. The aim of this work is to evaluate and characterize the tribological behavior of different thread compounds applied on manganese phosphated carbon steel under low speed and high pressure sliding contact. Four thread compounds were evaluated: one containing lead, zinc and graphite; other lead-free, containing copper and finally, the last two lead-free and containing non-metallic solids. The tribological behavior was analyzed by a block-on-ring tribotest. During the test, load varied linearly between 250 N and 7000 N; loading and unloading lasted 14 sec and were performed in opposite directions of rotation to simulate the make-up and break-out operations. Friction force and load as a function of time were registered. Upon completion of the test, wear surfaces were analyzed by SEM, optical microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The obtained results show that the lead and zinc containing thread compound displayed the best behavior, showing a wear reduction of approximately 20%. These results are in line with previously known oilfield experience. Average COF values around 0.15 were measured and no significant differences between dopes were observed; indicating that the wear behavior was influenced by the additive package.

Jul 31, 2018