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By Leonardo Pereira

Este trabalho reporta a viabilidade de realizar o tratamento térmico de austêmpera, para obtenção de um Ferro Dúctil Austemperado (ADI), utilizando uma liga de Zn-Al-Mg-Cu, como meio de resfriamento e permanência em patamar, durante o processo de tratamento térmico. Por meio da obtenção da curva de resfriamento da liga Zamac 5, constatou-se a viabilidade de realização da austêmpera em temperaturas superiores a 380ºC. A partir de corpos de prova de ferro fundido nodular de matriz predominantemente perlítica, instrumentados e austenitizados a 870°C e 900°C, avaliou-se a taxa de resfriamento promovida pela liga Zamac 5, até a temperatura de 400°C. O tratamento mostrou-se eficiente, utilizando a liga como meio de austêmpera, sendo registradas taxas de resfriamento superiores a 6°C/s. A análise morfológica constatou a formação de ausferrita, sem a presença de perlita, caracterizando assim a formação do ADI.

Oct 30, 2017

By Rene Grabowski

Optimization of workflows and intelligent stock management; Slab stacking improvement by automated transport orders; and System automatically registers any slab movements even in manual operation. Case story: Steel producer ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt GmbH in Germany uses Primetals Technologie’s new stock yard logistics system in its finishing department. An exact image of its slab storage at any times is given by the warehouse logistics system to the company. It not only enhances the composition of the stacks of slabs, but also automates recording of manual restacking operations. Therefore the solution improves workflows and simplifies stock control. Cycle times have also been reduced due to the fact that the slabs can be charged to reheating furnaces ahead of the rolling mill due to less restacking operations within the slab storage. The expandable, modular system is based on the Siemens Simatic IT and Primetals Technologies’ IT4METALS Logistics product platform. It provides a large number of organizational and commercial features in the form of sophisticated graphics and tabular evaluations. For example, it can show how many crane movements have been made per shift for any category of slab, so that the time and cost for each operation can be calculated accurately.

Aug 16, 2017

By Elizaveta Cheremisina

In steelmaking process lime serves as flux. Rapid lime assimilation and slag formation of the desired composition have a significant effect on the refining reactions. It is important to know the rate limiting step of lime dissolution to control and improve the converter process. Kinetics of pure CaO and industrial lime dissolution in model slag has been studied in the range of temperatures 1300 –1600°C. Lime samples were prepared in cylinder form and immersed in the melt for predetermined time. Considering the total mass balance of CaO in the slag and linear dimensions of lime samples, mass transfer coefficients were derived. Diffusion coefficients were calculated under conditions of non-stationary diffusion. The derived activation energy of less than 200 kJ/mol indicates that diffusion is the limiting step in the process of lime-dissolution in slag.

Oct 30, 2017

By Débora Cardoso de Oliveira Silveira, Jean-Christophe Huber, Hamzeh Hamadeh, Kateryna Pastel, Guillaume Brosse

The dynamic behavior of oxygen gas flow, determined by the lance nozzle and blow pattern, is a key factor for determining jet efficiency in BOF Steelmaking. The present work compares the performances of Laval and parabolic nozzles with the aid of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The Method of Characteristics (MOC) was applied to design a minimum length parabolic nozzle. The results show that the parabolic nozzle generates more uniform and stable jet, with 2% longer potential core and supersonic length and less shock waves. For the parabolic nozzle, the pressure nearby the nozzle wall is higher, which can protect this region from reverse flow of converter gases and offer longer life for the lance tip. Likewise, the flow rate variations would affect less this nozzle. In addition, the nozzle wear was investigated, and the parabolic nozzle has proven relatively less sensitivity to the presence of this deformity.

Oct 1, 2019

By Daniele Tolazzi

In today’s highly competitive market situation, it is of outmost importance for EAF steel makers to optimise their processes in order to reduce operating costs and to improve safety and reliability of the equipment. The laser based off-gas analysis technology, With laser units installed on the fix duct, downstream the combustion gap, uses the “Tuneable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy” (TDLAS). The system performs real-time off-gas emissions measurements of CO, CO2, O2, H2O and temperature. A closed-loop operation is in place for dynamic control of the chemical energy package combustion/post-combustion of CO, H2 and CH4 gases into the EAF furnace shell. A statistical framework which builds on a data analysis engine, based on Danieli Automation Q3Intelligence technology, evaluates the “fingerprint” of the process represented by average and deviation trends of both gases and other process parameters. Process fingerprinting is conceived both for offline profile optimisation and on-line control of the refining process. This paper describes how the technology has been applied and the results achieved at ACCIAIERIE BERTOLI SAFAU (Italy) 100 t AC Electric Arc Furnace.

Aug 16, 2017

By José Dimas Arruda

O conhecimento do campo de fluxo dentro do molde pode oferecer uma oportunidade de melhorar a limpidez interna do produto final. A técnica PIV foi empregada para avaliar a distribuição de velocidade longitudinal ao longo de uma ampla seção variando da válvula submersa até a face estreita de um molde de lingotamento de placas, bem como a distribuição de velocidade transversal correspondente. Estas informações podem ser utilizadas para avaliar o grau de turbulência interfacial.

Jul 30, 2018

By Mark Gilliam

Control of true steel level in the tundish during casting is desired in order to maintain the correct pressure head and thus provide a stable flow to the mold. Also the control of tundish draining prevents slag carryover and can increase yield at each end of cast sequence. At Steel of West Virginia (part of the SDI Group), it was understood that to be able to measure the true steel running level and control the drain level at the end of casting would be a great benefit during production at their three strand billet caster. This paper sets out to show how an evaluation process was started to find the best method to determine steel level in the tundish and to prevent the steel level dropping low enough to allow slag to enter the mold. Also how the decision was taken and a real time molten steel measurement system was installed and by utilizing the resulting data in the process, how slag in the mold was removed as an issue, how lost production was reduced and how consistent steel level has provided constant casting speeds and improved stream integrity, all leading to realized quality improvements. Other areas discussed within the paper will be the training of operational staff, the difficulties to be overcome when first installing new equipment and how these teething problems were cured by close co-operation between the steel plant and the equipment suppliers. In conclusion the paper will discuss the production improvements achieved, production cost savings at the plant and how the generated data was integrated into the plants process control system.

Aug 16, 2017

By Vinicius Andres Strey

A estruturação organizacional da rotina operacional em processos de gestão já está consolidada no ambiente de Tecnologia da Informação (TI). O ambiente de Tecnologia de Automação (TA) compartilha características semelhantes à TI, porém implantar processos de gestão no ambiente de TA de uma empresa já existente demanda uma série de ações para garantir que este sistema de gestão está alinhado aos objetivos da organização, que este sistema de gestão está sendo realmente utilizado e sustentável e, principalmente, que este sistema de gestão é aderente aos requisitos da rotina da TA. Os principais retornos sobre o investimento neste tipo de projeto são em termos de organização das atividades e produtividade de pessoal, de disponibilidade dos ativos pela resposta planejada e rápida a falhas e de visibilidade da TA dentro da organização. Este trabalho define as diretrizes para o desenho e implantação de processos de gestão. Estas diretrizes foram empregadas em projetos de Metais e Mineração, como no caso específico do Departamento de Automação e Instrumentação da Samarco Mineração.

Aug 16, 2017

By Agnes Ágata Fróes Martins

Placas ósseas metálicas são componentes utilizados para correção ou cura de fraturas ósseas. Em se tratando de implantes ortopédicos, é fundamental conhecer o comportamento dos materiais quando submetidos a esforços mecânicos. Para isto ensaios são realizados baseados em normas técnicas, que no caso específico de placas ósseas, são utilizadas as normas ASTM F382 e ABNT NBR 15672-2. Na execução do ensaio para determinação da rigidez à flexão, de uma placa óssea, pode existir o efeito da flexibilidade do dispositivo de ensaio. Para verificar a magnitude desse efeito, foram realizados três ensaios de flexão estático e um ensaio de flexibilidade do dispositivo de ensaio, onde o ensaio foi interrompido ao final da fase elástica. As propriedades mecânicas da placa foram avaliadas, aplicando a correção da flexibilidade do dispositivo. Os resultados mostraram que para os níveis de carregamento alcançados, as cargas de prova apresentaram pouca influência na flexibilidade do dispositivo, e consequentemente pouca influência na rigidez após os cálculos de correção.

Aug 8, 2018

By Norbert Asamer

At various stages during the hot rolling process, the different rolled products – blooms, billets, bars, respectively sections, but also slabs or plates – need to be cut. While the cross sections of these products are being reduced during each rolling pass, the lengths are being increased accordingly. Thus, it becomes necessary to cut the products to shorter lengths suitable for the next steps of production by state-of-the-art designed dry abrasive cut-off machines.

Jul 30, 2018

By Pietro Palma

Universal cardan joints are widely used in drivetrains of rolling mills for steel and aluminum making, as well as for non ferrous alloy industry. Working conditions are extremely tough due to high alternating or pulsating rolling torques in the roughing stands and high torques and speeds in the finishing stands. Overloads and lubrication along with oxide and slag are also critical issues that contribute to create severe working conditions. For a constant and reliable power transmission rolling mills performance and uptime rely on Universal cardan Joints which are the most critical equipment of the drivetrain. Fatigue assessment of the most important components of the Universal cardan Joint is therefore definitely vital for the mill in order to avoid failures and consequently downtimes. Considering the component’s dimensions and weight and in addition the time needed in order to reproduce full scale tests, a new approach to study the Universal cardan joint’s main components fatigue behavior has been investigated. It consists in reproducing the local stress condition of the main joint components on small scale specimens that can be tested by conventional laboratory fatigue machines. The aim of this study is to analyze the most critical stress concentration areas in the universal cardan joints highlighting how a universal cardan joint Wöhler curve can be determined through laboratory tests of small scale specimens.

Aug 16, 2017

By Ernesto Gustavo Maffia

En la actualidad, el moldeo por inyección es una tecnología muy utilizada en el procesamiento del plástico pues permite fabricar formas geométricas complejas. Para fabricar los moldes se utiliza ampliamente la aleación C17200 (Cu-2%Be), pero están en desarrollo algunas alternativas con aleaciones base cobre libres de berilio, que tienen valores de dureza por encima de los 30 Rockwell C y buena conductividad. Las aleaciones base de cobre, tipo CuNiSiCr son las más adecuadas como reemplazo. El siguiente trabajo trata del estudio y desarrollo del proceso de fabricación, por fusión, colado y conformado, de una aleación tipo CuNiSiCr de alta dureza y buena conductividad para ser utilizada en la fabricación de moldes de inyección para la industria del plástico. Los resultados preliminares de esta investigación demuestran que a través del aumento sistemático en el contenido de níquel y silicio se consigue un aumento de la dureza (>32 Rockwell C) y una aceptable conductividad eléctrica (˜25%IACS). El fenómeno segregación interfiere fuertemente en los tratamientos termomecánicos, pues se forma una segunda fase interdendrítica, de características frágiles, que genera fracturas en el conformado. Los resultados demuestran que la aplicación del recocido total y control de la temperatura durante la forja minimizan este problema.

Aug 7, 2018

By Antonio Augusto Gorni, Kenji Camey, José Herbert Dolabela da Silveira

Recently several studies have been developed on the use of microalloyed steels with low Mn content (below 1%) in the controlled rolling of heavy plates for the manufacture of pipes. However, this novel concept of alloy has peculiarities in its thermomechanical processing. Lower Mn contents should lead to the acceleration of NbCN precipitation kinetics during rolling, leading to a reduction in the soluble Nb content in austenite that delays its recrystallization by drag effect. This fact, plus the heavy and fast passes applied under virtually isothermal conditions in a heavy plate rolling mill with high power, increases the risk of partial recrystallization during the finishing stage of the controlled rolling, since strain hardening of austenite becomes significant and the interaction between precipitation and recrystallization is increasingly delayed. The objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of mean flow stress during the finishing stage of controlled rolling in these low Mn, high Nb microalloyed steels, in order to better understand the metallurgical mechanisms acting during this process and identify conditions that allow full compliance with the requirements of this product class.

Oct 1, 2019

By Pierre Montmitonnet, Yukio Shigaki, Jonatas Mezêncio Silva

A precise roll stack deformation model of a flat rolling mill is crucial for strip profile assessment as it depends strongly on the roll’s deformation. The need for more and more advanced products with stringent both geometrical and mechanical tolerances (e.g., Advanced High Strength Steels – AHSS), with thinner and harder steel strips, demands more advanced simulation models. The present paper addresses assumptions made in Finite Element Method (FEM)-based roll stack models on some important, yet barely discussed features: What is the impact on precision of the simplifications such as symmetry and anti-symmetry? Should roll neck boundary conditions in bearings be considered as fixed or simply supported? In this paper a hybrid model developed by the authors for a general flat rolling mill is used to assess those questions. This model runs much faster (100x in some cases) than a whole-FEM-modeled 6-high rolling mill with the elastoplastic strip deformation, thanks to its simplifications adopted. This model assumes a steady state rolling condition, and the roll stack is modeled with tridimensional finite elements, and the loads are calculated via a slab method adopting a plane strain state for the strip deformation (especially true for thin strips). An industrial 6-high cold rolling mill is modeled and results on the application of symmetries and different boundary conditions on the roll’s necks are presented. It is concluded that the application of symmetries and anti-symmetries for the 6-high rolling mill is possible for thin strips. And the way the necks are modeled does not impact on the final strip shape, though it influences the magnitude of the roll’s displacement. The coupling of the strip with the work roll applied assuming a symmetry plane of the arc of contact has little influence on the strip shape.

Oct 1, 2019

By Elaine Carballo Siqueira Corrêa

Os aços rápidos são aços ferramentas de alta liga capazes de usinar metais a altas velocidades. Dentre estes, o aço rápido AISI M2 é um dos mais empregados, em função das boas propriedades alcançadas mediante a combinação de composição química e parâmetros de tratamentos térmicos. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da temperatura de aquecimento na têmpera sobre a microestrutura e dureza do aço AISI M2 após revenimento em diversas temperaturas. Para tal, duas temperaturas de têmpera e cinco temperaturas de revenimento foram definidas. As transformações microestruturais foram analisadas por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e difratometria de raios-X. A dureza foi obtida por ensaios Rockwell C. Foi observado que, de modo geral, o aumento da temperatura de aquecimento promoveu elevação nos valores de dureza do aço, sendo que, para a maior temperatura utilizada, notou-se a ocorrência do fenômeno de endurecimento secundário. As análises microestruturais revelaram a presença de maior quantidade de carbonetos nas amostras temperadas à menor temperatura.

Oct 30, 2017

By Augusto Pereira de Sá

Modelagens física e matemática foram utilizadas para avaliar os efeitos da geometria e parâmetros operacionais, tais como a vazão e distribuição de gás de agitação, além do nível de aço líquido no processo de mistura e formação de olho em panelas de aciaria. A influência de propriedades físicas, viscosidade e densidade, de escória e metal foi avaliada em um modelo físico, também empregado para medir a distribuição espacial das velocidades através de técnica PIV. São apresentadas correlações para o cálculo da abertura do olho e o efeito de frenagem da escória de topo é demonstrado.

Jul 30, 2018

By Emanuelle Garcia Reis

Este trabalho apresenta as mais avançadas tecnologias do equipamento de resfriamento acelerado e têmpera direta da linha de laminação de chapas grossas da Gerdau Ouro Branco. O laminador de chapas grossas possui um conjunto de técnicas de última geração para controle de forma (Bending, Shifting e Smart Crown) integrado ao modelo matemático que define o esquema de passes ótimo em função das propriedades mecânicas objetivadas no produto final. Isso permite obter chapas grossas de aços microligados em várias classes de resistência mecânica de 600 a 1.200MPa e de boa tenacidade a -60°C.

Oct 30, 2017

By Juvenil Nunes Oliveira Júnior

O tubo de papelão é um material bastante versátil e pode ser utilizado de diversas maneiras, possibilitando sistemas construtivos variados que, muitas vezes, geram obras arquitetônicas arrojadas [1]. Um abrigo emergencial deve possuir as seguintes características: rápido fornecimento, baixo custo, flexibilidade de adaptação ao terreno, fácil montagem/desmontagem que permita a participação do utilizador do abrigo. Outro ponto é possuir princípios sustentáveis e funcionais, aliando eficiência e diretrizes lógicas para o design do produto. Este trabalho tem como objetivo a caracterização mecânica de tubetes de papelão para a utilização em abrigos emergenciais.

Aug 16, 2017

By Steven George Jansto

The hot ductility behavior of different microalloyed steel chemical compositions was examined simulating the thermal and strain conditions through the straightening or unbending section of the continuous casting machine. All samples were obtained from industrial slab casters ranging from 200 to 300 mm in slab thickness from steel mills throughout the world including China, Brazil, North America and Europe. The slabs were crack-free and hot rolled into prime quality products. No laboratory heats were tested. Although these microalloyed steels exhibit inherently lower hot ductility behavior, as measured by percent reduction in area at elevated temperature, these steels still exhibit sufficient ductility to satisfactorily meet the unbending stress and strain gradients existing in the straightening section of most casters. The majority of the published hot ductility data, as measured by % reduction in area (%RA), were based on laboratory heats and hence, are inaccurate in accessing the propensity for slab cracking on an industrial caster. This situation then results in invalid conclusions for different chemistries. This research has determined the minimum required %RA for crack-free casting is significantly lower than results based upon previously published laboratory generated data. For example, the literature quotes 40% RA minimum for Nb-bearing steels when in fact as low as 10% minimum RA is more than sufficient to assure crack-free casting based upon the extensive testing and analysis performed in this study. Instead of %RA, the measurement of strain energy has been introduced to evaluate hot ductility behavior. It is concluded that strain energy is a better measure of hot ductility behaviour than %RA. There is considerable value in the evaluation of the hot stress and strain curves, process metallurgy parameters and their relationship to slab quality instead of just basing hot ductility decisions on simple %RA measurements.

Aug 16, 2017

By Hugo M. Checo

Friction-reducing textures for lubricated mechanisms have received much attention since the advent of microtexturing techniques. In this work we consider the piston ring/liner contact, numerically simulating the rings as they slide against a textured liner. This situation has not been sufficiently analyzed because its numerical complexity is much greater than that of texturing the rings. Further, we consider the actual typical geometries of oil-control, wiper and compression rings, under realistic loads and velocities. The results show the possibility of friction reduction when the texture on the liner is properly designed, identifying starvation alleviation as a crucial intervening mechanism.

Jul 31, 2018