6–9 Oct 2025
Palaexpo Veronafiere
Europe/Rome timezone
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Conseal for slabs: Patented solution for optimizing start of cast

8 Oct 2025, 15:20
20m
Salieri (Palaexpo Veronafiere)

Salieri

Palaexpo Veronafiere

Veronafiere, Viale del Lavoro 8, 37135 Verona
Oral Presentation Steelmaking - Continuous casting, near-net shape casting and ingot casting Caster Design & Process Optimization

Speaker

Mr Alexander Drüen (SMS group)

Description

Conseal for slabs is an innovative technology developed by SMS group, piloted at TATA Ijmuiden, aimed at optimizing the startup process of continuous casting plants in the steel industry. This technology effectively addresses common startup issues, such as the elimination of cooling scrap and the quality defects caused by it, while minimizing the risk of startup breakouts—factors that contribute to production inefficiencies and increased costs.
The core innovation of Conseal lies in its ability to create a completely sealed mold at the start of the casting process. This is achieved by positioning the Conseal on top of the dummy bar head, functioning as a consumable starter piece. The Conseal body and its sealings ensure a homogeneous connection between the Conseal material and the surrounding mold. This connection is reinforced by integrated cooling elements, maintaining seal integrity under high temperatures.
One of the primary advantages of implementing Conseal is the standardization and reduction of preparation time. Designed for easy installation, Conseal reduces the interval between casts, thereby increasing production capacity by allocating more time to actual casting operations.
The adoption of Conseal can lead to significant cost savings. By minimizing defects, quality issues, and the likelihood of startup breakouts, steel producers can substantially reduce expenses associated with rework and scrap.
The Conseal for slabs offers a practical solution for enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the casting process. It stands as a valuable tool for steel manufacturers seeking to optimize operations and reduce costs.

Primary author

Mr Alexander Drüen (SMS group)

Co-author

Mr Leon Michels (SMS group)

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