Cost Efficient Production of High Grade Steels Using Scrap

by GÜnter Busch

Publisher - South East Asian Operation & ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH, Hanau, Germany

Category - Engineering & IT

The demand for high grade steel in the South East Asia region is continuously increasing. However, the production volume of such steel grades in South East Asia is very small and currently all major countries in the region import high grade steel with an annual value of more than three billion USD. The production of high grade steel, such as hot or cold work tool steels and high speed steel requires the use of vacuum metallurgical processes to meet the required metallurgical properties, notably low hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus concentrations. In addition, melting and processing of these alloys under vacuum or controlled inert gas atmosphere is mandatory in order to avoid oxide formation of the main alloying elements such as iron, nickel and chromium. Some alloys require secondary and triple melting in order to meet the integrity requirements for use in critical industries, such as the aerospace or nuclear sectors. Scrap is a valuable source of raw material in the manufacturing of high grade steels using the process chain: Electro Arc Melting, Vacuum Induction Melting and Electro Slag Re-melting or Vacuum Arc Re-Melting. This three-stage production process enables the refining of the scrap and the manufacturing of a variety of high grade steels. The aforementioned process rout can be preferably used for small to medium heat sizes of less than 3 - 20 ton This paper considers the cost-efficient and high-quality production of high grade steels using unselected scrap and the application of vacuum metallurgical processes. The demand for high grade steel in the South East Asia region is continuously increasing. However, the production volume of such steel grades in South East Asia is very small and currently all major countries in the region import high grade steel with an annual value of more than three billion USD. The production of high grade steel, such as hot or cold work tool steels and high speed steel requires the use of vacuum metallurgical processes to meet the required metallurgical properties, notably low hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus concentrations. In addition, melting and processing of these alloys under vacuum or controlled inert gas atmosphere is mandatory in order to avoid oxide formation of the main alloying elements such as iron, nickel and chromium. Some alloys require secondary and triple melting in order to meet the integrity requirements for use in critical industries, such as the aerospace or nuclear sectors. Scrap is a valuable source of raw material in the manufacturing of high grade steels using the process chain: Electro Arc Melting, Vacuum Induction Melting and Electro Slag Re-melting or Vacuum Arc Re-Melting. This three-stage production process enables the refining of the scrap and the manufacturing of a variety of high grade steels. The aforementioned process rout can be preferably used for small to medium heat sizes of less than 3 - 20 ton This paper considers the cost-efficient and high-quality production of high grade steels using unselected scrap and the application of vacuum metallurgical processes.

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