The rotating lance, tested in the CaO-Mg and CaC2-Mg processes, promotes a 20% and 30% increase, respectively, in the desulphurization rate, a 50% reduction of temperature drop, and a reduction of metal splash occurrences. A criterion was developed that takes into account the equipment dimensions and the mass flow rates of gas and desulphurization material, with the objective of transposing the results obtained at Usiminas steel shop n°1 desulphurization station, to other industrial plants. Furthermore, it allows simulations to be made with the objective of optimizing the pig iron desulphurization processes that use the above mentioned materials as desulphurization agents.

Oxygen usage has played a crucial role in the ongoing EAF process improvement and has enabled furnace operators to optimize the chemical energy input, reaching unprecedented efficiencies and productivity. This article will present the fundamental principles governing the design of an optimized chemical energy system through scrap oxy-cutting and melting, decarburisation, post-combustion and slag foaming. It will be illustrated with industrial results obtained at the Vallourec Mannesmann Saint-Saulve site, where a PyreJetTM and ALARCTM PC system, using the newly designed DRAGON Panel, has been recently commissioned.

A new technique for automatic assessment of centre line segregation based on image analysis is presented. This innovative tool can detect both centre line segregation and centre line cracks from digitalized sulphur prints giving an objective result. A data base containing process data from the caster and the new index for segregation measurement have been created. First analyses of this data base by data mining tools have been performed showing very promising results.

New manufacturing technologies have been introduced by JFE Steel Chita Works to increase the availability of seamless pipes with lower as well as higher thicknesses. For rolling the thinner seamless pipes, new plug lubricants and cermet coatings have been developed and the roll gap control technology has been implemented. For rolling the thicker seamless pipes, a new plug has been designed that allows a new pass schedule through all mills. The quality assurance system has been improved with lower frequency ultrasonic waves.

LABEIN and ACB have developed a model to predict the mechanical properties of the hot rolled products, considering as a first step the hot rolling of thin slabs on the 7 stands hot strip mill (thin slab direct rolling) of the Sestao steelworks.
The thermomechanical model includes a thermal module and a deformation module. It is supplemented with a microstructural module and a mechanical properties module. The model has been validated versus industrial results. It also includes an optimizing module that makes it possible to define the most appropriate process evolutions to meet new product requirements.

Four hot rolled steel grades were produced by the thin slab casting with direct rolling technology at Acciaieria Arvedi S.p.A. (Cremona) and were coiled at two different temperatures. The steels are featured by different chemical compositions: one is low carbon Al killed and three are high strength low alloy (HSLA) characterized by the presence of Nb, V. The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of the different coiling temperature on the mechanical and formability properties as a function of the different chemical compositions in order to exploit the potential of the plant. The results about the induced strain aging appear interesting and are presented in this paper.