Flexible burden distribution control is one of the key tools in the iron making process, providing the operator with the means to control, influence and improve furnace operation overcoming limitations presented by the raw materials. The SIMETALCIS Gimbal Top charging system, as part of the overall Furnace Top, offers an infinitely flexible, fully-integrated charging solution for minimal investment, generating significant improvement in blast furnace operation and maintenance cost.

The paper introduces a slop detection algorithm, based on images taken by a CMOS camera aimed at the converter mouth. The proposed algorithm, with an accuracy and selectivity of 74% and 94% respectively, is relatively simple and can therefore easily be used in on-line applications.

The attachment mechanism of inclusions to bubbles has been studied with water model experiments under turbulent condition. Change in particle-number concentration indicates that the removal rate follows first order kinetics. It increases with particle diameters and particle contact angles.

Some highlights from the Jernkontoret Research with focus on the modeling work of the last decade are presented. First the concept of a fundamental mathematical model is discussed. Thereafter, a short review of growth and separation models based on fundamental modeling of ladles is presented. Then, recent modeling efforts within Jernkontoret's Research are highlighted.

Raw materials like metals and minerals contribute by 40% to the production costs of the industry, whereas the costs for energy are about 1.6%. Although these figures are for the total industrial production, the figures show that it can be expected that there is a great potential for cost savings in the steel production, too.

Thin organic coated steels have been widely used in the building industry due to their formability, anticorrosive and antifinger print characteristics. In this work paintability properties of these coated steels were studied. Several thin organic coated steel sheets were treated by means of a roll coater following standard procedures (primer + topcoat) and only with topcoat (in this case, the thin organic coating was used as a primer). Characterization tests were carried out in terms of gloss, hardness, adherence and corrosion resistance.

Fatigue design of structures for high temperature service resorts to modelling based on elasto-viscoplasticity constitutive laws. The new model describes complex anisothermal cyclic loadings, accounting for viscosity on a large range of strain. The new constitutive law that has been developed for nodular cast iron, is intended for the design of automotive parts for high temperature service.