Refractory products greatly affect steel quality and cleanliness. Some examples of interactions between refractories-slag-steel on steel desulfurization and carbon pick up in ultra-low carbon steel during the secondary treatment processes are presented. Consequences of refractory behaviour with respect to liquid steel cleanliness during continuous casting are examined : reoxidation of the metal, transfer of elements in the tundish, alumina clogging, etc. Methods for further improvements are indicated.

The Dunkirk RH-OB was one of the first in Europe and started in 1984. Since the beginning, its production has increased steadily and the proportion of decarburization treatments has become predominant. This performance has been made possible thanks to investments like an increased capacity of the vacuum pump and an enlargment of the diameter of the snorkel and to improvements in the process. The carbon level and the treatment time have been reduced continuously.

To clarify the efficiency of internal reduction at a continuous casting strand, a series of liquid core reduction tests with various shaped ingots was carried out, and the amount of internal reduction was determined by adding tracer into the liquid core. The result was discussed by deformation analysis, using the three-dimensional Finite Element Method. Factors influencing the internal reduction efficiency were assessed, and consequently, a regression equation to estimate the amount of internal reduction for any casting shapes and conditions was derived.

The steps of the conventional production process of stainless steel cold rolled strip are recalled, as well as the evolutions that have preceeded the design of the LC2i line. The advantages and constraints of this integrated and continuous line are outlined. The main equipments coupled in the line are described and their characteristics presented. Automation, work force training, TPM, protection of the environment have been essential features in the project.

The features of the continuous hot dip galvanization are recalled and it is shown that a process avoiding the contact between the strip and immersed rolls would be a step forward. Such a process has been imagined and studied by means of a water model. Tests on a pilot galvanization line have allowed to determine conditions where no contact occurs between the strip and the zinc containing tank. Stable operation is possible for a sufficient range of line speeds and strip tensions. The advantages of this technique are being verified using a pilot prototype.

VAI-Q Strip is a quality control system, based on physical-metallurgical models, for hot-rolled strip. This joint development of VOEST-ALPINE Industrieanlagenbau and VOEST-ALPINE Stahl Linz allows the automatic on-line control of the mechanical properties using very accurate prediction methods. Since the beginning of 2000, an extended version of the system is in operation at VOEST-ALPINE Stahl Linz and very good quality results, as well as cost savings, have been achieved.

Refractory ceramic fibre has been classified by the European Union as a category 2 carcinogen. At the request of the Usinor group's management, a working party involving medical doctors, users, refractory researchers and fibre manufacturers was set up to review refractory ceramic fibres applications in the steel plants, to measure fibrous dust in the atmosphere of work areas, to propose a code of practice applied to refractory fibres and finally to propose substitutes for refractory ceramic fibres where it is technically possible by a less dangerous substance.

The context of strong local sensitivity to dust emissions from an integrated steel plant like Sollac Dunkerque justifies the monitoring of the emissions of abnormally coloured smokes from this plant. In a first step, the watch was done "visually" by screening and counting the puff emissions through a set of seven cameras and magnetoscopes. The development of a new device making automatic picture analysis allowed to render the inspection automatic. The new system detects and counts the incidents and sends an alarm to the process operator. This way for automatic detection can be extended, after some tests, to other uses in the environmental field.

They have been applied to the production of plates, beams and bars for bridges, buildings and mechanical equipment. These products are characterized by a great metallographic homogeneity, high strength with minimized scatter, high toughness of the base metal and the welded joints, the possibility to weld without preheating, etc.

Iron-aluminium alloys containing up to 9 wt- for the development of high performance lightweight steels for automotive applications and for building constructions. Some of these alloys have a b.c.c. structure and have interesting physical and mechanical properties. Macro-alloying with manganese favours the formation of the austenite phase. Micro-alloying and thermomechanical processing including texture development will improve the plastic anisotropy properties and the strain hardening exponent.

The hydroforming technology is well-known since several years and undergoes an extremely dynamic development in automotive applications, especially in Germany and the United States. The hydrofoming of sheet metal pairs is still at a pre-industrial stage. This publication presents the process and draws attention to some particular results of research work. Principal working directions for investigations, regarding the transfer of the hydroforming process for sheet metal pairs to industry are mentioned.