Primetals announces 150th order for continuous caster process optimization

One of China's largest steel producers recently awarded Primetals an order to optimize the processes of one of its continuous casters. This is Primetals´ 150th order in the last ten years alone for process automation systems (Level 2) in continuous casting. Advanced automation packages and cyber-physical models are in especially high demand. Continuous caster operators save time and money by obtaining metallurgic and digitalization know-how from a single source. A major driver in this business is the high demand in the USA and China. Solutions from Primetals Technologies for the automation and digitalization of continuous casters are increasingly being installed on third-party plants. Steel producers are showing growing interest in ”digital twins”.

Advanced automation packages and cyber-physical models

Steel producers want to cast many grades of steel, slab thicknesses and widths on a continuous caster that produces at a high level of productivity and consistently high quality without stopping. Nowadays, advanced automation packages and cyber-physical models (“digital twins“) with a high degree of digitalization are ”state-of-the-art“ and form the basis for the ongoing optimization of production processes. As Dr. Peter Juza, head of the Electrical & Automation division in Linz, explained: ”In keeping with these demands, we have been continually developing our solutions in recent years, and can now offer our customers the most comprehensive portfolio for the automation, digitalization and optimization of continuous casters. The number of orders in this sector more than doubled during the last fiscal year.”

Business drivers: the USA, China and installations on third-party plants

The large, long-standing customer base is one of the reasons for the large number of orders for optimizing continuous caster processes. Many steel producers want to benefit from the ongoing further development of software solutions from Primetals Technologies and therefore update their systems regularly. Lively investment in the USA and China is a further factor behind the booming business. Furthermore, in the last fiscal year, the number of orders for installations in third-party plants increased substantially throughout the world.

Source and photo: Primetals Technologies