US 12,440,890 B2
Apparatus and method for producing and further processing of slabs
Luc Neumann, Düsseldorf (DE); Frank Lensing, Krefeld (DE); Christoph Klein, Kreuztal (DE); Michael Pogrebinski, Wuppertal (DE); Björn Kintscher, Velbert (DE); and Michael Pander, Cologne (DE)
Assigned to SMS group GmbH, Düsseldorf (DE)
Appl. No. 17/762,338
Filed by SMS group GmbH, Düsseldorf (DE)
PCT Filed Sep. 21, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/076298
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 21, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/058433, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 214 451.9 (DE), filed on Sep. 23, 2019; and application No. 10 2020 205 077.5 (DE), filed on Apr. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0339695 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B22D 11/16 (2006.01); B22D 11/12 (2006.01); B22D 11/126 (2006.01); B22D 11/14 (2006.01)
CPC B22D 11/163 (2013.01) [B22D 11/1206 (2013.01); B22D 11/1213 (2013.01); B22D 11/126 (2013.01); B22D 11/142 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus (100) for producing and further processing of slabs (3) of a metal, comprising:
a continuous casting apparatus (1), which is designed to produce a cast strand(S) and to transport it in a transport direction (T);
a cutting device (4), which is arranged behind the continuous casting apparatus (1), as seen in the transport direction (T), and is designed to cut the cast strand (S) into slabs (3);
a walking-beam furnace (2) which is arranged behind the cutting device (4), as seen in the transport direction (T), and which is configured to heat the slabs (3) to a forming temperature that is suitable for forming the slabs (3) in a rolling mill (12);
a slab storage facility (11);
a heating device (18) for preheating the slabs (3) that have undergone cooling in the slab storage facility (11);
a first route (R1) and a second route (R2) implementing, at least in some portions, different process lines for the further processing of the slabs (3); and
a process control system (8), which is designed
to make a route decision individually for each slab, which route decision assigns a corresponding slab (3) to the first route (R1) or to the second route (R2), and
to initiate further processing of the corresponding slab (3) along the assigned route (R1, R2),
wherein the first route (R1) is configured to insert the corresponding slab (3) into the furnace (2) substantially directly after cutting by the cutting device (4) such that the corresponding slab (3) is inserted into the furnace (2) with a surface temperature of 600° C. or more,
wherein the second route (R2) is configured
to feed the corresponding slab (3) to the slab storage facility (11) for intermediate storage after cutting by the cutting device (4),
to preheat the corresponding slab (3) that has undergone cooling in the slab storage facility (11) to a temperature of 600° C. or more, and
to discharge the corresponding slabs (3) in front of the furnace (2), and
wherein the process control system (8) is designed to make the route decision for the slab (3) based on a planned end use of the slab (3).