ISIJ International
Online ISSN : 1347-5460
Print ISSN : 0915-1559
ISSN-L : 0915-1559
Review
Production and Technology of Iron and Steel in Japan during 2013
The Technology SocietyThe Iron and Steel Institute of Japan
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2014 Volume 54 Issue 6 Pages 1177-1184

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1. Overview of the Japanese Iron and Steel Industry

The end of 2012 saw a change in the Japanese government and the inauguration of the Abe administration, and the year 2013 began amid high expectations for new change. The new Prime Minister, Shinzou Abe, presented an economic policy called “Abenomics” consisting of financial policy, fiscal policy, and a growth strategy, and implemented a set of emergency economic measures by bold monetary easing and a revised budget from the beginning of the year. As a result, economic conditions in Japan took a dramatic turn for the better, thanks also to a correction of the overvalued yen and rising stock prices. The real GDP growth rate was positive through the entire year, the rate of increase in commodity prices rose, and the total unemployment rate improved, confirming the effects of these new policies on the real economy. Nevertheless, there was an undeniable feeling that the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident of March 2011 had only begun, and a renewed recognition of the importance of continuing to move ahead steadily with recovery and reconstruction measures.

Supported by the favorable turn in economic conditions, Japan’s crude steel production reached a high level of 110.57 million tons in 2013, or an increase of 3.1% from the previous year. Raw material costs were stable in spite of the depreciation of the yen, and the price of steel products improved. As a result, the business performance of the steel industry improved, centering on the integrated steel makers. However, rising power costs contributed to a severe business environment for electric furnace steel makers. In Japan, moves toward reorganization of the steel industry continued, and also extended to the logistics industry and structural reform, as seen in blast furnace shutdowns at Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation and Kobe Steel, Ltd. On the other hand, there were also moves by Japanese integrated steel makers to acquire plants and upgrade manufacturing infrastructure overseas. Thus, the year was characterized by a gradual but steady shift from Japan to other countries. As conditions surrounding the iron and steel industry during 2013, the following summarizes trends in raw materials for iron and steel, trends in steel-consuming industries, the condition of crude steel production in Japan and other countries, the globalization of Japanese steel makers, and related topics.

1.1. Trends in Raw Materials for Iron and Steel

Since 2004, the prices of iron ore, metallurgical coal, and other raw materials for iron and steel had risen sharply due to a tight supply-and-demand situation accompanying increased demand in China. However, prices peaked in 2011 due to expanded supplies of iron ore from Australia, Brazil, etc. and metallurgical coal from Australia, Canada, and other countries, and showed a stable trend in 2013, continuing from the previous year. As an annual average, the price of raw material iron ore (Australia, fine ore) was on the US$120/ton level, or basically the same level as in 2012. Due to the tendency toward oversupply from Australia and Canada, the price of metallurgical coal (Australia, strongly caking coal) showed a further decline from 2012, reaching US$150/ton as an annual average in 2013. On the other hand, the issue of resource nationalism became increasingly apparent, as exemplified by the ban on exports of nickel ore under Indonesia’s New Mining Law of 2009 and similar moves.

1.2. Trends in Steel-consuming Industries

The following presents an outline of trends in steel-consuming industries based on the quarterly steel supply-and-demand report of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), etc. Details may be found in the original Japanese text or at the JISF website.

[Civil engineering] The Japanese government’s emergency economic stimulus package, announced in January 2013, reached a total of ¥10 trillion, including an additional amount of approximately ¥5 trillion for civil works and facilities, which was comparable to amount in the original budget. As a result, the value of orders for public works-type civil engineering projects showed high growth across the first half of the year.

[Construction] In residential construction, the number of new housing starts, which had fallen to the annual 800000 unit level after the Lehman Shock of 2008, recovered the 1 million unit level, buoyed by a buying rush ahead of the consumption tax increase scheduled for April 2014, among other factors. Construction starts (floor space) also showed a firm increase in the nonresidential field.

[Shipbuilding] A large amount of the new ship construction orders placed prior to the Lehman Shock was completed, and there was no change in the stagnation in marine transport due to the sluggish global economy. However, contracts for ships for export increased from the beginning of 2013.

[Automobiles] Domestic unit sales are expected to exceed the previous fiscal year due to the increasing popularity of light automobiles, the effect of hybrids and other new models, and the like. Unit sales of 4-wheeled vehicles during calendar 2013 decreased by 3.1% from the previous year, to 9.63 million.1)

[Industrial machinery] Strong production activity is expected in construction machinery, led by demand related to disaster recovery effort, and if external demand is included, a gradually recovering tendency can be seen. In transportation machinery, a favorable trend is expected against the backdrop of investment for rationalization and others. Boilers and motors are expected to exceed the results of the previous fiscal year, as demand in the power industry in Japan and external demand in the emerging economies is foreseen.

[Electrical machinery] The electrical machinery industry has recovered thanks to external-led demand due to growth in demand for electric power, particularly in the emerging economies, but in the domestic market, conditions for sales to power companies remain difficult. The level of activity in household appliances, electronic products, and white goods was underpinned by the buying rush ahead of the consumption tax increase and the effect of an unusually hot summer/late summer. On the other hand, electronic products were largely stagnant due to a downturn following the transition to digital terrestrial television.

1.3. Crude Steel Production

Crude steel production in Japan during calendar year 2013 was 110.57 million tons, or an increase of 3.1% from the previous year. Production was on the 100 million ton level for the fourth consecutive year following the Lehman Shock and exceeded 110 million tons for the first time in 5 years. By furnace type, converter steel comprised 85.68 million tons and electric furnace steel comprised 24.89 million tons. In comparison with the previous year, production of converter steel increased by 3.37 million tons, while electric furnace steel decreased by 40000 tons (Fig. 1).2)

Fig. 1.

Transition of crude steel production in Japan (calendar year).2)

During calendar year 2013, world steel production increased by 3.1% in comparison with 2012, reaching 1607.23 million tons,3) and continued to show a rising trend, exceeding 1600 million tons for the first time. The top ten crude steel producers were led by China, Japan, and the United States, as shown in Table 1. China’s crude steel production grew by 6.6% against the previous year and continued to show a high growth rate, as in recent years. The other countries reporting growth of crude steel production were Japan (3.1%) and India (5.0%). With the exception of China, Japan, and India, all other countries in the top 10 showed minus growth trends against the previous year.

Table 1. Top 10 crude steel producing countries.3)
2013
Top 10
2010
(Mt)
2011
(Mt)
Growth rate from previous year
2011/2010 (%)
2012
(Mt)
Growth rate from previous year
2012/2011 (%)
2013
(Mt)
Growth rate from previous year
2013/2012 (%)
1China638.7702.09.9731.04.1779.06.6
2Japan109.6107.6▲ 1.8107.2▲ 0.4110.63.1
3US80.586.47.388.72.787.0▲1.9
4India69.073.56.577.35.281.25.0
5Russia66.968.93.070.42.269.4▲1.4
6Korea58.968.516.369.10.966.0▲4.5
7Germany43.844.31.142.7▲ 3.642.6▲0.2
8Turkey29.134.117.235.95.334.7▲3.3
9Brazil32.935.27.034.5▲ 2.034.2▲0.9
10Ukraine33.435.35.733.0▲ 6.532.8▲0.6

The operating rate in the world steel industry at the end of 2013 was 74.2%,3) which was an improvement from 72.0% at the end of 2012. In production capacity, a remarkable overcapacity condition continued, particularly in China.

According to the forecast of domestic steel demand for FY 2014 published by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, declines in personal consumption and housing investment due to anti-demand sentiment accompanying the consumption tax increase in April are unavoidable. However, the Japanese economy is expected to maintain positive growth, supported by a recovery in capital expenditures due to improved corporate profitability, recovery of exports led by the recovery of overseas economies, centering on the United States, and similar factors.4)

1.4. Globalization of the Japanese Steel Industry

There were also reports of overseas development by Japan’s steel makers during 2013. Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal reported the start of mass production and commercial operation of automotive steel tube businesses in India and Mexico in June, the start of commercial operation of hot-dip galvanized steel sheet plants in Mexico and Thailand in September–October, and an increase in the capacity of its joint venture for automotive steel sheets in China in September. At the end of November, the company also announced the acquisition of the US steel sheet plant of ThyssenKrupp and reorganization of that facility as a joint venture with Arcelor Mittal.

JFE Steel Corporation started operation of a hot-dip galvanized steel strip production line in Thailand in April and held the Opening Ceremony for the plant in November. JFE also reported construction of an automotive hot-dip galvanizing line in Indonesia in June.

Kobe Steel started operation of a manufacturing and sales company for high grade spring steel wire in China, which the company established in March, started commercial operation of a continuous annealing line for automotive high strength cold-rolled steel sheets in North America in May, and concluded an agreement on a joint venture for production of automotive high strength cold-rolled steel sheets in China in October.

The progress of production technology for iron and steel in 2013 is reviewed in the following.

2. Technology and Equipment

2.1. Technical Environment of the Japanese Steel Industry

With the recovery of business conditions in Japan, Japanese crude steel production reached a level exceeding 110 million tons for the first time in 5 years. Amid these trends, directions for structural reform, including blast furnace shutdowns, were worked out at the production sites of several Japanese companies. On the other hand, 2013 was a year of great progress in moves to shift production overseas, beginning with automotive steel sheets. As a global warming countermeasure by the iron and steel industry, there were reports that it will be possible to achieve the target of the Voluntary Action Plan, namely, reducing energy consumption in iron and steel production processes by 10% from the baseline year (1990) as an annual average for 5 years from 2008 to 2012 preconditioned on crude steel production of 100 million tons/year.

Next, great progress was also made in National Projects deeply related to the iron and steel industry during 2013. First, the iron and steel industry is devoting its full efforts to COURSE50 (CO2 Ultimate Reduction in Steelmaking Process by Innovative Technology for Cool Earth 50). The Step 1 (2008–2012) of Phase 1 was completed by 2012, and the project advanced to Step 2, in which construction of an experimental blast furnace and tests involving continuous reduction of hydrogen and separation and recovery of CO2 are scheduled. Second, in the new National Project “New Structural Systems Using Innovative New Structural Materials,” for which the iron and steel technology field led the planning and proposal, the project organized a technology research association and began technical research. This is a project in which technical development will be carried out over a long timeframe of 10 years, and efforts targeting multi-material structures for auto bodies are expected.

The following introduces the main technological trends by field and the technical topics of the Sustaining Member Companies of the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan.

2.2. Iron-making

Pig iron production in calendar year 2013 was 83.85 million tons, which as an increase of 3.0% from the 81.41 million tons of 2012.5) Blast furnace productivity increased to 1.94 t/m3-d from 1.88 t/m3-d in 2012. In 2013, there was no change in the operating blast furnace status from the previous year, as 27 blast furnaces were in operation at year-end. The number of blast furnaces with inner volumes of more than 5000 m3 (13) was also the same as at the end of 2012.

At Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal’s Nagoya Works, construction of a coke oven, in which the next-generation cokemaking process “SCOPE21” was introduced, was completed in June as the site’s No. 2 plant. The new plant is expected to expand the use of low-grade metallurgical coal, achieve a substantial energy saving effect, etc. by improving coke quality by fast preheating of metallurgical coal, shortening of production time, and other improvements.

2.3. Steelmaking

Crude steel production in calendar year 2013 was 110.57 million tons, or an increase of 3.1% in comparison with 107.23 million tons in 2012 (Fig. 1). The continuous casting ratio among rolling slab/ingot is shown in Fig. 2.5) The continuous casting ratio maintained a high level of 99.9% for ordinary steel and increased to 97.1% for special steel.

Fig. 2.

Change of continuous casting ratio.5)

At Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd. Shunan Works, out-of-furnace mechanical-stirring desulfurization equipment, which was the first of its kind in the world, was introduced as a stainless steel manufacturing process. This innovative technology achieves zero use of CaF2 in the electric furnace simultaneously with a large reduction in energy unit consumption.

Daido Steel Co., Ltd. completed an investment of approximately ¥20 billion to strength the steelmaking process (steelmaking process reform) at its Chita Works and began a hot run in November 2013. Production capacity was increased and quality/cost competitiveness were strengthened by construction of a new 150 t electric furnace, rectification of the material flow, etc. Following confirmation of material properties, the company foresees a switchover to production by the new steelmaking process in early FY 2014 (beginning April 1, 2014).

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal and Toho Titanium Co., Ltd. established a joint venture in the field of titanium alloy production for aircraft and announced a joint start of business in April 2014. In addition to one electron beam (EB) furnace owned by Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal’s Naoetsu Works, the company also newly purchased two vacuum arc remelting (VAR) furnaces owned by Osaka Titanium Technologies. The company aims to secure a homogeneous composition in titanium ingots, which are an intermediate product, increasing production capacity, and improving quality and cost competitiveness.

2.4. Sheets, Plates, and Pipes

2.4.1. Sheets

JFE Steel developed a “High-Speed Rolling Technology by Hybrid-Lubrication System in Tandem Cold Rolling Mill” which satisfies both excellent lubrication in high speed rolling and reduction of rolling oil consumption. This technology received the FY 2013 Prize of the Japan Society for Technology of Plasticity, and actively controls the behavior by which oil droplets in an emulsion form an oil film on the surface of steel strips, based on a lubricant feed system for circulating use of an emulsion in which an ester-based synthetic lubricating oil is emulsified at low concentration (1–3%) by a surfactant.

Japanese steel makers are also actively engaged in development of use technologies. Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal developed a simple, accurate method of evaluating the fatigue strength of thin stainless steel sheets when processed as gaskets. The company also developed a direct water-cooled die technology which greatly shortens the holding time at the bottom dead point during forming in hot stamping, and a revolutionary new press method which enables easy forming of ultra-high strength steels.

JFE Steel and Hitachi, Ltd. jointly developed an evaluation system for coated steel sheets, which enables accurate evaluation under actual use environments. This method was standardized by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in March 2013.

2.4.2. Plates

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal developed a 6%Cr-high Al-added low alloy steel material that provides excellent corrosion resistance in high salt-damage environments when used in combination with an inorganic Zn primer. This material stably maintains the passivation state of the steel plate surface, and secures excellent red rust resistance in high salt-damage environments by actively utilizing the sacrificial Zn corrosion protection mechanism and corrosion products; it is an outstanding low alloy steel from the viewpoint of global environmental-friendliness.

JFE Steel expanded the maximum plate thickness of tensile strength 590 N/mm2 class high strength steel plates for building construction by two times, to 100 mm, and obtained the approval of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in September 2013.

2.4.3. Steel Pipes

A new company named Nippon Steel & Sumikin Pipe Co., Ltd. was launched as a result of a merger of two manufacturers of welded steel pipes, Sumitomo Pipe & Tube Co., Ltd. and Nittetsu Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. In addition to heightening synergies by concentrating the technologies and know-how of the two former companies, the new company is strengthening its product lines and carrying out a reorganization aimed at optimizing its production system, thereby achieving higher efficiency in the business system and enhancing its ability to respond to customers.

JFE Steel developed an API X80 grade high strength, heavy wall electric resistance welded (ERW) steel pipe with a wall thickness exceeding 20 mm. The new pipe was supplied jointly with Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. to an energy development company in Australia as an ERW pipe that satisfies both the strength and thickness requirements for withstanding external pressures in deep sea environments.

2.5. Measurement, Systems, and Analysis

JFE Steel developed a technology which selectively extracts and controls periodic components in standing waves in mold meniscus level control in continuous casting. The new technology has been used in the commercial process since 2011 and is contributing to increased casting speed. For the bar rolling mill, JFE developed a system that displays guidance on the caliber roll arrangement by using image processing technology; this system has been in operation since installation at JFE Steel’s West Japan Works (Kurashiki District) in 2008. The company also achieved a reduction in variations in the tensile strength of cold-rolled steel sheets by applying to the cold-rolling process a technology that constructs the optimum predictive model each time operation is performed based on a large volume of actual operational data.

Daido Steel Co., Ltd. developed an operation support system for the A.C. electric furnace which judges the timing of meltdown of steel scrap by the higher harmonics of the A.C. furnace and sound generated in the furnace, and began sales in April 2013.

Among analysis-related topics, JFE Steel developed a device that enables analysis of the sulfur content in iron and steel materials to the 0.1 ppm level by combining the high speed which is a strong point of the high frequency combustion method and the high sensitivity and low interference component which are advantages of the ultraviolet fluorescence method.

2.6. Environment and Energy

2.6.1. Government Efforts

The 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP19) and the 9th session of Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP9) were held in Warsaw, Poland from November 11 to 28, 2013.6)

As results of discussions in the high-level segment through working level negotiations in the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) and sessions of two Subsidiary Bodies, agreement was finally reached on i) decisions including the work plan (structure and timeline) for ADP7, ii) a series of decisions on climate funding (financial contribution), and iii) decisions on loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, etc. In a statement to the high-level segment, Japan’s Minster of the Environment, Nobuteru Ishihara, noted that Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions for the First Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol are forecast to be 8.2% lower than the target, and as a result, Japan has achieved its 6% reduction target. Mr. Ishihara also mentioned that Japan has set a reduction target of 3.8% compared to the 2005 level, which is to be achieved by 2020.6)

2.6.2. Efforts of the Japanese Steel Industry

The Japan Iron and Steel Federation has established a “Voluntary Action Programme for the Iron and Steel Industry” and is promoting the following efforts.7)

1) Energy conservation in iron and steel production processes

(1) Assuming annual crude steel production of 100 million tons, the goal is to achieve a 10% reduction in energy consumption in iron and steel production processes by FY 2010 compared with the baseline year, FY 1990. (A 10% reduction of energy consumption is assumed to be equivalent to a 9% reduction in CO2 emissions.)

(2) However, even if crude steel production exceeds 100 million tons, the steel industry will make the maximum possible effort to achieve this target, including use of Kyoto Protocol mechanisms.

(3) The 10% reduction target is to be achieved based on average energy consumption for the five-year period ending in FY 2012.

2) Contribution to energy conservation outside the steel industry

(1) Reuse of one million tons of waste plastics and other materials, assuming establishment of the required collection system.

(2) Contribution to energy conservation in society through steel products and byproducts.

(3) Contribution to energy conservation through international technical cooperation.

(4) Utilization of unused energy at steel mills in neighboring areas.

(5) Strengthening of efforts in the consumer, business, and transportation sectors.

3) Development of revolutionary technologies (COURSE50)

(1) Technology for CO2 separation and recovery from blast furnace gas.

(2) Iron ore reduction technology using reformed hydrogen from coke oven gas.

As results of this Voluntary Action Programme for FY 2012 (90 participating companies), crude steel production was 103.944 million tons, or a 0.7% decrease from FY 1990, and thanks to active promotion of energy conservation measures, energy consumption in FY 2012 was 2227 PJ, or a reduction of 8.7% from FY 1990. Energy-originated CO2 emissions decreased 185.8 million t-CO2, for a 7.4% decrease in comparison with FY 1990.7) As an annual average for the period FY 2008–2012, energy consumption was 2187 PJ; this was a decrease of 10.7% from FY 1990 and thus achieved the target of a 10% reduction. The average of energy-originated CO2 emissions for the same period was 179.5 million t-CO2, which was a decrease of 10.5% from FY 1990 and satisfied the industry’s 9% reduction target.7)

The Japan Iron and Steel Federation has laid out the following direction for the Japanese steel industry: “The Japanese steel industry will endeavor to further improve its energy efficiency, which is currently on the world’s highest level. With Japan continuing to serve as a base for production and development, the industry will present to the world eco-processes, eco-products, and eco-solutions, while strengthening industrial cooperation with manufacturing industries, and thereby will contribute to the growth of the Japanese economy and creation of employment, while also grappling with measures for controlling global warming.” Among these goals, it is estimated that eco-products contributed to a reduction of 23.62 million tons-CO2 in the stage of use as final products.7) It is also estimated that eco-solutions contributed approximately 46.92 million tons-CO2 in reductions at the global scale by transfer and dissemination of the world’s most advanced energy saving technologies, centering on the developing countries.7)

In the area of “Development of revolutionary technologies,” the Japanese steel industry is grappling with COURSE50 (CO2 Ultimate Reduction in Steelmaking Process by Innovative Technology for Cool Earth 50), with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 30% by reduction of CO2 emissions from the blast furnace and separation/recovery of CO2 from blast furnace gas. Step 1 of Phase 1 was completed in 2012, and development in Step 2 of Phase 1 began in 2013 with a scheduled five year timeframe. The primary purpose of Step 2 is “Comprehensive development of hydrogen reduction and separation/recovery,” focusing mainly on a pilot plant of blast furnace. In order to establish a blast operating technology that maximizes the effect of hydrogen reduction, combined tests with a test CO2 separation plant and the test blast furnace are scheduled.7)

As examples of application of steel slag to environmental remediation and environmental improvement, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal utilized converter slag fertilizer in a demonstration project in the Soma district of Fukushima Prefecture as a salt removal countermeasure for farmland damaged by the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and demonstrated the effectiveness of this method. JFE Steel cooperated in demonstration projects in which steelmaking slag blocks were used in the construction of a reef for cultivating seaweed beds on the coastline in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and in a demonstration test of the use of steelmaking slag to suppress sulfides in Fukuyama Inner Harbor.

In the energy field, Kobe Steel developed a high heat transfer titanium sheet for use in plate heat exchangers, achieving an improvement of approximately 20% in heat transfer performance. The new sheet was adopted for the heat exchangers at a 50 kW demonstration plant which is to be used in an ocean thermal energy conversion power generation demonstration project for advanced use of deep seawater in Okinawa Prefecture.

2.7. Construction and Civil Engineering

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal developed a technology for reuse of mud containing mixed debris. This technology was adopted at the end of 2012 in a disaster waste treatment project in Kamaishi City, which is located in the earthquake/tsunami disaster area, and approximately 200000 tons of tsunami deposits were treated by reuse. The company also developed a platform construction method in which factory-manufactured panels are assembled at the construction site by bolted connections. Steel houses constructed by this method were adopted for the Kaminakajima disaster recovery public housing project in Kamaishi City, and construction was completed in March 2013. In a joint project with Giken Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal developed a construction method for the wall portion of retaining walls and similar civil works, by combining hat-shaped steel pipe piles, which have excellent water cut-off performance, and steel pipe piles, which provide high rigidity; this method was registered in the MLIT New Technology Information System “NETIS” in July 2013.

3. Technology Trade and Development

3.1. Technology Trade

Figure 3 shows the balance of technology trade in the iron and steel industry up to FY 2012.8) The payments received for technology exports increased by 85% in comparison with the previous year, while payments for technology imports increased by 180%.

Fig. 3.

Balance of tecunology trade of steel.8)

3.2. Research Expenditures and Number of Researchers

The following three items were arranged using data in Companies, Etc. in Table 1 of “Statistical Survey of Researches in Japan” published by the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The results are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6.8)

Fig. 4.

Trend of the ratio of sales to research expenditure.8)

Fig. 5.

Trend of the number of researchers per 10000 employees.8)

Fig. 6.

Trend of the expenditure of R&D per regular researcher.8)

3.2.1. Ratio of Research Expenditures to Sales

Although this item has been essentially flat for the last three years in all industries, a decreasing tendency can be seen in the steel industry. In particular, the ratio of research expenditures in the steel industry decreased by 2.1% in comparison with FY 2009, declining from 1.39% to 1.18%.

3.2.2. Number of Regular Researchers per 10000 Employees

In both all industries and the steel industry, an increasing tendency continued until FY 2011. However, in FY 2012, slight decreases could be seen in both all industries and the steel industry.

3.2.3. Research Expenditures per Regular Researcher

Although failing to recover the level of FY 2008 before the Lehman Shock, all industries showed a slight increasing tendency during FY 2012. The steel industry returned to the FY 2008 level in 2011, but declined to the level of FY 2009–2010 in FY 2012.

3.3. Trends in Research and Development Utilizing Public Funds

Among iron and steel-related technical development projects, the main projects completed during FY 2012 included i) “CO2 Ultimate Reduction in Steelmaking Process by Innovative Technology for Cool Earth 50 (COURSE50)” (FY 2008–2012), ii) “Technological development of innovative iron making process to enhance flexibility of resources” (FY 2009–2012), and iii) Research and development for expanded use of hard-to-use steel scrap” (FY 2010–2012). Of these, COURSE50 completed Step 1 of Phase 1, and continuing from this, advanced to Step 2 (FY 2013–2017).

The main project begun in FY 2013 was “Technology development for innovative new structural materials” (FY 2013–2022; budget for FY 2013: ¥6050 million) under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). In this project, development of innovative aluminum materials, titanium materials, magnesium materials, steel sheets, carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), and the joining technologies necessary for using these materials in the optimum material and optimum location will be developed. An R&D consortium will be formed with participation from upstream to downstream by companies and other organizations which possess the technical “seeds” that will form the core of the joining technologies and respective material fields, including material manufacturers, material processors, auto makers, universities, and others in order to carry out research and development in organic collaboration. To implement the project a Governing Board will be established to promote cooperation for development of industrialization of results and problem-solving in industry, as well as active use of intellectual property and research facilities, in close cooperation with other projects such as the “Element strategy initiative for structural materials” of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

The main continuing projects include i) “COURSE50 Step 2” (FY 2013–2017), ii) “Hetero-structure-controlled metal materials project” (FY 2010–2019), and iii) “Technology project of advanced USC (A-USC) thermal power generation” (FY 2008–2016), among others.

The main projects on iron and steel-related research and technical development topics being carried out with public funds are shown in Table 2. Many of these topics are in the fields of processes, the environment and energy, materials development, etc.

Table 2. Examples of research topics with public funding in iron and steel industry.
CategorySubjectSource of funds and commissionBeginning fiscal yearEnding fiscal year
ProcessGrants-in-aid for Promotion of Domestic Siting - Second InvitationMETI20122014
Invetment promotion of state-of-the-art equipment to overcome the energy constraint and the appreciation of theYenMETI20132014
CO2 Ultimate reduction in Steelmaking process by innovative technology for cool Earth 50 (COURSE50)NEDO20132017
Elemental technologyGrants-in-Aid for Development of Element Technologies for Practical Application of Advanced USC (A-USC) Thermal Power GenerationMETI20082016
Development of Technologies for Hydrogen Production, Delivery, and Storage SystemsNEDO20102014
Hetero-Structure-Controlled Metal Materials ProjectJST20102019
Development of Energy Optimization Design SoftwareMETI20112014
Development of Core Technology for Next-generation 10MW Grade Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion PlantNEDO20112015
Element Strategy Project (Research Center Creation Type) Structural MaterialsMEXT20122021
ProductsTechnology Development Project of Advanced USC (A-USC) Thermal Power generationMETI20082016
New Material High Power Semiconductor for Realizing Low-Carbon SocietyMETI20102014
Development of Magnetic Materials for High Efficiency Motors for Next-generation AutomobilesMETI20122016
Development of material and member to achieve the advanced energy conservationMETI20132014
Development of innovative structual material technologyMETI20132022
OthersMathematical Theory for Modeling Complex Systems and its Transdisciplinary Application in Science and TechnologyJSPS20102014
METI:  Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

NEDO:  New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization

JST:  Japan Science and Technology Agency

MEXT:  Ministry of Education,Calture,Sports, Science and Technology

JSPS:  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

4. Development of Human Resources in Technical Fields

The Iron and Steel Institute of Japan (ISIJ) has conducted a variety of training projects to date (Iron and Steel Engineering Seminars, Iron and Steel Engineering Seminar special course, Advanced Iron and Steel Seminar, Student Iron and Steel Seminar) for cross-industry core human resources development. In FY 2013, as in FY 2012, the main focus of ISIJ training projects was the project to strengthen basic education, as the ISIJ continued the “Introduction to Iron and Steel Engineering” seminar for master’s level graduate students and the “Experiential Seminar on Advanced Iron and Steel” for undergraduates. This year’s “Introduction to Iron and Steel Engineering” was a 3-day seminar featuring lectures on the fundamentals of iron and steel engineering and technical development at the site by teachers from universities and companies, together with a plant tour on the final day (in FY 2013, Kobe Steel’s Kobe Works). A total of 42 students from 17 universities participated.

The “Experiential Seminar on Advanced Iron and Steel” is a 1-day seminar course that introduces advanced technologies related to iron and steel and the outlook for the future, and also includes a plant tour. Three seminars were held in FY 2013, at JFE Steel’s East Japan Works (Chiba District), Kobe Steel’s Kakogawa Works, and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal’s Nagoya Works. These seminars are also open to students in non-materials-related fields. The three seminars attracted a total of 75 participants.

“University Special Lectures by Top Management” were also held, continuing from FY 2012. This program is a series of lectures by members of the top management of steel companies, and is conducted to stimulate interest in industry by communicating the attractions of the steel industry as a manufacturing industry. This year’s lectures were held at 11 universities, including 7 National Universities, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama National University, and Waseda University which participated in FY 2012, together with Keio University as a new participant from FY 2013, and attracted a total of approximately 1500 students.

The seminars and lectures were all extremely well-received, as in the previous year, and are scheduled to be continued in the coming years.

5. Technology Creation Activities in the ISIJ

The ISIJ conducts a variety of activities in which it surveys technical information related to iron and steel production technologies, extracts issues for technology development, and works to solve problems related to iron and steel, centering on its Technical Committees and Interdisciplinary Technical Committees, which are part of the Technical Society of the ISIJ.

5.1. Technical Committees

The Technical Committees, which promote activities particular to the ISIJ, hold regular Committee Meetings to study important current issues as common/important topics, and actively discuss those issues. During FY 2013, the Technical Committees held 34 Committee Meetings (17 Spring Meetings, 17 Fall Meetings), which was the same number as in FY 2012. The total number of participants was 2650 (including a total of 53 university researchers and other outside researchers), or a decrease of 115 persons from the 2765 participants in FY 2012.

Industry-academic collaboration with the ISIJ’s Academic Divisions is also firmly established. The Technical Committees encourage various types of exchanges, such as participation of university researchers in Committee Meetings and planning of training for young persons, joint planning with the Academic Divisions.

Technical Subcommittees prioritize joint study of designated technical issues; 23 such Technical Subcommittees were active during the year. In addition to lecture meetings for young engineers and plant tours and lecture meetings with other industries, plans aiming at further activation of the Technical Subcommittees were also carried out, including a survey of overseas technologies, plant tours.

5.2. Interdisciplinary Technical Committees

Interdisciplinary Technical Committees, which study cross-field and inter-industry technical issues, conduct activities in principle within a 3-year timeframe. In FY 2013, the activities of the Interdisciplinary Technical Committee on “Technologies for improvement of reliability of practical structural steels” entered their 2nd year and included a survey of the literature, etc. The Interdisciplinary Technical Committee on “Desirable steel materials for automobiles” conducted plant tours, lectures, meetings, etc. while continuing to explore the proper form of a new cooperative relationship with auto makers. Three working Groups, the “Working Group on Pressure Vessel Material Technologies,” the “Working Group on Study of Standards for Steel Materials,” and the “Working Group on Evaluation of Hydrogen Embrittlement of Steel Materials for Chemical Plants,” carried out respective activities, which included survey research, experimental research, etc. and summarized their results.

5.3. Research Grants and Research Groups

In “Grants for Promotion of Iron and Steel Research,” 36 new projects were selected as grant recipients (including 13 by young researchers). Combined with the 41 projects selected in FY 2012, this program currently supports a total of 77 projects.

During FY 2013, 19 Research Groups were active, of which 6 were concluded during the fiscal year. Six new activities each were begun in Research Group I (“Seeds”) and Research Group II (“Needs”). For FY 2014, 4 activities were selected for type I research groups and 3 were selected for type II. In “Industry-originated Project Development Iron and Steel Research,” the topics that were selected in FY 2010 were concluded at the end of September, and those selected in FY 2011 were concluded at the end of March. Activities in two topics that were selected in FY 2012 and FY 2013 are currently in progress. There were no new proposals selected for FY 2014.

References
 
© 2014 by The Iron and Steel Institute of Japan
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