Kawasaki-Technica type Horizontal Continuous Caster (COMPUTOCAST) was installed at YachiyoWorks of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. in 1982, and various grades of steel has been cast in square and round billets. Recently, the caster equipped with new mold system for 40 mm×200 mm mini-slab has been in operation so as to establish thin slab casting technology.
This new equipment was developed to be applied to thinner and wider sections with new devices of 1) divided break rings 2) combined plate mold 3) adjustable mold plates. In order to optimize the above devices, the lengths of each part of mold were decided according to the simulation of solidification and the analysis of bulging. The casting of manganese steel (SMn443) with this new mold system has been carried out, which proved that the mini-slab with accurate dimentions and desirable quality was obtained with this system.
Furthermore, on the basis of the above technology, the equipments for 20 mm×200 mm section (stainless steel-SUS304) and cross-shape section (SMn443) were manufactured and it has also resulted in successful castings.
