OREANDA-NEWS. March 28, 2011. One of the important stages of production renewal planned at BMZ within the next years is the reconstruction of continuous casting machine No.2. Terms of renewal have been recently discussed by plant specialists with representatives of Siemens VAI, reported the press-centre of BMZ.

Realization of such complicated project is caused by number of reasons. On the one hand there is long-felt need to replace equipment of the first and second production levels of the company CEDA that has been used for more than 25 years and also equipment of the Shop of controlling and measuring apparatus and automatic devices that are being used now intensively twenty-four-hours. The second motivating factor is assigned for the plant task to increase the production output.

Present annual capacity of continuous casting machine No.2 is 856 thousand tonnes. Having 5 meters radius machine it is impossible to increase casting output without quality losses. The reconstruction will give possibility to increase the steel casting output up to 1 200 thousand tonnes per year. That will be quality, alloy and carbon steel grades. This achievement can be possible mainly by increasing of machine radius up to 8 meters. Besides, it will be required to lower continuous casting machine to minus level. New machine will have also increased tundish ladle capacity that will allow to exclude the pulling of non-metallic inclusions into steel. Among innovations the replacement of hydraulic shears for gas-oxygen cutting can be mentioned.

Hexactinal machine differing high automation level will give possibility to cast billets in sizes of 125x125 and 140x140 mm and will be equipped for open and close casting. When engineering also energy saving will be attended. For instance, for heating of tundish ladles up-to-date cost-effective equipment will be installed. “It is important for us you have minimal fuel consumption,” project manager of Siemens VAI Aksel Mattis noted.

At present Siemens VAI implements similar projects at key steel works worldwide: in China, India, Russia and Ukraine.

According to Director of Byelorussian division of Siemens VAI Nikita Mihevich, - Siemens VAI is glad to participate in so important for Byelorussian Steel Works project – the reconstruction of continuous casting machine No.2. “We will apply our best competences and know-how for its successful implementation. The project will be carried out in several steps and take 2 years as the most. Specialists of Siemens VAI will do their best in order that the reconstruction of continuous casting machine No.2. will become the confident step for plant in realization of modernization program planned for the next 5 years.”