The production process of continuously casting molten steel at high temperatures into cast strands with specific cross-sectional shapes and dimensions is known as continuous steel casting.
The equipment required to carry out this process is referred to as a continuous casting plant or system. The core machinery-comprising the steel pouring equipment, the continuous casting machine unit itself, the cutting zone equipment, and the dummy bar collection and transport systems-integrates mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic technologies and is commonly known simply as the continuous casting machine.
Because the machine is configured within a quarter-circle arc, it is lower in height than vertical or vertical-bending types; this results in lighter equipment weight, lower investment costs, and easier installation and maintenance, leading to widespread adoption.
The reduced height means the cast strand is subjected to lower ferrostatic pressure during solidification, which minimizes internal cracking and segregation caused by bulging deformation, thereby facilitating higher casting speeds and improved strand quality.
Reduced heating energy consumption: Continuously cast strands do not require reheating prior to rolling, cutting fuel gas consumption by approximately 50%.
Reduced metal loss: Losses from cropping the head and tail of the strand are reduced from the 10–15% seen in ingot casting to just 1–2% in continuous casting.
Optimized labor costs: Automated continuous casting lines can reduce the required number of operators by 70%.