A protective and abradable coating composition is suitable for application on rolls and more particularly for application on conveyor rolls. The abradable coating is suitable for use in high temperature applications. Rolls incorporating the coating may be produced and used according to disclosed processes and procedures. Application of the composition to rolls reduces corrosion by aluminium melt, and enables the removal of built-up substances by friction. The life time of the roll is thereby increased.

A transport roller brush assembly that includes a base that is constructed to support a plurality of brush wires such that the plurality of brush wires are oriented to extend in a radial direction relative to an axis of rotation of an underlying material transport roller. The base is preferably split into at least two arcuate portions that can be removeably secured to one another preferably via cooperation of a plurality of collar or collar portions and such that the respective and preferably two arcuate portions generally circumscribe a transport roller when the base is secured thereto. Discrete brush assemblies are preferably provided in a plurality of inner and outer radial dimensions such that roller brush assemblies as disclosed herein can be used with transport rollers of various outer radial dimensions.

An apparatus for heating steel products, in particular billets, includes a heating chamber, a plane of advance defined inside the heating chamber and feed and extraction components for the steel products.

A method for manufacturing a steel component from a blank is provided. Firstly, a blank is placed in a conveyor system. Then, at least a preselected zone of the blank is preheated while the blank is retained at a predetermined preheating location. Finally, the blank is conveyed through a furnace. A preheating system for heating blanks in a production line is also provided.

A roller transport assembly includes a cart assembly and a roller carriage assembly. The roller carriage assembly is slidably mounted to the cart assembly and has at least one chamber for housing a roller. Each of the chambers includes a linear rail extending along a first axis and a roller coupling device attached to and slidable along the linear rail. The roller coupling device is operable to couple to the roller and move the roller along the first axis adjacent and parallel with the linear rail.

Provided is a hearth roll for supporting and conveying a steel sheet in a continuous annealing furnace, wherein all of a shaft portion and a roil main body are made from one or more ceramic materials, preferably constituted with concentric ceramic layers of different ceramic materials centering on the rotation shaft of the roll. The hearth roll has not only an excellent pickup resistance but also a long roll life free from maintenance for long periods. Also provided is a continuous annealing facility using the hearth roll in at least one of a heating zone, a soaking zone and a cooling zone.

An integral metal end cap for use in a conveyor roll assembly is suitable for use in an environment subject to significant temperature variation. The metal end cap comprises a first end connectable to rotary means, and a second end comprising an integral body adapted to fit over the end of a ceramic spool. The integral body contains a torque transmission portion having a plurality of deformable strips enabling transmission of torque during temperature variations. A conveyor roll assembly comprises a ceramic spool having a longitudinal axis and, at least at one end of the ceramic spool, a metal end cap as described.

An integral metal end cap for use in a conveyor roll assembly is suitable for use in an environment subject to significant temperature variation. The metal end cap comprises a first end connectable to rotary means, and a second end comprising an integral body adapted to fit over the end of a ceramic spool. The integral body contains a torque transmission portion having a plurality of deformable strips enabling transmission of torque during temperature variations. A conveyor roll assembly comprises a ceramic spool having a longitudinal axis and, at least at one end of the ceramic spool, a metal end cap as described.

A roller bearing replacement device for replacement or exchange of a roller bearing of a roller hearth furnace includes a housing that can be sealed off from the environment or external atmosphere that has a sluice through which access to the roller bearing of the roller hearth furnace that is to be replaced from the inside of the housing while excluding the external atmosphere is possible, and at least one roller bearing handling device that is designed for demounting and installing roller bearings and is arranged moveably in the housing and which can be at least partly moved out of the housing through the sluice. Roller bearing replacement or exchange is possible without the roller bearing getting tilted or twisted through its movement during demounting or assembly as the case may be in the roller hearth furnace. The roller bearing replacement device furthermore has a height adjusting device that is coupled with the housing; this height adjusting device is designed and constructed to position the housing vertically and to align the housing on a horizontal plane.

The invention relates to an uncooled furnace roll (1) for transporting continuously cast material from a continuous casting facility, and to a method for the production of such a furnace roll. The furnace roll (1) comprises a cylindrical roll body (2), conical end pieces (6) being attached to the end faces (8) of the roll body. Inside the furnace roll (1) a hollow space (4) is provided in the region of the roll body (2) and/or in the region of at least one conical end piece, said hollow space being sealed off from the atmosphere (A) and being placed under vacuum.