Provided herein is a system, apparatus, and method for continuous casting of metal, and more particularly, to a mechanism for controlling the shape of a direct chill casting mold to dynamically control a profile of an ingot cast from the mold during the casting process. Embodiments may provide an apparatus for casting material including: first and second opposing side walls; first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, where the first and second opposing side walls and the first and second opposing end walls form a generally rectangular shaped mold cavity. At least one of the first and second opposing side walls may include two or more contact regions, where each of the two or more contact regions may be configured to be displaced relative to a straight line along the side wall.

A method for setting a conicity of a die of a strand casting installation during a casting procedure, including the steps of: measuring temperature values along a centric measuring path running in a casting direction along an adjustably disposed die wall; measuring temperature values along a peripheral measuring path running in a casting direction along the adjustably disposed die wall, wherein the peripheral measuring path runs between the centric measuring path and a lateral periphery of the die wall, and a spacing of the peripheral measuring path from the lateral periphery of the die wall is smaller than a spacing of the centric measuring path from the other lateral periphery of the die wall; determining a centric temperature distribution curve along the centric measuring path from the temperature values measured along the centric measuring path; determining a peripheral temperature distribution curve along the peripheral measuring path from the temperature values measured along the peripheral measuring path; determining a first area under the centric temperature distribution curve, and a second area under the peripheral temperature distribution curve; determining a difference between the second area and the first area; and setting the conicity of the die taking into account the difference.

A method for setting a conicity of a die of a strand casting installation during a casting procedure, including the steps of: measuring temperature values along a centric measuring path running in a casting direction along an adjustably disposed die wall; measuring temperature values along a peripheral measuring path running in a casting direction along the adjustably disposed die wall, wherein the peripheral measuring path runs between the centric measuring path and a lateral periphery of the die wall, and a spacing of the peripheral measuring path from the lateral periphery of the die wall is smaller than a spacing of the centric measuring path from the other lateral periphery of the die wall; determining a centric temperature distribution curve along the centric measuring path from the temperature values measured along the centric measuring path; determining a peripheral temperature distribution curve along the peripheral measuring path from the temperature values measured along the peripheral measuring path; determining a first area under the centric temperature distribution curve, and a second area under the peripheral temperature distribution curve; determining a difference between the second area and the first area; and setting the conicity of the die taking into account the difference.

The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for application of force in a compact form factor. An apparatus for application of force includes: a worm gear; a worm wheel gear engaged with the worm gear; a gear shaft coaxial to the worm gear and rotatably coupled to the worm wheel gear; a first threaded hole proximate a first end of the gear shaft; a second threaded hole proximate a second end of the gear shaft opposite the first end; a first threaded shaft received by the first threaded hole; and a second threaded shaft received by the second threaded hole, where the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft are configured to advance toward one another and away from one another responsive to rotation of the worm gear.

The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for application of force in a compact form factor. An apparatus for application of force includes: a worm gear; a worm wheel gear engaged with the worm gear; a gear shaft coaxial to the worm gear and rotatably coupled to the worm wheel gear; a first threaded hole proximate a first end of the gear shaft; a second threaded hole proximate a second end of the gear shaft opposite the first end; a first threaded shaft received by the first threaded hole; and a second threaded shaft received by the second threaded hole, where the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft are configured to advance toward one another and away from one another responsive to rotation of the worm gear.

An up-thawing continuous casting method includes drawing up molten metal (M1) held in a holding furnace (101), through a shape determining member (102) that determines a sectional shape of a cast casting (M3). The sectional shape determined by the shape determining member (102) includes a round-cornered portion, and a value (Rf) of a curvature radius of the round-cornered portion that is determined by the shape determining member (102) is smaller than a design value (Rt) of a curvature radius of a round-cornered portion of the casting (M3).

An up-thawing continuous casting method includes drawing up molten metal (M1) held in a holding furnace (101), through a shape determining member (102) that determines a sectional shape of a cast casting (M3). The sectional shape determined by the shape determining member (102) includes a round-cornered portion, and a value (Rf) of a curvature radius of the round-cornered portion that is determined by the shape determining member (102) is smaller than a design value (Rt) of a curvature radius of a round-cornered portion of the casting (M3).

A molten metal mold and bottom block system, including apparatus and method embodiments, which may include a mold cavity framework with a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposite the third side, each side including an inner surface and the inner surfaces defining a mold cavity, and wherein one or more of the sides are movably mounted relative to the second side, and are controllably moved during the casting. This system may also include embodiments wherein the castpart produced has a tapered form at one or both of the castpart ends. Aspects of this invention may be considered to be a castpart shrinkage management system or a castpart form or profile control system due to the advantage of increased controls of castpart form during the casting process.

A molten metal mold and bottom block system, including apparatus and method embodiments, which may include a mold cavity framework with a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposite the third side, each side including an inner surface and the inner surfaces defining a mold cavity, and wherein one or more of the sides are movably mounted relative to the second side, and are controllably moved during the casting. This system may also include embodiments wherein the castpart produced has a tapered form at one or both of the castpart ends. Aspects of this invention may be considered to be a castpart shrinkage management system or a castpart form or profile control system due to the advantage of increased controls of castpart form during the casting process.

A method for producing an ultra-thin strip of less than 0.8 mm from cast steel in batch/continuous operation with a casting-rolling system. The method includes casting a thin slab having a casting thickness of 90-150 mm and width of at least 1000 mm at a casting speed of 7 m/min. The thin slab is heated/homogenized to a first temperature in a continuous furnace and subsequently rolled by at least seven final roll stands into an ultra-thin band. Neither the thin slab nor strip undergo inductive heating during production. The thin slab rolling steps include rough rolling the thin slab at the heated/homogenized first temperature by a roughing stand; heating/homogenizing the rough-rolled thin slab to a second temperature by a further continuous furnace; and finally rolling the rough-rolled thin slab at the second temperature to the ultra-thin strip by the final roll stands arranged downstream of the further continuous furnace.