A continuous casting and rolling line for casting, rolling, and otherwise preparing metal strip can produce distributable metal strip without requiring cold rolling or the use of a solution heat treatment line. A metal strip can be continuously cast from a continuous casting device and coiled into a metal coil, optionally after being subjected to post-casting quenching. This intermediate coil can be stored until ready for hot rolling. The as-cast metal strip can undergo reheating prior to hot rolling, either during coil storage or immediately prior to hot rolling. The heated metal strip can be cooled to a rolling temperature and hot rolled through one or more roll stands. The rolled metal strip can optionally be reheated and quenched prior to coiling for delivery. This final coiled metal strip can be of the desired gauge and have the desired physical characteristics for distribution to a manufacturing facility.

A continuous casting and rolling line for casting, rolling, and otherwise preparing metal strip can produce distributable metal strip without requiring cold rolling or the use of a solution heat treatment line. A metal strip can be continuously cast from a continuous casting device and coiled into a metal coil, optionally after being subjected to post-casting quenching. This intermediate coil can be stored until ready for hot rolling. The as-cast metal strip can undergo reheating prior to hot rolling, either during coil storage or immediately prior to hot rolling. The heated metal strip can be cooled to a rolling temperature and hot rolled through one or more roll stands. The rolled metal strip can optionally be reheated and quenched prior to coiling for delivery. This final coiled metal strip can be of the desired gauge and have the desired physical characteristics for distribution to a manufacturing facility.

A system for on-line measuring the thickness of a continuous casting billet and adjusting a rolling reduction amount, is capable of giving an accurate, constant and rapid feedback on the thickness of the billet in the continuous casting process online, avoiding the deviation of the rolling reduction amount of the billet in the continuous casting production process which is triggered by the factors such as the capacity of the continuous casting equipment, the execution deviation of the rolling reduction process, the metal solidification attribute such as non-preset expansion and contraction, so as to maximize the function of the continuous casting rolling reduction and improve the solidification quality of the billet.

Continuous casting apparatus, comprising a mold and a crystallizer for the continuous casting of a metal product. The mold is provided with primary cooling means using a cooling fluid and associated with the walls of the crystallizer. A plurality of cooling members is installed downstream of the mold to perform a secondary cooling of the product, said cooling members comprising a plurality of delivery nozzles configured to deliver a liquid for cooling the product.

Method for the continuous casting of a product (P), chosen from billets or blooms, along a curved casting line (18), the method providing to cast a liquid metal (M) in a crystallizer (11) having a tubular cavity (12) with an octagonal cross section.

A continuous casting device having multi-stage convergence control is disclosed. Cooling surfaces of the continuous casting device can be articulated in stages, providing individual convergence control to longitudinally spaced-apart regions of the casting cavity. In a proximal region, during which the molten metal exhibits solidification shrinkage, a first convergence profile can be used to optimally account for the solidification shrinkage. In a subsequent distal region, a second convergence profile can be used, such as to provide optimal control of exit temperature of the continuously cast article. Multi-stage convergence control can be achieved through individually articulatable cooling pads or other supports positioned opposite the cooling surfaces from the casting cavity to displace the cooling surfaces and thereby adjust the convergence profile of the casting cavity. Actuation of the individually articulatable cooling pads can effect different convergence profiles along the length of the continuous casting device.

A continuous casting and rolling plant for the continuous production of steel bars or profiles, the plant comprising in sequence, along a processing line, a continuous casting machine adapted to cast a billet; a first cutting device; a second cutting device; a rolling train adapted to roll the billet; wherein the continuous casting machine comprises a crystallizer, and is adapted to cast the billet at least at a first casting speed v.sub.1 and at a second casting speed v.sub.2 greater than the first casting speed v.sub.1; wherein the first cutting device is arranged at a first distance from the crystallizer expressed in meters, along the processing line, calculated according to a specific mathematical relation.

In the continuous steel casting method of the present invention, a gap between strand support rolls with a strand in a rectangular shape interposed therebetween is increased toward a downstream side in a casting direction to thereby bulge the strand having an unsolidified layer thereinside such that the thickness between long-side surfaces of the strand increases within the range of 0.1% or more and 10% or less of the thickness of the strand inside a mold. A portion of the strand in which the solid phase fraction in a central portion of the strand is within the range of 0.2 or more and less than 0.9 satisfies a prescribed total rolling reduction and a prescribed reduction gradient, and a portion of the strand in which the solid phase fraction is within the range of 0.9 or more satisfies a prescribed total rolling reduction and a prescribed reduction gradient.

Described herein are thin metal strips having hot rolled exterior side surfaces characterized as being primarily or substantially free of all prior austenite grain boundaries, or at least primarily or substantially free of all prior austenite grain boundaries, and including elongated surface structure. As a result, because the prior austenite grain boundaries are not primarily or substantially present, all such prior austenite grain boundaries are not susceptible to grain boundary etching due to acid etching or pickling. In particular examples, the thin metal strips undergo hot rolling performed with a coefficient of friction equal to or greater than 0.20 with or without use of lubrication.

A non-scaling heat-treatable steel with particular suitability for producing hardened or die-hardened components is disclosed, characterized by the following chemical composition in % by weight: C 0.04-0.50; Mn 0.5-6.0; Al 0.5-3.0; Si 0.05-3.0; Cr 0.05-3.0; Ni less than 3.0; Cu less than 3.0; Ti 0.0104-0.050; B 0.0015-40.0040; P less than 0.10; S less than 0.05; N less than 0.020; remainder iron and unavoidable impurities. Further disclosed is a method for producing a non-scaling hardened component from the steel and a method for producing a hot strip from a steel.