A strand-guiding section arranged downstream of a continuous casting mould of a continuous casting line. The strand-guiding section has at least one strand-guiding roller supporting a metal strand cast with the continuous casting mould, is mounted in roller bearings in the strand-guiding section, and has at least one sensor device, which has at least one vibration sensor acoustically coupled to the strand-guiding roller or its roller bearings to detect the vibrations occurring with the rotation of the strand-guiding roller in the roller bearings. The strand-guiding roller is cooled internally by a cooling water. The vibration sensor is acoustically coupled to the strand-guiding roller and/or to the roller bearings via the cooling water. The evaluation device determines the status of the at least one roller bearing by evaluating the vibration data.

A side dam for a continuous metal casting apparatus includes an insulator and a belt system having an endless belt. The endless belt includes a belt surface, and the endless belt is movable relative to the insulator such that a portion of the belt surface is configured to face a casting cavity of the continuous metal casting apparatus as the endless belt is moved. In some examples, the endless belt is movable in a plane of motion that is perpendicular to the belt surface.

A machine for manufacturing continuous bars of nonferrous metal by continuous casting includes a movable casting shell, composed of segments arranged in succession, each one having a portion defined, with a bottom and flanks, of the casting shell, and open on the sides directed toward the contiguous segments. The contiguous segments are movable along a closed path that has a substantially rectilinear portion at the casting region. Along the portion, the segments are substantially aligned and define a portion of the casting shell, with bottom and flanks, which is continuous, substantially rectilinear and closed, for at least one portion of the path downstream of the casting region, by a closure component.

A side dam for a continuous metal casting apparatus includes an insulator and a belt system having an endless belt. The endless belt includes a belt surface, and the endless belt is movable relative to the insulator such that a portion of the belt surface is configured to face a casting cavity of the continuous metal casting apparatus as the endless belt is moved. In some examples, the endless belt is movable in a plane of motion that is perpendicular to the belt surface.

A clamping system for fastening a cooling unit on a circulating supporting element of a caterpillar-type casting machine includes at least one connecting element, which is pre-tensioned in its longitudinal direction by a spring, and a clamping arrangement, by which the cooling unit is fastenable on the supporting element. The connecting element is accommodated in a displaceably mounted manner in the direction of its longitudinal axis inside the supporting element. The clamping arrangement is formed by a head on an upper end face of the connecting element and a recess, which is provided on/in the cooling unit and is brought into interaction therewith. The connecting element is pre-tensioned by the spring toward the supporting element and is transferred into a clamping position, in which the cooling unit, when the head of the connecting element engages with the recess provided on/in the cooling unit, is automatically clamped with the supporting element.

A continuous casting apparatus includes a first belt carried by a first upstream pulley and a first downstream pulley, a second belt carried by a second upstream pulley and a second downstream pulley, and a mold region defined by a first mold support section arranged behind the first belt and a second mold support section arranged behind the second belt. The first mold support section supports the first belt and defines a shape of the first belt in the mold region and the second mold support section supports the second belt and defines a shape of the second belt in the mold region. At least one of the first mold support section and the second mold support section includes a transition portion and a generally planar portion downstream from the transition portion. The transition portion has a variable radius configured to receive molten metal from a metal feeding device.

The invention relates to a clamping system (10) for fastening a cooling unit (12) on a circulating supporting element (13) of a caterpillar-type casting machine, and comprises at least one connecting element (20), which is pre-tensioned in its longitudinal direction by a spring (22), and clamping means (24), by which the cooling unit (12) is fastenable on the supporting element (13), wherein the connecting element (20) is accommodated in a displaceably mounted manner in the direction of its longitudinal axis inside the supporting element (13). The clamping means (24) is formed by a head (28) provided on an upper end face (26) of the connecting element (20) and a recess (30), which is provided on or in the cooling unit (12) and can be brought into interaction therewith, wherein the connecting element (20) is pre-tensioned by means of the spring (22) toward the supporting element (13) and is thus transferred into a clamping position, in which the cooling unit (12), when the head (28) of the connecting element (20) is engaged with the recess (30) provided on or in the cooling unit (12), is automatically clamped with the supporting element (13).

A continuous casting apparatus includes a first belt carried by a first upstream pulley and a first downstream pulley, a second belt carried by a second upstream pulley and a second downstream pulley, and a mold region defined by a first mold support section arranged behind the first belt and a second mold support section arranged behind the second belt. The first mold support section supports the first belt and defines a shape of the first belt in the mold region and the second mold support section supports the second belt and defines a shape of the second belt in the mold region. At least one of the first mold support section and the second mold support section includes a transition portion and a generally planar portion downstream from the transition portion. The transition portion has a variable radius configured to receive molten metal from a metal feeding device.

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 side dam for a continuous metal casting apparatus includes an insulator and a belt system having an endless belt. The endless belt includes a belt surface, and the endless belt is movable relative to the insulator such that a portion of the belt surface is configured to face a casting cavity of the continuous metal casting apparatus as the endless belt is moved. In some examples, the endless belt is movable in a plane of motion that is perpendicular to the belt surface.