In exemplary implementations of this invention, an actuated fabricator deposits structural elements (e.g., tensile structural elements) in a 3D pattern over large displacements. The fabricator is supported by at least three elongated support members. It includes onboard actuators that translate the fabricator relative to the ends of the support members. The fabricator is configured, by actuating different translations along different support members, to translate itself throughout a 3D volume. In some implementations, each of the actuators use fusible material to fuse metal tapes together, edge-to-edge, to form a hollow structure that can be shortened or lengthened.

In exemplary implementations of this invention, an actuated fabricator deposits structural elements (e.g., tensile structural elements) in a 3D pattern over large displacements. The fabricator is supported by at least three elongated support members. It includes onboard actuators that translate the fabricator relative to the ends of the support members. The fabricator is configured, by actuating different translations along different support members, to translate itself throughout a 3D volume. In some implementations, each of the actuators use fusible material to fuse metal tapes together, edge-to-edge, to form a hollow structure that can be shortened or lengthened.

Steel production plant to obtain long products such as rods, bars or sections, with overall productivity comprised between 0.7-3.0 Mton/year, preferably between 1.0 and 3.0 Mton/year, comprising at least two co-rolling lines (11a, 11b).

A horizontal continuous casting apparatus includes a fluid supply pipe for supplying a lubricating fluid to the hollow portion of the mold, which is arranged on one end side of the mold; and, a cooling water cavity for accommodating cooling water cooling an inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion of the mold, which is formed outside the inner peripheral surface, wherein the inner peripheral surface and the inner bottom surface of the cooling water cavity facing the inner peripheral surface form parallel surfaces with each other, and a cooling wall of the mold between the inner peripheral surface and the inner bottom surface is formed so that the heat flux value per unit area from the molten aluminum alloy to the cooling water is 10×10.sup.5 W/m.sup.2 or more.

An apparatus for producing and further processing slabs of a metal, preferably steel, comprises: a continuous casting apparatus, which is designed to produce at least one cast strand and to transport it in a transport direction; a cutting device, which is arranged behind the continuous casting apparatus, as seen in the transport direction, and is designed to cut the cast strand into slabs; at least a first route and a second route, which implement, at least in some portions, different process lines for the further processing of the slabs; and a process control system, which is designed to make a route decision on a slab-specific basis as a function of at least one measured or calculated process parameter, which route decision assigns one of the plurality of routes to the respective slab, and to initiate the further processing of the corresponding slab along the assigned route.

A horizontal continuous casting apparatus includes a fluid supply pipe for supplying a lubricating fluid to the hollow portion of the mold, which is arranged on one end side of the mold; and, a cooling water cavity for accommodating cooling water cooling an inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion of the mold, which is formed outside the inner peripheral surface, wherein the inner peripheral surface and the inner bottom surface of the cooling water cavity facing the inner peripheral surface form parallel surfaces with each other, and a cooling wall of the mold between the inner peripheral surface and the inner bottom surface is formed so that the heat flux value per unit area from the molten aluminum alloy to the cooling water is 10×10.sup.5 W/m.sup.2 or more.

A slab continuous casting apparatus according to this invention is configured to supply molten metal from a tundish to a slab water-cooled mold through at least an upper nozzle, a stopper, and an immersion nozzle and solidify the molten metal, and is provided with an immersion nozzle quick replacement mechanism. The slab continuous casting apparatus includes a discharge direction change mechanism that is provided between the stopper and the immersion nozzle and is capable of freely changing a discharge angle of the molten metal in a horizontal cross-section during casting.

Steam exhaust ports are located around a perimeter of a direct chill casting pit, at various locations from below the top of the pit to the pit bottom to rapidly remove steam from the casting pit with addition of dry excess air. Gas introduction ports are also located around a perimeter of the casting pit and configured to introduce an inert gas into the casting pit interior.

Metal sheets (13) are produced from strand-shaped profiles (8) having a low thickness, made of magnesium or magnesium alloys by way of an extrusion system (1). The open or closed extruded profile (8) exiting the extrusion die (6-7) of an extrusion press (1) is shaped to obtain a flat metal sheet (13) and is then subjected to a defined shaping process by way of stretch-forming. The system for carrying out the method is essentially composed of an extrusion press (1) comprising a die plate generating the extruded profile and a shaping unit (5) following the die plate, wherein the shaping unit (5) is composed of a severing unit (2), a bending unit (3), and an unrolling unit (4).

Metal sheets (13) are produced from strand-shaped profiles (8) having a low thickness, made of magnesium or magnesium alloys by way of an extrusion system (1). The open or closed extruded profile (8) exiting the extrusion die (6-7) of an extrusion press (1) is shaped to obtain a flat metal sheet (13) and is then subjected to a defined shaping process by way of stretch-forming. The system for carrying out the method is essentially composed of an extrusion press (1) comprising a die plate generating the extruded profile and a shaping unit (5) following the die plate, wherein the shaping unit (5) is composed of a severing unit (2), a bending unit (3), and an unrolling unit (4).