The Billet making Process

Billet Making Process

Process Flow

Procured scrap and return scrap will be charged into the furnace to ensure optimum utilization. Carbon in
the form of petroleum coke, breeze coke, will be charged in to the furnace for attaining necessary level of
carbon in the process. Once the minimum temperature of the furnace is reached, sponge iron will be
charged in small batches and the slag formed in the process will be removed from time to time. Required
amount of Ferro Alloys will be added after raising the temperature to maintain the desired quality and
composition of the molten metal.

The continuous casting machine will be equipped with moulds, secondary cooling segments, withdrawal
and gas cutting units, dummy bar insertion system, run out roller table and cooling bed. During casting
operation, the metal level in the mould will be maintained within predetermined limits by adjusting the
flow of metal in to the mould or by withdrawal speed. The partially solidified billets leaving the mould will
pass through strand guide roller segment where intensive but controlled cooling of the billets will occur by
spraying of water. The solidified billets will be guided through withdrawal and straightening units before
entering the gas cutting zone. The dummy bar will be removed from the billet after the gas-cutting unit and
will be stored till its introduction is required for start of the next heat. The cast billet will be cut to the
predetermined length by oxy-acetylene gas cutting torches. The sized billets will be delivered to the cooling
bed through run out roller table and cross transfer mechanism. The billets will be marked on cooling bed by
marking unit for identification.

For chemical analysis of liquid steel, the samples will be taken from the tundish. Samples will also be cut
from cast billets and sent to the laboratory for macro etching, sulphur prints & other quality parameter
testing.

• Induction Furnace:
The furnace will consist of sturdy steel structure fabricated from rolled steel sections and plates. The
furnace will be provided with a tilting stand grouted to the foundation. Mounted on the tilting stand will be
two spherical bearings. Crucible structure or furnace frame will be pivoted on these bearings. The furnace
frame will consist of columns with dished bottom. The platform will be integral with the crucible structure.
• Water Cooled Induction Coil:
The induction coil will be made of water-cooled hollow copper conductor. The coil will be insulated
between the turns with high quality segment insulation. Inside the coil will be grouted with coil lining
cement of high strength. The coil will be sectionalized for water flow with different feed points. The ends of
the coils will be connected to water-cooled cables by means of copper tubes. The coils will be radially
supported by means of magnetic yokes.
• Water-cooled magnetic yokes:
The magnetic yokes will serve the purpose of guiding the flux and shielding the steel structure against stray
field effects. Yolks will be pressed onto the coil by means of radial bolts with lock nuts. The yokes can be
dismantled without breaking of the lining, if necessary.
• Water cooled cables:
Power will be fed to the crucible (induction coil) by means of flexible water –cooled cables. These cables
are made of high conductivity copper strands. Necessary cable guides will be provided on the furnace end
as well as on the foundation side. Protection cover will be provided to prevent accidental touch of live
parts.
• Tilting cylinders:
The furnace will be tilted by means of hydraulic cylinders, which will be of sturdy single acting type. Back
pressure valves will be provided such that in the event of hose failure the furnace returns in a controlled
manner. High pressure hoses will be connected to the hydraulic pipeline to the tilting cylinders allowing
radial movement.

• Lining formers:
Formers for coil grouting, bottom cementing, top cementing and former for crucible lining will be included.
• Oil Hydraulic System:
High-pressure oil needed for tilting will be derived from a self contained hydraulic power pack.
This will consist of factory built assembly, comprising of:
  Oil tank
 Pump and motor
 Strainer
 Check valve
Gauge and gauge selector
The common control desk for two crucibles will be provided on the furnace platform, which houses the
directional valves for tilting. One rotary switch will be provided for switching on the hydraulic pump.
Furnace power can be switched ON/OFF through push button located on the control desk. Lamps will
indicate the status of these operations.

Billet Casting

Raw material mix mainly Sponge Iron and M. S. Steel Scrap / Pig Iron is charged into the furnace. Extra
carbon in the form of free carbon or excess carbon present in the scrap is also added depending upon the
quantum of sponge iron in the charge. As soon as the charge is completely melted, necessary ferro alloys
and deoxiders are added.

The temperature of liquid metal is allowed to rise in the furnace till the correct pouring temperature is
achieved which is checked with the help of Immersion Pyrometer. The hot metal is poured with the
hydraulic system in the preheated ladle after adding certain fluxes so that the temperature is maintained at
about 1600 degree centigrade. Ladle is then carried by EOT charge to the concast machine and kept above
the tundish of the concast machine. The bottom of the ladle is opened by hydraulic system and hot metal
starts pouring out into the concast machine. Through tundish, it passes through copper moulds. Copper
moulds give the particular desired shape. To initiate casting, a dummy bar is inserted into the bottom end
of the mould, while the other end of the dummy bar is held by withdrawal/ straightening rolls when the
molten steel at the correct temperature reaches the stipulated level inside the mould, the withdrawal rolls
and mould reciprocating unit are operated. The cooling water circulation through the mould (primary
cooling) and in the secondary circuit started a few minutes before the actual casting operation. The dummy
bar is withdrawn followed by the hot solidify billet.

The cooling water circulating around the mould carries away enough heat from the liquid steel to produce
a solid outer skin of sufficient strength to safety envelope the liquid portion at the interior that will solidify
by the secondary cooling, which consist of spraying of water jets on the body of the billet. Before beginning
to withdraw the dummy bar it must be insured that the outer casing of the billet is strong enough
otherwise a rupture in the skin may occur resulting in a break out which releases the molten metal and
forces a shut down of the operations. Thus the important parameters are temperature of liquid steel, rate
of primary and secondary cooling, mould reciprocating characteristics, which all influence the casting rate
and the quality of the casting. The solidified billet further passes through straightening machine, cut to
required length and sent to the cooling bed through the roll conveyer system. The total system requires soft
water for cooling of copper moulds. Sized billets are lifted by crane to finishing yard for inspection and
storage / dispatch.

It refers to a cast semi finished product. A billet is typically cast to a rectangular, hexagonal or round cross section comp
processing, e.g. forging. It can be produced either as coil or cut lengths. Molten steel is cast into large blocks called "blo
process various methods are used, such as addition of aluminum, so that impurities in the steel float to the surface wh
the finished bloom. Our billets are manufactured at our workshops -------. These are all tested through spectrometer an
and cracks. Our billets are available from 100/100, 125/125, 150/150 to 200/200 sizes.
 Chemical Composition
Item Fe415 Fe500 Fe550
Carbon 0.15-0.30 0.30 0.30
Sulphur 0.060 Max 0.055 0.055
Phosphorus 0.060 Max 0.055 0.055
Sulphur & Phosphorus 0.110 0.105 0.105
(For better weld ability, Carbon Percentage restricted to 0.25% Max)