SICS: A Sensor-Based In-Line Control System for the Surfaces of Continuously Cast Slabs

The current practice of continuous casting, the primary steel making process in the U.S., has room to improve, in order to achieve better efficiency and energy savings. Each year, millions of tons of metal are scrapped, and multiple trillion BTUs of energy are wasted. A study funded by the Department of Energy, explicitly points out that ¿the ultimate solution is the use of sensors on the casters to ensure surface and internal quality as the product exits the caster.¿ Additionally, the Steel Technology Roadmap, published by the American Iron and Steel Institute, documents the need for advanced process control strategies, advanced vision systems for defect detection and identification, and advanced computer diagnostic controls for casting operations. This project will develop the Sensor-based In-line Control System (SICS) for monitoring the surfaces of continuously cast slabs. The system will operate on continuous casters, collecting data on surface features, verifying product quality, and providing process control to casting processes. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee:For the U.S. steel industry, the SICS has the potential to improve productivity by $1 billion and save 30 trillion BTUs annually through improved yield and simplified processes in the continuous casters. A further benefit will be the reduction of 1.8 million tons in carbon-dioxide emissions.