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

The current practice in the continuous casters, the primary steel making process in the US, has room to improve for better efficiency and energy savings. Each year, millions of tons of metal are scrapped and energy in multiple trillion BTUs is wasted, due to process limits. New sensors and advanced process control are identified needs by the steel industry to further promote process and energy efficiency.The proposed project brings advanced imaging and process control technologies to the casting applications. The goal is to develop and demonstrate the SICS with the synergy of existing technological pool and other innovations, that work in the 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: The SICS will have a high impact. For the US steel industry, the SICS has the potential to improve the productivity by $1,000 million and save 30 trillion BTUs annually through improved yield and simplified processes in the continuous casters. This will also result in a reduction of 1.8 million tons in carbon-dioxide emissions. OGT expects to have a 10% market penetration by 2016 with a marketing strategy. It includes the pathway to build up the workforce in marketing, production and service, and the potential sources for required financing, space and equipment. Estimated annual sales for the SICS in the target applications to is more than $6 millions in the US by 2017. The potential abroad is $36 millions. Without SBIR funding, the SICS will be either delayed for a substantial time period or dropped and the benefits will be deferred or lost entirely