Integration design for continuous casting machine

In 2018, Tata Steel in IJmuiden put the new continuous casting machine (CGM 23) into operation to increase production capacity and produce more complex, high-quality products. This machine is located in the Basic Oxygen Furnace, next to the present casting machines 21 and 22.

A continuous casting machine pours molten steel into steel slabs 8 to 12 metres long and about 22 cm thick. These slabs are then rolled into steel coils in the hot rolling mill. Tata Steel Nederland now has three continuous casting machines, allowing two machines to run simultaneously while the third undergoes maintenance. However, reducing the chance of machine failure and downtime and increasing production efficiency were only some of the motives behind adding a third machine.

Iv was responsible for the integration design of the complete installation of this casting machine, including the integration with existing workshops, machines and systems. This involved both ISBL (Inside Battery Limits) and OSBL (Outside Battery Limits) activities. The work consisted of adapting the existing environment, the design, the positioning of auxiliary equipment and solving five major interference problems, such as moving the main column of the Basic Oxygen Furnace, the water platform, the extraction system, the foundations, the layout and design of an additional workshop, logistic route inside and outside the building and the rerouting of cables and pipes.

Executing a project in a brownfield environment, where the existing continuous casting machines 21 and 22 would remain in full operation while the new continuous casting machine was to be integrated into an existing and already full hall. This required emptying and reorganising the hall plus repurposing the existing workshop while production continued without interruption. Iv began pre-engineering in late 2013 and provided support until 2022. This large-scale and complex operation spanned almost ten years.

Iv was responsible for the preparation and integration of the new installation, which allowed the continuous casting machine to be successfully assembled, installed and maintained. The result is a significant increase in capacity, which enables Tata Steel to meet the growing demand for advanced steels, such as ‘advanced high strength steels’ and ‘ultra-high strength steels’. These steels are super strong and highly formable, ideal for sectors contributing to a more sustainable future. For example, car manufacturers can use them to design lighter, more fuel-efficient and safer cars. Construction of the machine began in 2016, and CGM 23 is now the world’s most advanced continuous casting machine. Thanks to this installation, Tata Steel can produce the steel of the future: even stronger and more sustainable. This sets the company apart from the competition and strengthens its position at the forefront of the steel industry.