Bhubaneswar, Jan 10 (FN Bureau) The Continuous Casting Machine-3 (CCM-3) and Steel Melting Shop-2 (SMS-2) of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) have set a new record in casting the longest ever sequence of heats. RSP sources said the unit registered an all-time best casting of 309 heats during the record sequence. Notably, the previous best casting of 291 heats was recorded in September 2023. The CCM-3 started the sequence on December 30, 2023, at 16:37 hours and was completed on January 9, 2024, at 22:53 hours, for a record total casting time of 264 hours and 308 hours. In the process, the unit produced 49332 tonnes of crude steel (1747 slabs) with 14 tundish flies and a total cast length of 14427 metres.
The secondary steel units and basic oxygen furnace of SMS-2 played an instrumental role in the success by feeding heat with the required quality, composition, and temperature at the right time. Casting for this sort of long sequence was never done before, and hence it was quite challenging. However, the concerted efforts of the entire production chain and the supporting agencies, viz., Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Research & Control Lab (RCL), and Production Planning & Control (PPC), helped the department achieve the target. The record reiterates the unparalleled determination of the RSP collective, which has time and again shown its brilliance to help the plant soar to new heights.