CEM TECHNOLOGY

A new stage of efficiency and flexibility

in thin slab casting and rolling

COMPACT ENDLESS
CAST & ROLLING MILL

SMS group

Eduard-Schloemann-Strasse 4
40237 Dsseldorf, Germany
E-mail: CEM@sms-group.com
Internet: www.sms-group.com

POSCO

Seoul Office
440, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu
Seoul, Republic of Korea
E-mail: POIST@posco.com
Internet: www.posco.com

http://www.sms-group.com/qr/cem

X-341E
SMS group Published on 11.06.2015 Circulation 500 Printed in Germany Ky

EFFICIENT
& FLEXIBLE

CEM is a registered trademark of POSCO

The information provided in this brochure contains a general description of the performance characteristics of the products concerned. The actual products may not always have these
characteristics as described and, in particular, these may change as a result of further developments of the products. The provision of this information is not intended to have and will
not have legal effect. An obligation to deliver products having particular characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of the contract.

ONE OR TWO CASTER PRINCIPLE

The CEM plant can be designed as
one or two caster plant. Both plants
allow for selective batch and endless
operation. In case of a two strand
CEM plant two casters feed one hot
rolling mill. This increases the produc-

ENERGY SAVINGS
Rising prices for energy carriers and
the wish for greener technologies led
us to realize a technology which is
able to produce the whole range of
thicknesses with the best energy to
quality ratio for each thickness.

tion capacity and enables producing

a most flexible product mix. The roller
hearth furnace allows for moving
slabs from the second caster into the
main furnace that is in line with the
rolling mill.

CONTINUOUS CASTER
High-performance vertical liquid bending (VLB) machine for highest productivity through latest technology. Batch
mode of the plant makes a second
caster possible to further increase the
yearly production. The VLB caster is
based on over 50 years of experience
in slab casting technology.

PRODUCTION

Energy consumption in % ENDLESS

100
50
0

100 %

ENDLESS + BATCH
100
50
0

0.8

1.0

1.2

ROLLER HEARTH
FURNACE

FIRST ROLLING MILL

GROUP

For a one-caster plant the furnace

length can be significantly reduced.
Compared to a two caster CSP
plant this will also reduce fixed and
operating costs. Length chosen in
order to allow for a work roll change
during caster production. Without the
possibility for a work roll change the
length is halved.

These rolling stands generate the

optimum intermediate strip thickness
and temperature for the required final
product.

1.5

2.0

-32 %
2.5

3.0

4.0

LARGEST VARIETY OF STEEL GRADES FROM ONE PLANT FOR MOST APPLICATIONS

The CEM plant is not only able to

produce a wide range of hot strip
thicknesses (0.8 mm to 25.4 mm)
and a variety of widths (900 mm to
2,100 mm). In addition the plant can
be tailored to all needs with regard of

68 %
Thickness
in mm

INDUCTIVE HEATER
An indispensable component in order
to achieve the flexibility of the CEM
plant is the inductive heater. Activating the inductors in endless mode will
result in optimum temperature of the
intermediate strip and the extension
of the product spectrum.

SECOND ROLLING MILL

GROUP
Combining 3+5 finishing stands with
the inductive heater makes it possible
to react to the market requirements
flexibly in any operation mode. The
layout of the entire CEM is tailored
to meet the customers product mix.

the production capacity. The named

capacities of 2.8 Mio t/y for a 1 caster
plant and 4 Mio t/y for 2 casters are
only one possible solution. Customized product mixes result in different
production capacities.

2.8 Mio
t/y

The key advantage of the CEM technology is the

possibility to produce a wide range of steel grades.
This ensures flexibility when reacting to changing
markets and increases the long-term investment

security as markets evolve. A further asset is the

possibility to focus on those steel grades that are
most profitable to produce.

4 Mio
t/y

LAMINAR COOLING
Various mechanical properties are set
during cooling. Reinforced laminar
cooling lines can reduce the amount
of costly alloying elements needed to
achieve required mechanical properties.

HIGH SPEED SHEAR

+ 2 DOWN COILERS
The combination and perfect tuning of
a high speed shear and 2 down coilers in the CEM plant is essential for
smooth production in endless mode.

NGO

Non-grain oriented electrical

steel strips with a high amount
of silicon are used as core disks
in electric motors.

GO

Grain oriented electrical steel

strips with a high amount of silicon are used as stampings for
high-power transformer cores.

MC

Medium carbon steel

grades offer a medium
formability and strength.
They are used for structural
components in bridges or
hot forming applications in
the automotive industry.

API

These grades are specified

by the American Petroleum
Institute (API) and according
to their thickness and strength
they are used for gas, water or
oil pipelines.

5 CORTEN

Corten steels are weatherproof

construction steel grades and
are applied where steel needs
protection from corrosion or
weather-related influences such
as containers or outer paneling
of buildings.

possible shear positions

5
10

PROFIT

COMPACT ENDLESS
CAST & ROLLING MILL
The combination of batch and endless
production modes offers a unique
range of products with highest quality.
A CEM plant exploits the advantages
of both production modes as shown
in the specific energy consumption
of a 100 % endless plant compared
to the CEM plants optimum mix of
production modes.

CEM

TECHNOLOGY

BATCH
&
ENDLESS

Fast start-up curves of the plants in

batch mode ensure that the CEM plant
will reach the break-even point early and
allow for high profit.
The possibility of choosing the more
efficient of both production modes
for each product allows for minimum
conversion costs.

ENERGY

YIELD

The use of the latent heat coming from

the caster in hot rolling helps to reduce
the conversion costs

High yield is achieved as there are no

production losses or interruptions during work roll change.

The inductive heater can be switched off

when producing thicker gauges in batch
mode.

During endless production high yield is

achieved due to reduced cobble risk at
ultra-thin strip production.

QUALITY
The homogeneous temperature distribution of the slab that is ensured by the
tunnel furnace allows for improved hot
strip quality.
Tighter geometrical tolerances can be
achieved in ultra-thin strip production.

PROCESS CONTROL
Keeping up of production during a
work-roll change facilitates the process
control. Flexible plant operation is made
possible by selective batch and endless
operation.
Adaptation to up- and downstream
process disturbances are realized by
widening the casting speed range.

EFFICIENT & FLEXIBLE

STEEL GRADES

PLANT CAPACITY

The batch mode enables the production of special steel grades that require
decoupling of casting and rolling.

Tailormade one or two caster plant solutions to meet customer requirements

regarding production capacity.

The endless mode enables production of

ultra-thin hot strip.

Some of the plants production capacity

can be switched to endless mode for
ultra-thin hot strip according to the
market demand.

DP

Due to its two-phase microstructure this steel grade is

characterized by a low yield
ratio and high tensile strength.
These properties make dualphase steels an ideal material
for profiles in automotive applications with superior strength
requirements.

MATERIAL FLOW
All requirements regarding material flow
and tracking in batch and endless production modes can be fulfilled by correct
shear positioning within the plant.
The endless process is made possible by
implementing the high speed shear.

10 HC
High carbon steel grades are
used as tools, blades, ploughs
and straps due to their hardenability and high strength.

LC

Low carbon steel grades are

typically used for oil barrels and
a large variety of other products
with less demanding forming
properties.

ULC + IF

Ultra-low carbon or interstitialfree steel grades are used for

deep drawing applications with
complex geometries because
of their excellent formability.

HSLA

High-strength low alloyed steel

grades are primarily used for
structural components with increased strength demand. Such
components are found in high
voltage masts, piles for wind
turbines or safety components
in cars.