S&T

Pilot test of CISDI’s groundbreaking innovation for caster moulds achieves top results at SFRE

SFRE has recorded a metallurgical first.

The Chinese company has successfully staged the pilot run of a new servo oscillator for its electric-hydraulic-driven caster mould.

The oscillator is the first of its kind in the metallurgical industry in China and was researched and developed by CISDI.

The mould’s oscillator is critical to the casting operation and requires a fast response, accurate positioning and high reliability.

Yet the three types of oscillator commonly used – mechanical eccentric wheel, traditional hydraulic servo valve and mechanised electric servo cylinder – are exposed to low accuracy. As a result, they wear out swiftly, have a short service life and consume large amounts of energy.

CISDI’s new innovation, the electric-hydraulic direct driving servo oscillator, operates the servo motor, which directly drives the vibrating hydraulic cylinder.

Empowered with intelligent control, remote fault diagnosis, big data analysis and Internet of Things technologies, the oscillator can make online adjustments for vibration frequency, amplitude, deflection slope and other parameters. It uses 40 per cent less energy than traditional hydraulic servo oscillators. 

The test run resulted in a vibrating deflection of less than 0.01mm, amplitude adjustments from 0 to 12mm, a peak vibration frequency of 420c/minute, and a position control accuracy to plus or minus three micrometres. Each of these results is improvements on industry averages around the globe (deflection 0.1mm, vibration frequency 400c/minute, amplitude range 0 to 10mm).

SFRE’s hot working centre tested HRB400E, Q235 and 55CrMnA grades and found the servo oscillator was running smoothly and stably for each. Cast strands had a good surface quality under a high-precision control. The vibration left little imprint on strands and the mould is now consuming less protective slag. 

The servo oscillator makes both operation and maintenance simpler and can be applied to square and round bloom, rectangular bloom, shaped blank and slab casters.

CISDI is now investigating its potential for use by the military, new energy sectors, agriculture and other mechanical processes.

CISDI’s new servo oscillator for caster mould at SFRE