How fast can we cast?

Cast productivity depends on casting speed. Since the early development of continuous casting, numerous attempts have been made at high speed casting. With regard to speed limitation by shell sticking, high temperature tensile strength properties of the solidifying shell in relation to mould friction are considered the governing factor. Hence, experimental work has been carried out to simulate shell loading under casting conditions, determining the shell strength for a wide range of carbon contents. Mould friction data have been derived from published plant measurements. As demonstrated, neither shell strength nor mould friction imposes significant limits on casting speed under regular casting conditions. (C) 2000 IoM Communications Ltd.