Ultra-High Casting Speed Continuous Casting Technology (Up to 6 m/min)

Product Abstract

Ultra-high casting speed continuous casting technology from LMM Group integrates a series of advanced continuous casting solutions into one high-efficiency package. With a maximum casting speed of up to 6 m/min, this technology is designed to increase production rate, reduce casting cost, and enhance overall plant competitiveness—especially for billet production where speed, stability, and yield define profitability.

In conventional continuous casting, pushing speed too high often creates bottlenecks: unstable mold level, breakout risks, surface cracks, oscillation mark issues, poor lubrication, uneven heat transfer, and secondary cooling limitations. Ultra-high casting speed CCM addresses these constraints systematically through coordinated improvements in mold design, level control, mold powder, oscillation, secondary cooling, and cutting. The result is not just “faster casting,” but stable, repeatable high-speed casting with practical industrial outcomes.

This page is written for steelmaking and metallurgical buyers, plant managers, and process engineers who evaluate continuous casting machine (CCM) upgrades based on measurable metrics: productivity (tons/hour), yield, downtime, maintenance intensity, and total cost per ton.

Technical Parameters

Curvature Range

• Curvature: R9 m – R16 m

Curvature is a core design condition for strand bending and straightening behavior. The R9–R16 range provides flexibility to fit different caster layouts, shop constraints, and product requirements, balancing metallurgical length, cooling residence time, and footprint.

Application Section Range

• Application Section: 90 mm × 90 mm to 500 mm × 600 mm

This broad section coverage supports multiple product strategies—from small billets for long products to larger formats used in certain downstream routes.

Maximum Section for Ultra-High Casting Speed CCM

• Max section at ultra-high casting speed: 190 mm × 190 mm

Ultra-high casting speed performance is often section-dependent. Larger sections require more heat removal and stricter control of shell thickness development. Defining 190 × 190 mm as the maximum section for ultra-high speed enables reliable process design around heat transfer and solidification safety margins.

Why Ultra-High Casting Speed Matters

When a CCM reaches 6 m/min casting speed, the immediate value is capacity. But the deeper economic advantage comes from how capacity affects the whole plant:

• Higher throughput per strand
  More tons per hour from the same footprint reduces unit fixed costs.

• Lower cost per ton of cast product
  Improved casting efficiency reduces energy waste and time-related consumables.

• Better utilization of upstream and downstream units
  Steelmaking rhythm becomes more stable when casting is not the bottleneck.

• Improved scheduling flexibility
  High-speed operation helps respond to order peaks without adding new lines.

However, speed without control increases risk. That’s why ultra-high casting speed is best understood as a system engineering solution, not a single parameter change.

Advanced Technologies Enabling 6 m/min Casting Speed

1) Ultra-High Casting Speed Mold Technology

The mold is the first and most critical heat-transfer zone. At ultra-high casting speed, the mold must achieve three goals simultaneously:

• Maintain stable initial shell formation

• Provide uniform and predictable heat extraction

• Reduce friction and sticking while preventing shell rupture

Ultra-high speed mold technology typically focuses on:

• Mold geometry optimization (taper design matching shrinkage at higher speed)

• Enhanced cooling structure for consistent heat flux

• Surface and plate quality management to stabilize lubrication and heat transfer

A well-designed high-speed mold technology package directly supports continuous casting machine (CCM) stability and reduces breakout probability.

2) Mold Level Control Technology

Mold level fluctuation is a leading cause of surface defects, unstable meniscus behavior, and breakout risk—especially at 6 m/min casting speed where the process is less forgiving.

Mold level control technology aims to:

• Maintain a narrow fluctuation band during speed changes and disturbances

• Improve response speed and robustness of level control loops

• Stabilize flow and meniscus behavior for consistent shell formation

Stable mold level supports consistent lubrication by mold powder and reduces oscillation-related surface variation.

3) Mold Powder Technology for Ultra-High Casting Speed

At high casting speeds, mold powder must meet demanding performance requirements:

• Fast melting behavior to form a stable slag layer

• Consistent lubrication to reduce friction and prevent sticking

• Controlled heat transfer to manage shell growth and surface quality

• Stable consumption behavior across speed ranges

Mold powder for high casting speed is not a generic consumable. It is a metallurgical control tool. Matching powder properties to steel grade, section size, and casting speed is essential to sustain ultra-high casting speed without defects.

4) Mold Oscillation Machine for High Casting Speed

Oscillation parameters—frequency, stroke, and waveform—interact with mold powder behavior and shell formation. At ultra-high casting speeds, an optimized mold oscillation machine helps:

• Reduce sticking tendency through effective negative strip behavior

• Control oscillation marks and improve surface consistency

• Support stable lubrication film formation

High-speed oscillation requires mechanical reliability and precise control. A dedicated mold oscillation machine built for high casting speed improves operational stability and reduces defect risk.

5) Super Secondary Cooling Technology

After the mold, secondary cooling becomes the key to:

• Strengthening the shell safely

• Managing temperature gradients to prevent cracks

• Maintaining uniform solidification along the strand

Super secondary cooling technology focuses on:

• Cooling zone design matched to casting speed and section

• More uniform spray distribution and controllability

• Grade-sensitive cooling strategies (especially for crack-sensitive steels)

At 6 m/min casting speed, secondary cooling is often the boundary that defines the practical operating window. Better control here improves yield and reduces downgrades.

6) Quick Cutting Technology

Higher speed means billets exit faster—so cutting must keep up without introducing delays or quality issues. Quick cutting technology supports:

• Accurate length control at high throughput

• Reduced stoppage time and smoother production rhythm

• Better integration with downstream handling and logistics

Fast, stable cutting capability is a real productivity multiplier because it reduces the “hidden losses” that occur when cutting becomes the bottleneck at higher casting speed.

Performance Benefits for Steel Plants

When the ultra-high casting speed continuous casting machine (CCM) technology package is implemented correctly, plants typically pursue the following outcomes:

Productivity

• Higher tons/hour per strand through 6 m/min casting speed

• Improved production rhythm and fewer slowdowns

Cost Reduction

• Lower fixed cost per ton by increasing output capacity

• Reduced loss-related costs from fewer breakouts and fewer speed drops

• Better consumable efficiency through stable mold powder behavior

Quality & Yield

• More consistent surface condition due to stable mold level and oscillation control

• Lower defect-driven downgrades with optimized secondary cooling

• Better dimensional repeatability with synchronized cutting and handling

Reliability

• Process stability reduces unplanned stoppages

• Stronger control systems improve consistency between shifts and campaigns

Case Study Configuration

R12 m, 1-Machine 1-Strand Billet CCM

• Curvature: R12 m

• Caster type: 1-machine 1-strand billet CCM

• Section: 180 mm × 180 mm

• Max casting speed: 6.0 m/min

This configuration demonstrates the practical target: billet CCM operation at ultra-high casting speed for a mainstream billet size. Achieving 6.0 m/min at 180 × 180 mm indicates that the integrated package (mold + control + powder + oscillation + cooling + cutting) is engineered around both speed and stability rather than speed alone.