Development of formable automotive steel grades through alternative steel making technologies

塔塔钢铁是全球领先的汽车钢产品供应商之一，未来的挑战之一将是生产具有良好成形性的钢，用于白色应用的车身。目前，这是使用超低碳(ULC)无间隙(IF)钢来实现的。如果钢铁允许汽车制造商生产出美观的设计，但钢铁行业目前面临的挑战之一是需要脱碳和利用越来越多的回收钢。为了迎接这些挑战，需要探讨各种选择。许多欧洲钢铁制造商正在考虑的一个选择是改用电弧炉(EAF)炼钢。对于一系列规格，电弧炉为转用碱性氧气炼钢提供了最小的挑战。我们认为IF钢将是一个挑战，因为需要低碳和低氮水平，这在电炉工艺路线中通常是看不到的。希望这个项目将发展这一领域的知识，研究工程师将完成以下目标：-了解电弧炉生产低碳和低氮水平的能力。评估通过电弧炉路线生产高成形性钢规格(DX56+Z/DX57+Z)的选项。拟议的活动：-了解电弧炉炼钢的能力，特别是在生产无间隙钢方面。-与转炉/RH路线相比，评估钢的清洁度的影响。-评估无间隙元素的可行水平并创建实验室铸件以模拟(VIM)。-开发基于实验室的加工路线并评估机械性能(CASIM)。-评估热镀锌(HDSIM)的适宜性。-为未来的能力和工艺路线提供建议。

Tata Steel is one of the leading global suppliers of automotive steel products and one of the future challenges will be to produce steels with good formability for use in body in white applications. Currently this is done using ultra low carbon (ULC) interstitial free (IF) steels. IF steels allow automotive manufactures to produce aesthetically pleasing designs but one of the current challenges facing the steel industry is the need to decarbonise and utilise increasing levels of recycled steel. In order to meet these challenges various options will need to be explored. One option being considered by a number of European steelmakers, is to convert to electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking. For a range of specifications, EAF provides minimal challenges for switching from basic oxygen steelmaking. We believe IF steels will present a challenge due to the need for low carbon and low nitrogen levels not typically seen from EAF process routes. It is hoped that this project will develop knowledge in this field and the Research Engineer will accomplish the following objectives: - Understand capability of EAF to produce low carbon and low nitrogen levels. Evaluate options to produce high formability steel specifications (DX56+Z/DX57+Z) via the EAF route. Proposed Activities:- Understand capability of EAF steel making especially with regards to producing interstitial free steel.- Evaluate impact of steel cleanliness compared to BOF/RH route.- Evaluate feasible levels of interstitial free elements and create lab casts to simulate (VIM).- Develop lab-based processing route and evaluate mechanical properties (CASIM).- Evaluate suitability for hot dip galvanising (HDSIM).- Provide recommendations for future capability and process routes.