High Strength Steels Through Batch Annealing

Stelco是一家独立的加拿大钢铁生产商。该公司最近在安大略省汉密尔顿完成了一条最先进的批量退火线的建设。新的生产线利用100%的氢气气氛，这是市场上最高效的技术。与大多数传统的间歇退火设备相比，它可以减少58%的天然气消耗。这意味着更短的周期、更低的运营成本和更清洁的最终产品表面。自该工厂于2019年6月投产以来，Stelco已成功生产了各种低强度、高成形性钢材。为了从竞争对手中脱颖而出，并增加利润率贡献，Stelco需要迅速采取行动，生产新的批量退火产品，如高强度钢和电工钢。从中长期来看，批量退火线也可用于生产第三代(3G)先进高强度钢(AHSS)，其基础是先进的中锰化学技术。拟议的项目有两个目标。首先是开发一套完整的过程建模工具，帮助Stelco加快建筑和HSLA钢的新化学成分和加工条件的设计。在接下来的两年里，这些工具加上McMaster和CanmetMATERIALS的实验工作将使Stelco能够生产70级和80级钢。这些钢材将比该公司目前生产的钢种高出30%-50%。该项目的第二个目标是证明在Stelco使用Arcanum合金公司开发的破坏性工艺生产镀铬3G中锰钢的可能性。这一新工艺允许钢铁生产商在加工的最后一步引入新的合金元素。对于那些没有生产特种钢的基础设施的公司来说，这是一个游戏规则的改变者。我们将演示在分批退火过程中可以添加铬，以产生耐腐蚀的外表面。这将使Stelco能够在一个新的细分市场(不锈钢薄板)上竞争，而这是其他加拿大公司无法竞争的。该项目还将在对加拿大制造业非常重要的领域培训两名HQP。

Stelco is an independent Canadian steel producer. The company recently completed the construction of a state of the art batch annealing line in Hamilton, ON. The new production line utilizes 100% hydrogen gas atmosphere, which is the most efficient technology on the market. It results in a 58% reduction of natural gas consumption compared to most conventional batch annealing facilities. This translates into shorter cycle times, lower operating costs and a cleaner final product surface. Since the facility was launched in June 2019, Stelco has successfully produced a wide range of low-strength, high-formability steels. To differentiate itself from competitors, and to increase margin contribution, Stelco needs to act quickly to produce new batch annealed products such as high strength steels and electrical steels. In the medium to long term the batch annealing line could also be leveraged to produce third generation (3G) advanced high strength steels (AHSS) based on innovative state of the art medium manganese chemistries. The proposed project has two goals. The first is to develop a suite of through process modelling tools that would help Stelco accelerate the design of new chemistries and processing conditions for construction and HSLA steels. Over the next two years, these tools along with experimental work at McMaster and CanmetMATERIALS will allow Stelco to produce grade 70 and grade 80 steels. These steels will be 30-50% stronger than the grades that the company presently produces. The second goal of the project is to demonstrate the possibility of producing chromized 3G medium Mn steels at Stelco using a disruptive process developed by Arcanum Alloys Inc. This novel process allows steel producers to introduce new alloying elements during the final step of processing. This is a game changer for companies that don't have the infrastructure to produced specialty steels. We will demonstrate that Cr can be added during batch annealing to produce a corrosion resistant outer surface. This would allow Stelco to compete in a new segment of the market (stainless steel sheet), that no other Canadian company competes in. The project will also train two HQP in areas of great importance to Canada's manufacturing sector.