High Strength Steels Through Batch Annealing

Stelco是加拿大一家独立的钢铁生产商。 该公司最近在安大略省汉密尔顿完成了一条最先进的分批退火生产线的建设。新生产线采用100%氢气气氛，这是市场上最有效的技术。 与大多数传统的分批退火设备相比，它可以减少58%的天然气消耗。 这意味着更短的周期时间，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月启动以来，Stelco已成功生产了各种低强度、高成形性的钢材。为了从竞争对手中脱颖而出，并增加利润贡献，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，还可以利用分批退火生产线来生产基于最先进的中锰化学物质的第三代（3G）先进高强度钢（AHSS）。 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钢的新化学和加工条件的设计。 在接下来的两年里，这些工具沿着在McMaster和CanmetMATERIALS的实验工作，将使Stelco能够生产70级和80级钢。 这些钢的强度将比公司目前生产的钢高出30-50%。 该项目的第二个目标是证明在Stelco使用Arcanum Alloys Inc.开发的颠覆性工艺生产镀铬3G中锰钢的可能性。 这种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。 对于那些没有基础设施生产特种钢的公司来说，这是一个游戏规则的改变者。我们将证明，铬可以在分批退火过程中添加，以产生耐腐蚀的外表面。 这将使Stelco能够在一个新的市场领域（不锈钢板）竞争，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.