Case Studies

Example projects accomplished by Steel Hub experts

Operational excellence program at an Eastern European steel plant: Increasing yield by 15% with less than 1 million USD of capital expenditure

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Situation
An Eastern European steel plant with an output of 350.000 tons p.a. and operating with an EAF had a dissatisfactory operational performance. The budget for large-capex investments was limited.

Approach
Steel Hub experts started common efforts by a technical and economic plant assessment revealing the root causes for the suboptimal plant performance. We then implemented an operational excellence program that involved “soft measures” targeting operator mindsets and capabilities as well as several low-capex technical fixes.

Results
Three years later, the real EAF power-off time could be reduced by a third, and yield increased by 15%. EAF electricity consumption was reduced by 5%. All improvement measures could be delivered a total capex investment smaller than 1 mn USD.

Operational excellence of refractory materials management: reducing refractory cost by more than 30% p.a.

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Situation
A steel mini mill faced continuously increasing EAF refractory cost, reaching an all-time high of 3.70 USD/ton (about ~50% above achievable target cost), and asked for an independent review.

Approach
A refractory materials task force analyzed ladle refractory linings, lining procedures, heat cycles per ladle, alternative brick formats and refractory materials, different chemical compositions and pre-heating practices.

Results
We installed a new slag detection system minimizing steel losses attached to the ladle and improving reliability of shutoff intervals. Upon implementation of recommendations, total refractory cost was reduced by more than 30%, falling from 3.70 USD/ton to 2.50 USD/ton.

Energy efficiency program at a European mega steel plant: reducing electricity cost by ~13% p.a.

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Situation
An integrated mega steel plant (11.5 million tons of output p.a.) had a rather poor electricity consumption performance following a lack of attention over the years.

Approach
A team of Steel Hub experts and plant management staff compiled a centralized catalogue of electricity consumption reduction initiatives. Mapping their technical impacts to financial impacts allowed a cost-benefit analysis across initiatives and their prioritization. Plant management decision-taking was moved from operator to plant management level to organize the leadership of the reduction program centrally.

Results
The project made plant electricity consumption drop from 541 to 499 MW p.a. In financial terms, electricity cost was reduced from 280 to 244 million € p.a., or -13%.

Surface cracking in continuous casting: increasing the share of non-defective slabs from ~30 to 70%.

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Situation
For certain steel grades, the slabs casted in an integrated steel plant were suffering from transverse and corner cracks. Only 33% of inspected slabs in the sample met the quality criteria.

Approach
A laboratory analysis was conducted. It became apparent that cracking was initiated and propagated along the continuous casting machine. In order to avoid surface quality problems, the ductility drop at certain temperature ranges needed to be considered. A number of further measures was taken, including controlling of the oscillation mark, mould powder selection and reheat, and minimization of bulging.

Results
Following the intervention, the share of defects-free slabs in the sample increased from 33 to 69%.