Game changing technology presented at Galvanizers Association 2022
The Galvanizers Association’s annual meeting promotes discussion of topics centered around industry challenges of product range expansion, increased plant productivity and emission reduction. This year's meeting hosted more than 125 steelmakers and over 175 vendors for the steel industry.
Stephane Mehrain, Vice President of Steel Global Sales at Fives, gave a game-changing presentation focusing on key technologies to enhance operational flexibility, including the production of Gen3 Advanced High-Strength Steels (Gen3 AHSS), which are key for automotive applications. These technologies push the envelope of steelmakers production abilities. The enhancements include the ability to achieve heating temperatures beyond current radiant-tube limits while, at the same time, providing ultra-high cooling rates to secure the desired mechanical properties.
The first step is to enhance the thermal cycle through high-power heating technology – CELES EcoTransFluxTM. Utilizing transverse flux induction concept, this technology opens the door for steelmakers to develop new value-add steel grades. At the same time, it contributes to the industry decarbonization by replacing a gas fired heating chamber with a compact electrical heating solution. The technology features superior heating efficiency and is compatible with the myriad of annealing temperatures or grade/chemistries present today, including those of high retained austenite percentages (i.e. Gen3 AHSS).
Complimenting the superior heating is a revolutionary quenching technology - Non-Oxidizing Wet FlashCooling®. With cooling rates up to 1,000 °C/s.mm, this technology is unique to the industry. It allows for the production of hot-dip coated Gen3 AHSS directly in continuous galvanizing lines without need of in-line pickling. The result is operational cost savings of $30-50/ton from both the metallurgical and production routes.
These combined heating and cooling technologies provide game-changing performance abilities for today’s steelmaker. The enhanced annealing-cycle capability with unparalleled operational flexibility enables an equipped CGL to readily produce a wide range of coated products, including Gen3 AHSS.