Preconditions for Hot Rolling or Direct Rolling from Continuous Casting Billets
Steel billets are an important steelmaking product, and with the advancement in processing technology and the development of continuous casting technology, continuous casting billets have been used more and more in steelmaking. The advantage of using continuous casting billets is that they can be quickly processed into steel products with a certain shape and size, which can greatly reduce production costs and improve production efficiency.
Continuous casting billets can be used in two ways – hot rolling or direct rolling. Hot rolling means that the billet is first heated in a reheating furnace before its shape is changed, while direct rolling implies that the billet is hot-rolled without going through the preheating process. Both hot rolling and direct rolling have their own advantages and disadvantages, and in the right circumstances, can be a cost-effective way to turn billets into furniture or other steel products. However, there are some preconditions that must be met in order for either process to be successful.
The first precondition is that the billet must have a certain mechanical strength. If the billet is too weak, then it will not be able to withstand the forces of the rolling process and could break apart. The ideal mechanical properties for a billet will vary depending on the specific application, but generally speaking, the mechanical strength should at least be good enough that it can be marched or drawn into shape under normal conditions.
The second precondition is that the billet should have a certain chemical composition. Since both hot rolling and direct rolling involve heating the billet to a certain temperature, the chemical composition of the billet is important in order to ensure that the billet does not overheat and deform. The chemical composition should be just right in order to ensure that the billet is adequately heated without causing it to warp or become brittle.
The third precondition is that the billet should have a certain grain size structure. If the billet has too fine a grain size, then it will be difficult to work with during the rolling process, while too coarse of a grain size could lead to problems with cracking. A billet should have a mid-range grain size in order to balance the benefits of a fine grain size and the strength of a coarse grain size.
Finally, the fourth precondition is that the billet should have a certain surface hardness. The hardness of the billet should not be too hard or too soft, as each of these can lead to problems during the rolling process. A billet that is too hard can lead to cracking or warping during the rolling process, while a billet that is too soft can be overworked and can cause unevenness in the final product.
All of these preconditions must be met in order to ensure that the billet is suitable for either hot rolling or direct rolling. If any of these preconditions are not met, then the billet may not be suitable for either process, and the costs of production can be significantly increased due to the additional processing and materials that may need to be used. As such, it is important to ensure that the billet meets these preconditions in order to get the most cost-effective production process possible.
