| Among the processes of thin slab casting, cast-rolling technique has been developed, which permits the reduction of slab thickness during solidification. To simulate this process, a water-cooled mold with a inclined side-wall is designed. This side-wall can be made vertical by means of a hydraulic press during solidification. This procedure makes it possible to bring the effect of cast-pressing to cast slab during solidification. With cast-pressing, the center crack and macrosegregation due to bulging are eliminated at half-height of cast slab. Cast-pressing leads to a considerable area of equiaxed structure in the top half of the cast slab. The ferrite grain size, after γ→α phase transformation, is reduced by cast-pressing. However, after hot rolling with two passes, the effect of cast-pressing on the tensile properties and ferrite grain size does not exist any more, probably because of longer soaking time and recrystallization during hot rolling. |
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