Steel is made by adding alloying elements to molten iron using Basic Oxygen Steelmaking or Electric Arc Furnace processes. The intermediate forming process turns molten steel into sheets, ingots, and bars to speed up the final process of producing final steel products. Various steel grades are made by adding alloying elements such as carbon, chromium, and vanadium. The BOS process involves smelting cast iron, while the EAF process is used to produce steel from scrap metal. The final step is forming intermediate products into bars, sheets, and ingots to expedite the manufacture of specific end products.
Steel is an alloy produced by adding different alloying elements to molten iron. This is usually achieved using one of two processes, namely the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) or Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) processes. The BOS process is typically used to make steel from carbon-rich cast iron, while the EAF process is mostly used to process steel from scrap metal. The next step in any typical steel production line is the intermediate forming process, during which molten steel is formed into intermediate products such as sheets, ingots and bars. This step speeds up the final process of producing final steel products by turning the steel into stock products in sizes and shapes that facilitate final forming.
The various steel grades in common use represent one of the most used families of materials in the world. These products are made by adding alloying elements such as carbon, chromium and vanadium to molten iron. The alloying of raw iron is typically the first step in any steel production line and is done using either BOS or EAF processes. The BOS process involves smelting cast iron, a carbon-rich form of partially wrought iron ore, in a refractory vessel lined with base materials such as calcium and magnesium oxides. During the process, oxygen is blown through the molten metal, lowering the carbon content to produce low carbon steel.
The EAF process is primarily used in a steel production line to produce steel from scrap metal and uses the heat generated by a high current electric arc passing between electrodes placed in the furnace hearth together with a charge of scrap. When the charge has melted, slag formers are introduced which separate the impurities from the molten metal. These elements are the same basic elements used to line the BOS refractory vessel, namely the calcium magnesium oxide. Additional alloying elements such as vanadium, chromium and tungsten are added to the molten charge during this stage in the steelmaking line. When the steel chemistry is correct, the molten material is mined to form ingots and intermediate stock products.
The production of intermediate stock is generally the last step in any primary steel production line. Here, the steel is formed into a variety of products such as bars, sheets and ingots, which are sized and shaped to expedite the manufacture of specific end products. This step ensures that a minimum of forming is required when the final products are rolled, extruded or forged.
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