Successful commissioning and handover of Alpine Metal Tech equipment at voestalpine CC8 continuous slab caster in Linz/Austria

Alpine Metal Tech, long-term partner of voestalpine steel, supplied a comprehensive package of special machines via plant builder Danieli. Absolute highlight is the fully automatic ladle shroud manipulator. The caster run-out area was equipped with a torch cutting machine, a deburrer and a marking robot featuring Metal Powder technology.

By use of an industrial robot controller the shroud manipulator for the first time allows to run all required manoeuvres autonomously during casting operation. 

Advantages of this application:

• No operator required in the hazard area
• Shorter ladle exchange time
• Constant press-on force between shroud and nozzle
• Submerged slide gate opening
• Automatic pick up of new shroud from the magazine
• Detection of slide gate nozzle position
• Automatic positioning of shroud below slide gate nozzle
• Automatic shroud cleaning via oxygen station
• Automatic discard of used shroud to the magazine
• Manipulator ready to handle submerged slide gate opening