Switzerland-based SMS Concast AG has been awarded – jointly with SMS Concast America Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pa. – a major contract from The Timken Company to supply a three (four)-strand UHQ (ultrahigh-quality) vertical bloom casting facility for Timken’s Faircrest steel plant in Canton, Ohio. The new vertical bloom caster (completely vertical with no bending/unbending) will have highly specialized equipment for the production of high-quality cast blooms. The new caster, along with a new ladle refiner, is expected to increase Faircrest’s shippable capacity by 25% and enable production of a broader range of large-diameter bars.          

SMS Concast, a member of the SMS Meer Business Area, is supplying all the main equipment for the vertical bloom casting facility, including ladle turret, tundish cars, molds and hydraulic oscillation, mold and final stirring (M-EMS and F-EMS), top-fed dummy bar system, pinch roll units, dynamic MSR/MHR units, containment and strand guiding, secondary cooling, in-line quenching, and all discharge equipment. The company will also supply the complete electrical equipment and automation package.