Lithium value-add faces obstacles in Latin America

Subject Outlook for the "lithium triangle". Significance South Korean steel maker POSCO announced in June that it is pulling out of a joint project with Samsung to manufacture lithium battery parts in Chile. POSCO’s exit came despite an earlier agreement giving it guaranteed supplies of lithium at preferential prices for 27 years. Impacts Some lithium battery factories will be built in Latin America in coming years, but there will be questions over long-term profitability. Locating some battery manufacturing in lithium triangle countries may come to be seen as the price to be paid to secure mining rights. Large-scale battery production will remain concentrated in major EV assembly facilities in China, North America and Europe. Lithium triangle countries will be under ongoing pressure to balance lighter touch regulation with environmental protection.

Walter Robinson Swann (1900–1980): Surgical blade maker, craftsman and philanthropist

Walter Swann was an engineer and steel-maker, who established the firm WR Swann and Co. Ltd in Sheffield and who created the renowned Swann–Morton® brand of surgical blades. The company has defied the trend in the decline of the manufacture of Sheffield steel and is a testimony to his remarkable and enlightened employment practices, which were revolutionary in their day.

Manufacturing Conditions of French Reactor Pressure Vessels to Avoid the Occurrence of Hydrogen Flakes

The formation of hydrogen flakes in Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPV’s) forgings is a well known phenomenon that can affect forging components during manufacturing. Following recent data from Belgium, it has been the object of important assessments during the last 3 years. We will present in this paper elements pertaining to the RPV’s of the French nuclear fleet. A thorough review of fabrication processes and specifically of ultrasonic examination of forgings, including the oldest ones has demonstrated that the risk of leaving undetected hydrogen flakes in RPV’s forgings is not a problem in French RPVs. The French Regulator also clearly shared this position point in 1985. Parts with defects were once again observed at the beginning of 2012 but the defects were attributed to errors in hydrogen measurement at the steel maker shop. Those hydrogen induced defects were detected at an early manufacturing stage (before quality heat treatment) by ultrasonic examination, and the concerned parts were consequently rejected through the normal quality control process.

Effect of Steel Making Slag on Castability of Medium Carbon Re-Sulfur Steel Grades

One of the everlasting problems existing in alloy steel plant is clogging of Submerged Entry Nozzle(SEN) due to accumulation of De-oxidized/Re-oxidized products while casting Medium Carbon Re-Sulfur Steel grades(forging grades).After complete De-sulphurization and De-oxidation, liquid steel have been subjected to Ca-treatment which promote deep De-oxidation and deep De-sulphurization in addition to inclusion morphology control. Finally liquid steel have been injected with sulfur cored wire for chemistry requirement of 0.02-0.035%. All these conditions encourage thermodynamically favorable conditions for formation of various combination of oxide and sulphide inclusions which are highly detrimental to castability in continuous casting of integrated steel mill. This becomes one of the major process interruptions which directly terminate production capacity day by day and also affects the quality of cast product. As well said before “Best Slag Maker Is Best Steel Maker”, we mainly focused on secondary steel making slag at different stages, and found the relation of castability with respect to slag behavior. We arrived at optimal slag nature for better castability in continuous casting of steel.

Environmental Conservation Efforts and Byproducts Recycling Technologies of JFE

JFE is the fifth largest Steel maker in the world with revenue excess of US$ 3 billion. It is committed to creating a more sustainable society through business operations in harmony with the environment. JFE Steel continuously strives to reduce the environmental load in the steelmaking process, resulting in the company’s extensive recycling of energy, water, and other byproducts. This paper reviewed the environmental conservation efforts achieved by JFE Steel. The treatment and recycling techniques of different metallurgical waste and byproducts (such as dust, slag and sludge) were also described in details. At last, the author put forward some expectations for the development of the China's steel companies.

Parametric Approach Model for Determining Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Conditions: Effect of Cutting Parameters on the Surface Integrity

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is one of the earliest non-traditional machining processes. EDM process is based on thermoelectric energy between the work piece and an electrode. There are various types of products which can be produced by using the EDM such as dies and moulds. Today many parts used in aerospace and automotive industry and also final processes of surgical components can be finished by EDM process. A simple and easily understandable model was proposed for predicting the relative importance of different factors (composition of the steels and Electro Discharge Machining processing conditions) in order to obtain an efficient pieces. A detail application on the tool steels machined by EDM was given in this study. This model is based on thermal, metallurgical and mechanical and also in situ test conditions. It gives detail information on the effect of electrochemical parameters on the surface integrity and sub-surface damage of the material (Heat Affected Zone, HAZ), the level of residual stresses, and the surface texture. This approach is an efficient way to separate the responsibilities of the steel maker and machining process designer for increasing the reliability of the machined structures.

Welding of Thicker Steel Joints of Container Ships

Recently, many container ships have been built worldwide, and the size of them is skyrocketing to 10, 000 TEU (Twenty Equivalent Unit) capacity. As a result, the plate thickness in the area of upper deck torsion box becomes thicker and thicker with higher-strength steel, up to 60 mm, to keep longitudinal strength, and then the welding work becomes more difficult and severe. For such joints of super thick plates IHI Marine United Inc. Kure shipyard has established high-quality and high-efficient welding methods:Development of new steel plates. In order to weld the thicker plates by high heat input such as 450 KJ/cm, new steel plates were applied in cooperation with a steel maker in Japan.Automation of butt welding. Electro-gas arc welding was applied for skin plates, and CO2 welding robot system was also introduced for longitudinals around the torsion box.Establishment of high quality welding practice. Welding without defects became possible by establishing adequate groove shape and welding procedure, as a result of many welding tests and inspections. This paper describes the improved methods and the test results in detail.