Villares Metals in Brazil has processed its first heat using a new electric arc furnace developed by Italian steel production technology specialist, Danieli Centro Met.
The Final Acceptance Certificate was signed on 20 January – two months ahead of the contracted schedule.
According to Danieli, Villares Metals is a ‘reference producer for specialty alloyed steel and long products in Latin America'. The company’s plant in Sumare San Paolo produces special alloys, including high-speed steels, tool steels, stainless steel, valve steels, special alloys and forgings via two meltshops. Each meltshop comprises an EAF, ladle furnace and vacuum degasser.
In October 2014, Villares confirmed its order for a new 25-tonne EAF to replace an older furnace (which had been in operation since 1957). The new model, claims Danieli, has been designed to meet Villares’ high quality demands.
The project embraced many different aspects including updating furnace mechanical systems (such as electrode and roof lifting/opening system); increasing the shell/vessel volume for scrap charging; keeping the nominal tap weight of 25 tonnes, with a liquid steel capacity of 28 tonnes; providing operational safety; supplying easy-to-maintain equipment; applying a split shell design that allows a complete exchange or split exchange with an overhead crane; and optimising shell design with regard to overall weight, thus conforming to existing crane limits and actual practice.