Chinese private entrepreneur Yunnan Yuxi Yukun Iron & Steel Group has contracted the Italian plant builder, Danieli, for its new quality-strip plant. The plant, claims Danieli, will be the most productive thin-slab casting rolling facility in the world.

The Danieli-patented Dysencaster will produce 110-120-mm-thick slabs after soft reduction, and feed the 3+5 stands hot-strip mill, where thermomechanical rolling will be performed.

The caster will consist of two casting strands and will operate in endless and semi-endless modes on strand #1, or coil-to-coil mode operating on strands #1 and #2, reaching the maximum production capacity.

A swivel furnace will connect casting strand #2 with the mill, and original Danieli Q-Heat induction heaters will be installed between roughing and finishing mills.

Controlled by Danieli Automation advanced process control, featuring Q3 intelligence, the plant will produce hot-rolled strip in thicknesses from 0.8 to 25.4 mm in any steel grade, except automotive exposed.

Danieli Universal Rolling is a green technology that aims to allow low energy consumption and emissions: a step toward net-zero emissions steelmaking.

The plant will be installed in Yuxi city, Yunan province, China, and start-up is scheduled for the second half of 2023.