On 26 March 2022, Danieli and YongGang commissioned the largest round section in the world on a 18-m radius curved conticaster at Zhang Jiagang city, Jiangsu province, China.

Two of the four strands cast 1200-mm dia blooms, while the other two strands were equipped to cast 1-m diameter rounds.

Both these jumbo sizes are intended to supply the growing market for renewable energy products with low-alloy steel grades, for wind-turbine towers, gearboxes, shaft bearings, yaw drives and bearings that in the past were produced through the ingot route with much higher OpEx.

The caster is designed to produce rounds ranging from 700 to 1200 mm with a tailor-made configuration.

Based on Danieli experience collected in large round casting, the caster makes extensive use of electromagnetic stirring systems (mould, strand and final) for best internal quality with very low values of carbon segregation and central porosity, for a wide range of steel grades.

The combined application of liquid-pool control solidification and wide battery of high-force withdrawal and straightening modules ensure smooth product unbending to maximize the results for surface quality and safe, reliable operation.

In the last two years, Danieli has been awarded with three contracts for jumbo round casters in China, which will be put in operation between end of 2022 and beginning of 2023.