Integrated Quality Control System through Advanced sensing tools and AI for Continuous Casting
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | SWERIM AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 5 803 434 |
| Project duration | October 2022 - December 2025 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | The strategic innovation programme for Metallic material |
| Call | Springboard to the metallic materials of the future - Step 2 |
Purpose and goal
SMART-CAST seeks to merge advanced monitoring systems including mould temperature sensors and strand surface monitoring systems through a robust, fast and reliable AI model to increase the process flexibility and efficiency during CC. This will provide highly optimized processing windows, remarkably shorter processing time and detailed quality feedback to the control room (30 min compared to several hours) as well as informing downstream processes such as re-heating and rolling.
Expected effects and result
The project will provide optimized processing windows, eliminate human errors involved in the measurements and will stream feedbacks to CC machine and downstream processes. Presently, the majority of produced semi products are cooled down, before being manually inspected for surface defects. SMART CAST not only decrease but also identify surface defects in real time on-line. This means that prodcuts without defects may be sent straight to the rolling mill, potentially preserving heat, and energy.
Planned approach and implementation
The project will be implemented as follow: WP1 1st measurement campaign (SSAB) WP2 Design, development and installation of monitoring systems (Alleima) WP3 1st measurement campaign (Alleima) WP4 Analyzing of the obtained process data (SSAB) WP5 Analyzing of the obtained process data (Alleima) WP6 Installation of FBG sensors into SSAB second mould WP7 Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models WP8 Final plant trials and asses the validity of Support Decision System WP9 Project administration and reporting