Metalcasters know where to turn for expertise in plant and equipment design, and that expertise may transcend the typical industrial connections. Recently, the Inductotherm Group — widely celebrated for its foundry melting and pouring technologies — delivered a comprehensive, large-scale design for a manufacturer of commodity-grade steel products. In addition to demonstrating its technological capabilities, the project also illustrates the contractor’s global scope, and the international demand for high-tech industrial expertise.
The BSRM Group is a steelmaker headquartered in Chittagong, Bangladesh aspires to produce the highest quality steel products, always working to ensure customer satisfaction and becoming a reliable business partner to customers and suppliers.
Inductotherm shares those objectives, and has been a technology supplier to BSRM for more than 12 years.
BSRM melts mild steel grades and continuously casts billets to feed its rolling mill, to produce concrete reinforcing bars conforming to ASTM A615 Grade 4. It also produces structural sections like angles, channels and flat bars that likewise conform to international standards. Its selection of Inductotherm most advanced technologies helps to position the company among the world’s major steel producers.
“Our “Global Yet Local” strategy was laid out at BSRM since our first 7 MW installation in 2005 to this most recent system. It has been a pleasure supporting them as they continue to grow their business,” stated Satyen Prabhu, group vice president, Inductotherm Group.
“We have taken up the challenge of producing a large quantity of steel most efficiently through the induction furnace route and therefore, decided to go for the 50-metric ton furnaces. We ended up commissioning the world’s largest plant for billet making through induction furnaces, which has been possible due to technical leadership, partnership and commitment from Inductotherm Group,” explained Aameir Alihussain, managing director.
22,000-kW, 50-mt furnaces — The installed capacity of the new melt shop is close to 900,000 metric tons annually. It consists of four 22,000 kW VIP® induction power supplies, each one powering a 50-metric ton furnace. The combination of equipment makes it the world’s largest steel plant operating induction furnaces.
The selection of induction melting technology allows BSRM to increase its overall productivity and efficiency, which is important in a low-margin and competitive industrial segment like the global steel market. In addition, the new melting furnaces will minimize operating costs and reduce particulate and noise pollution. It is more proof that melting steel using induction furnaces, ladle refining furnaces and continuous casters is commercially viable in terms of quality and cost to supply rolling mills and producing commercial-grade steel rebar, wire rod, pipe, and light and small sections.
34,000-mtpy FBE coating plant— The melt shop was not the final detail. BSRM also relied on Inductotherm to design and build a system for coating rolled products with fusion-bonded epoxy. FBE is a powdered substance that is widely used to protect steel pipe in pipeline and other construction applications. Reportedly, FBE coating nearly doubles the structural life of concrete, and for BSRM the Inductotherm system provides an option to add value to its rebar products and deliver on construction projects in which corrosion prevention is required.