A good example of this are the requirements placed on modern mould plates for nearnet-shape-casting processes which have been developed in recent years. KME’s unique combination of expertise, numerical simulation, calculation methods and long-standing experience makes us a highly qualified partner in all mould plates related questions that arise.

ATSM - ADVANCED THIN SLAB MOULD
CHALLENGE:
- Improved thin-slab quality
- Lower operating costs
- Ease of maintenance
- Access to water-cooled copper surfaces for periodic inspection and cleaning
- Maintain operating practices
SOLUTION:
- Improved copper plate design (Patent Applied)
- Reduced copper mold internal stress (Patent Applied)
- New anti-bulging system (Patent Applied)
ADVANTAGES:
- Homogeneous copper plate temperature resulting in improved thin-slab quality
- Reduced meniscus bulging
- Easy installation
- No filler bars
- Complete access to water-cooled copper surfaces
- Compatible with existing water boxes and operating practices

AFM® - ADVANCED FUNNEL MOULD
CHALLENGE:
- Improve thin slab quality
- Lower copper weight
- Increase lifetime
SOLUTION:
- Thin copper and adapter plate design
- Water gap cooling design
- Low stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATION:
- Thin slab casting
ADVANTAGES:
- Improved lifetime
- Homogeneous temperature profile - no hot spots
- No bulging at meniscus area
- Low retrofitting costs
- Compatible with existing water box design

ADVANCED SLAB MOULD
CHALLENGE:
- Optimize cooling of standard mould plates
- Improve slab quality
SOLUTION:
- Uniform water gap cooling design
- Low stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATION:
- All slab mould plates
ADVANTAGES:
- Homogeneous temperature profile - no hot spots
- Higher heat transfer rate
- Higher lifetime due to reduced thermal stress
- Low retrofitting costs
- Compatible with existing water box design

ADVANCED BEAM BLANK MOULD
CHALLENGE:
- Improve Beam Blank quality
- Lower copper weight
SOLUTION:
- Thin copper and adapter plate design
- Water gap cooling design
- Low stress AFM® mounting technology (KME patent)
APPLICATION:
- Beam Blank mould plates
ADVANTAGES:
- Improved lifetime
- Homogeneous hot face temperature profile
- Improved product quality
- Low retrofitting costs
- Compatible with existing water box design

STANDARD MOULD PLATES
The design and manufacture of mould plates for bloom and slab casting machines, whether furnished with cooling slots or deep-hole drills, is a major part of KME’s product range. For these applications, KME delivers a comprehensive selection of mould materials and coatings. KME has developed various technology packages for the continued development of the moulds used in the casting of bloom shapes. Based on a precise analysis of the cooling water flow and the load on the moulds arising from the process, an improvement in the service life can often be achieved through local optimization of the cooling geometry.