New robotic concept for safer casting operations at steel producer in Thailand

Thai steel producer Siam Yamato Steel has realized a new robotic concept from Primetals Technologies, including LiquiRob, at its steel plant in Map Ta Phut. The solution is used for shroud manipulation at Siam Yamato Steel’s bloom caster.

Thanks to the robotics solution, safety and occupational health have improved significantly at the steel plant. Workers operating the shroud manually previously had to stand right next to the tundish and the flow of liquid steel coming from the ladle. Additionally, in the event of a so-called “frozen ladle” i.e. an unwanted solidification of liquid steel in the ladle, operators had to get into even closer proximity of the ladle slide gate to manually execute oxygen lancing.
Developed by Primetals Technologies, the new concept consists of a standard ladle shroud manipulator equipped with a mechanical interface tailored to Siam Yamato Steel’s needs. The robot attaches to the interface to guide the shroud in the right position and attach it to the ladle. Primetals Technologies’ position measurement system, featuring a 3D camera system, determines the correct position of both the ladle and the shroud manipulator. The LiquiRob robotics system performs several dangerous tasks, including oxygen lancing, tundish measurements, tundish sampling, and tundish powder feeding.
A fence that encloses the area near the robot as well as doors with automated safety locks ensure that the surroundings are secured before the LiquiRob robot system starts operating, elevating occupational safety at the plant.
Source: Primetals