Abstract
The present work aims to simulate the solidification process during beam blank continuous casting, to determine the causes of defects, and to optimise the process parameters. A transient finite element model has been developed to compute the temperature and stress profile in beam blank continuous casting. It has been found that the surface temperature fluctuated greatly and that the equivalent stress and strain have their highest values at the flange tip and the web. By comparing the calculated values with metallurgical constraints, the key factor causing surface cracks on the web was determined and an optimum cooling regime was proposed. Online verification of this optimisation project has led to a reduction in the incidence of web surface cracks.
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