Abstract
FLAT PRODUCTS OF STAINLESS STEELS ARE CONVENTIONALLY MANUFACTURED BY CONTINUOUS CASTING, HOT ROLLING, HOT BAND ANNEALING, PICKLING, COLD ROLLING AND RECRYSTALLISATION. IN THE LAST YEARS STRIP CASTING HAS INCREASINGLY ATTRACTED ATTENTION. IT OFFERS THREE IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPARISON TO THE CONVENTIONAL METHOD.1.) IT ALLOWS TO CAST STEEL SHEETS WITH THE SAME THICKNESS AND WIDTH AS THOSE PRODUCED BY HOT ROLLING. THIS MEANS THAT THE HOT ROLLING PROCESSIS BYPASSED. 2.) THE STRIP CAST STEEL REVEALS A WEAK INITIAL TEXTURE AND A NEGLIGIBLE THROUGH-THICKNESS TEXTURE GRADIENT. THESE FEATURES ARE BENEFICIAL FOR THE STRENGTH AND THE DEEP DRAWING PROPERTIES OF THE FINAL SHEET. THE LATTER ASPECT IS OF SPECIAL RELEVANCE FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF THE SO CALLED RIDGING PHENOMENON IN FERRITIC STAINLESS STEELS [2,3]. THIS EFFECT DETERIORATES THE SURFACE QUALITY OF CONVENTIONAL SHEETS. 3.) IT IS ECONOMICALLY NOT FAVOURABLE TO PRODUCE SMALL AMOUNTS OF HIGHLY ALLOYED STAINLESS STEELS BY CONTINUOUS CASTING AND HOT ROLLING.
