Mould Description 2021

KME Germany GmbH & Co.
KG
AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology
[GB]
AMM® – Advanced Mould Materials
AMC® – Advanced Mould Coatings
KME offers a unique combination

of expertise and experience in all
key technologies for the production
of high-performance moulds for
continuous casting.
Table of contents
KME - The Company 3

Engineered products for melting and casting 4
AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 6
AME – Advanced Mould Engineering & Design 8
Mould tubes for billets and blooms 10
AMT® tubes 12
Mould plates for blooms and slabs 14
Moulds for near-net-shape-casting 16
AMC® – Advanced Mould Coatings 20
AMM® – Advanced Mould Materials 26
Research and Development 32
Advanced Mould Manufacturing 34
Quality Assurance 36
Service for Maintenance and Recoating 38
KME Service Stations Worldwide 39
KME developments on mould tubes 40
KME developments on mould plates 41
KME is one of the world‘s largest manufacturer of copper and copper alloy products.
Today, KME employs nearly 4,700 people, manufacturing a wide range of semi-finished,
finished and special products at locations across Europe and Asia.
The Company
KME's corporate goal is to develop and manufacture products that meet customer demands,
finding solutions for their specific applications, and providing services as a long-term partner.
KME’s strategy for accomplishing this goal is based on a highly skilled and experienced workforce.
KME has the ability to invent and develop new materials and innovative production processes
via ongoing advancement and training of our employees and the continual improvement of
its engineering capabilities.
Engineered products for melting and casting
The continuous casting of steel has seen major technological

improvements over the past decades. This has led to considerable
increase s in productivity and product quality necessary to
ensure survival in today's highly competitive environment.
The Engineered Products Division of KME has been instrumental
in achieving many of these process improvements.
The advances in casting technology were made
possible by the development of high-performance
moulds made of copper materials. KME was
involved in these activities right from the very
beginning and has continued to set milestones in
the development and production of copper moulds
for the continuous casting of steel.
The Engineered Products Division was formed

as part of a strategic reorganisation, with the aim
of providing a flexible solution to market demands
and improving the customer orientation of our
business. Our customers are manufacturers of
steel and nonferrous metals, casting machine
builders and maintenance companies throughout
the world.
The division not only serves our customers as a

general contractor for the production of mould
assemblies, but also as a partner in solving the
many technological challanges in the field of con-
tinuous casting.
KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 5

The performance requirements that have to be

met by moulds and mould materials depend on
the specific application and the levels of stress
involved. These stress levels are mainly predeter-
mined by the machine and casting parameters,
which means that many different cast shapes are
needed, depending on the type and construction
of the mould. When designing a new mould, the
correct profile must be chosen in order to achieve
high product quality, optimal casting speeds,
smooth casting operations and long service life
of the moulds.
6 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

A good example of this are the requirements In order to be able to offer our customers future-
placed on modern mould materials for near- oriented solutions for the wide variety of different
net-shape-casting processes which have been casting technologies and taking into account the
developed in recent years. Here, very high casting constantly changing requirements on moulds and
speeds are achieved and a much higher proportion mould materials, KME is conducting research in
of the liquid metal must solidify in order to form the following fields of mould technology:
a sufficiently stable strand shell. The resulting
extreme temperatures demand moulds with higher – Mould engineering
strength levels. At the same time, a high alternat- – Mould materials
ing thermal stress can occur, for example on – Mould coatings
casting rolls. This wide variety of requirements – Mould manufacturing
placed on moulds has to be met by highly
developed materials and system expertise. Unlike all other manufacturers, KME has all the
key technologies for the production of high-
performance continuous casting moulds under
one roof. This unique combination of expertise,
numerical simulation, calculation methods and
long-standing experience in the field makes
us a highly qualified partner in all mould related
questions that arise.

AME – Advanced Mould Engineering & Design
Finite element analysis
The range of mould materials developed and pro-

duced by KME allow appropriate selection of the
optimum copper alloy for individual applications.
However, in order to achieve high performance,
optimum steel quality and a long service life of the
moulds in the casting facilities, further engineering
work is generally necessary – particularly when
casting facilities are operated on system parame-
ters that have been changed from the original con-
cept in order to achieve higher casting outputs or
produce special types of steel. This is where KME’s
mould engineering service comes into play, sup-
porting its customers in upgrading continuous
casting moulds and optimising system parameters
and mould constructions.
Using FEA to calculate the mould stresses based

on 3D CAD modelling allows accurate simulation of
the mechanical and thermal stress factors involved
in each case. Mould dimensioning, tapering and
the specification of cooling conditions are based
on the results of these calculations.
KME can provide detailed support on the design

of new moulds. On request, KME will also do
the entire detailed engineering based on the
plant maker's design drawings.
8
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Dimensioning Cooling conditions

When designing the size of moulds for slabs, Another important factor is the adjustment of
blooms or billets, each case must be considered cooling conditions and casting parameters in order
individually. The main variables that play a role to ensure good system productivity and product
are the types of steel to be cast, the cooling quality.
conditions, and the desired casting speed.
For this purpose, KME performs CFD (Computa-
Mould taper tional Fluid Dynamics) calculations of the water
The type of steel, the construction of the casting flow between cold face of the mould and the water
machine, and the casting parameters are the main box. In combination with the thermal load calcula-
factors that must be taken into account when tion of the hot face, this will give a detailed analysis
specifying the mould taper. of the thermal and mechanical stresses on the
mould during the casting process.
From a theoretical approach, the optimal taper of
a mould can only be specified for one type of steel Working in consultation with our customers, KME
and for one specifically defined casting conditions, can offer a full range of technical services to opti-
i.e. superheat of the liquid steel, casting speed, mise the mould, cooling and casting parameters to
etc. For this reason, there is always an element of achieve improved productivity and product quality,
compromise in the taper actually used, especially together with long service life of the mould. The
in the case of non-adjustable moulds. Advanced Mould Engineering Service is provided
by experienced KME engineers as before and
Today a multitude of tapers are used in the design after sales service to our customers.
of mould tubes, these include a range of linear
tapers with single, double and triple taper formats.
In addition, the more modern trend is to use a
parabolic taper which can be tailor-made to meet
the casting parameters.
If a limited range of steel types with a similar

chemical composition and similar shrinkage
behaviour are to be cast, it makes sense to adjust
the taper of the mould more closely to the shrink-
age behaviour of the steel. Especially for billet
and bloom mould tubes, it has been shown that
parabolic tapers better conform to the shrinkage
behaviour of the strand than linear tapers and
thus contribute to an improvement in strand
quality (off-squareness/oscillation marks).

Mould tubes for billets and blooms
KME develops and supplies the whole range of mould tube geometries
and dimensions in use today, from small rectangular tubes right
through to large-format round mould tubes. Our customers can select
from various tapers and special internal geometries, such as DIAMOLD ®
or AMT ® solutions.
KME manufacturing range for mould tubes
Materials Cu-GS, CuAg-GS

ELBRODUR® G, ELBRODUR® GR
Design – Square, rectangular, polygonal, round, beam blank

– Straight or curved
– Outer contour parallel
– Internal geometries: parallel, tapered,
part-tapered, multi-tapered or parabolic
– CONVEX, DIAMOLD ®, AMT®, AHE
– WAVE mould tubes (Patent pending)
– Textured mould tubes
Coatings Chrome (recommended thickness 0.08-0.12 mm),

Advanced chrome, TOPOCROM®
Sizes Up to 450 mm square; larger sizes upon request;

no limits on diameter for round sections
Wall thickness Up to 30 mm; greater wall thickness

upon request
Corner radius
The size of the internal corner radius has a major influence
on solidification and uniform shell growth over the strand
circumference. Depending on the size of the billet or bloom,
mould tubes should be designed with the following nominal
radii:
Internal corner radius

– R = 2 – 5 mm for sizes ≤ 100 mm square
– R = 8 – 10 mm for sizes > 160 mm square

However, the definitive design of the corner radius always
has to be made taking into account the needs of the rolling
mill using the cast shape.

AMT® tubes
To optimise the casting process and product quality even more,

KME offers innovative detailed solutions that can be combined
to suit the customer’s specific needs for solving metallurgical
or process-related technical problems.
WAVE tubes
The WAVE mould has a patented design that superim-
poses a series of undulations onto the hot-face side
of the mould, causing a mirror image to be formed
on the billet surface as it begins to solidify. These two
surfaces will interlock and the shell will be guided
through the length of the mould while restraining any
movement from side-to-side.
The mould and shell are thus “coupled” together to

such a degree that a more equal heat extraction,
and hence uniform shell growth, occurs during this
critical time. The result is improved billet shape and
internal quality, as well as increased mould life.

AHE tubes Textured tubes
As the optimisation and efficiency of the casting KME has developed a new method for controlling the heat removal
machines increases, heat removal in the mould in a mould tube. Using a specially developed manufacturing process,
will become critical. To increase the heat removal a texture can be applied to the casting surface of the mould tubes.
in round and rectangular formats, KME supplies This allows the heat transfer to be moderated in specific areas of
AHE (Advanced High Efficiency) mould tubes. the mould.
These have been specially developed to optimise
heat removal at higher casting speeds.
ATM tubes
The ATM design optimizes the mould cooling
over the entire surface area of the mould, while
reducing the internal stress in the copper due
to the special bolting arrangement.

Mould plates for blooms and slabs
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 and slab 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 optimisation of
the cooling geometry.
ASM – mould plates Reduced heat dissipation

KME engineers have developed ASM (Advanced For the casting of steel grades that are prone
Slab Mould) technology to optimise the cooling of to cracking, KME offers materials with reduced
standard mould plates. thermal conductivity for mould plates to achieve
a reduced heat transfer in the mould.
By using filler- or adapter plates in conjunction
with the patented AFM® mounting, it is possible KME's strength in technical design together with
to reduce the working load on the moulds and to our available materials and coatings, enables us
improve casting efficiency and strand quality with to develop tailor-made solutions for each customer
adjusted cooling water flow. as required.
A significant advantage of the ASM technology

is that existing moulds can be converted without
requiring high investment.

Manufacturing range for mould plates
Materials CuAg-GS/NS, ELBRODUR® G/GP/GP-NS/GD-NS/GR,

ELBRODUR® NIB
Plate design – Cooling slots or cooling drills

– Casting surfaces straight or machined to casting radius
Coatings – Nickel
– Nickel + chrome
– Nickel alloy + chrome
– Metal-Ceramic
Sizes – Practically no limits

Moulds for near-net-shape-casting
Mould plates for thin slabs casting

The casting of thin slabs is the most common
method of near-net-shape technology used today.
The mould takes on particular importance for the
performance of the system. Due to the changed
surface/volume ratio in this method, about 50 %
of the slab thickness solidifies in the mould, com
pared with 10 % in conventional slabs. This means
that large amounts of heat have to be removed by
the mould and the copper is subject to extreme
Tubes, plates and rolls thermal stresses. KME’s development of new
New continuous casting systems must guarantee materials and the in-house production are decisive
high productivity, ensure good product quality advantages that can be utilised here. Today, KME
and drastically reduce the energy outlay from manufactures CSP ®, ISP ® and fTSC® mould plates
raw material to finished product. These goals are for thin slab casting.
being pursued with the development and introduc-
tion of near-net-shape-casting processes. KME AFM® – Advanced Funnel Mould
played a decisive role in the development of these As the efficiency of thin-slab casters continues to
technologies by developing materials, optimising increase, a solution is needed to give the moulds
geometry and adapting the coating for the moulds. the required level of stability and good heat
By engineering new mould concepts such as the removal.
Advanced Funnel Mould (AFM®) and the Advanced
Beam Blank Mould (ABBM), KME continues to set Targeting this, KME has designed and developed
milestones in the development of moulds for near- the innovative Advanced Funnel Mould (AFM®). The
net-shape casting technology. AFM® comprises an adapter plate which makes it
possible to fit the mould to an existing water box.
Moulds for beam blank casting This patented connection allows a controlled heat
A multi-part mould plate or a mould tube can be expansion of the mould during casting, in order to
chosen for beam blank casting. Plate constructions reduce the operating stresses in the copper.
give a greater degree of freedom when specifying
the mould taper, whereas tubes make it possible to The thin mould plate also allows high heat transfer
use casting oils. Repair techniques for both types rates, which is a basic requirement for improved
of moulds are available at KME. casting efficiency. In addition, the thickness of the
mould plate is adapted to the specfic heat load in
ABBM – Advanced Beam Blank Mould different areas of the mould. This results in homo-
The KME Advanced Beam Blank Mould is an inno- geneous surface temperatures for uniform melting
vative new development in mould technology for of the casting flux, and thus improved slab surface
beam blanks. The combination of a thin-walled quality.
mould and a support plate permits the separation
of functions in this mould type. For the first time,
it is now possible to use thin-walled copper plates
for optimised heat dissipation at high casting
speeds without losing any of the maintenance-
friendly qualities of plate construction.

Manufacturing range for near-net-shape moulds
Type of mould Form Materials Design Sizes Coatings
Thin slab Plates CuAg-NS – With cooling slots or drilled cooling channels Practically Nickel
ELBRODUR® G/GP/ – Casting surfaces with special contours for casting thin slabs no limits Nickel + chrome
GP-NS/GD-NS/GR – Straight or machined in accordance with casting radius Nickel alloy + chrome
ELBRODUR® NIB CSP ®, ISP ®, fTSC®, AFM® Metal-Ceramic
Beam blank Tubes CuAg-GS – External contour parallel Up to 450 mm square; Chrome
ELBRODUR® G – Internal geometries: parallel, part-tapered, multi-tapered, Larger sizes upon TOPOCROM®
or parabolic, and with special internal contours for casting request
beam blanks with additional cooling channels
Plates CuAg-GS/NS – With cooling slots or drilled cooling channels Practically Nickel
ELBRODUR® G/GP/ ABBM no limits Nickel + chrome
GP-NS/GD-NS/GR Nickel alloy + chrome
Metal-Ceramic
Thin strip Casting ELBRODUR® G – Cooling system in the shape of slots or drilled channels, Practically Upon request
rolls ELBRODUR® NIB depending on overall design no limits
ELBRODUR® B 95

Moulds for thin strip casting high demands on materials and the manufacturing
As early as 1891, Sir Henry Bessemer drafted the precision required for all the various strip casting
principle of a casting machine in which the molten machines in use around the world. Customer-
steel was supposed to solidify directly into steel specific adaptations of the material characteristics
strips between two casting rolls. Just over a hun- to the cooling conditions and to the load situation
dred years later, his idea is now starting to take are an important key to the successful develop-
shape in reality. ment of the technology.
As a result of the unusually high surface/volume Since KME controls all stages along the entire
fractions that prevail in strip casting, great process chain, it is possible for us to deliver
amounts of heat have to be conducted away by specific solutions for each individual customer.
the casting rolls. KME can meet the extremely

AMC® – Advanced Mould Coatings
Copper materials have a relatively low hardness and thus low

resistance to abrasive wear. For this reason, a high degree of wear
can occur in the lower part of the mould where the strand shell
has hardened. To counteract and improve the service life of
moulds, KME has developed advanced mould coatings.
Alpha/beta Gamma
phases of brass phase of brass
Chrome
Copper
Original chrome coating (cross section) First damage stage Final failure stage: chrome layer flakes off
Coating damage from zinc
Excessive wear of the moulds is accelerated by an incorrectly TOPOCROM® coatings

adjusted strand guidance system and casting parameters. Common In addition to the well proven AMC® -HC 90 chrome
causes are that the taper of the mould is not consistent with the coating, KME can also furnish mould tubes with
shrinkage behaviour of the steel, poor alignment of the casting TOPOCROM® coatings. The textured surface of this
machine (oscillation/strand guidance), or a casting speed that is type of coating makes it possible for the frictional
not adapted to the mould geometry. These are all possible causes forces between the strand shell and mould wall to
of a high degree of wear, which ultimately leads to a change be reduced.
in the mould geometry.
TOPOCROM® coatings have shown less wear
In order to improve the service life of mould tubes, KME decided under abrasive test loads. This effect can be
at a very early stage to apply a coating of hard chrome to the inner used to improve the lifetime of mould tubes.
surface. A considerable increase in the service life of mould tubes
can be achieved in this way. The casting surfaces of mould plates Coating damage from zinc
are often partially or completely coated with nickel or nickel alloys, Zinc from the steel melt can initiate a specific
or special ceramic coatings. failure mechanism in connection with chrome
coatings. Vaporising zinc mainly from automotive
The object of coating mould tubes and plates is to increase the scrap makes its way to the copper surface by
service life of the mould, as well as an improvement in product diffusing into the micro cracks which are always
quality. KME has come up with future-oriented solutions by further present in hard chrome. High mould temperatures
developing hard-chrome plating and by using new coatings and coat- tend to encourage the diffusion, so that the prob-
ing systems for special thicknesses. New wear-protection layers and lem mainly occurs in the mould meniscus area.
coating techniques are also being investigated in our laboratories. The copper reacts with the zinc forming brittle,
and “bulky”, intermetallic alpha, beta and gamma
Coating of mould tubes phases of brass which lift the chrome off the
The small size billet moulds, which are mostly operated without copper. The result is premature chrome chipping.
any rigid strand guidance downstream of the mould, are particu- Mechanical stresses from the steel strand enhance
larly susceptible to wear. A hard chrome coating of 650 – 1000 HV, the process. Where this kind of attack is highly
depending on the type of chrome, on the inside mould surfaces localised, i. e. confined to very small areas, stress
provides effective anti-wear protection which results in a raisers in the form of such brittle phases can com-
substantial gain in mould liner working life. KME recommends bine with alternating thermal stresses experienced
AMC® - HC 90 chrome coating for mould tubes having thicknesses in the mould wall to initiate fatigue cracks.
of 0.08 – 0.12 mm.
This form of damage is especially prevalent in
cases where cooling conditions are unfavourable
and where mould tubes are exposed to undue tem-
perature levels, i. e. 300 – 350 °C and zinc levels
above 30 ppm in the steel melt, over an extended
period.

Effect of nickel thickness on heat transfer and wall temperature
Calculation based on constant coefficients of heat transfer; heat flux approx. 1.8 MW/m².
Material: Ni coating ∆ T wall ∆ heat transfer

CuAg (DPS-Cu) mm °C %
Wall 0.7 + 11 - 0.9

thickness:
1 + 15 - 1.3
35 mm
2 + 30 - 2.6
3 + 45 - 3.8
In the course of prolonged service, hairline cracks
develop in the nickel at the mould meniscus due
to the metal’s lower plasticity. While not normally
impairing mould performance, such cracks could
propagate into the copper if the temperatures
reached in the mould wall are higher than normal,
Coating of mould plates or where the plates have undergone repeated
When it comes to coatings for mould plates, a distinction has to be remachining and recoating. Undue coating thick
drawn between ness should therefore be avoided, especially in the
– coatings for metallurgical protection to improve the surface quality meniscus area.
of the cast strand (e. g. prevention of star cracks), and
– anti-wear coatings to improve resistance to abrasion. Nickel alloys are an interesting alternative to pure
nickel layers. As a result of their greater hardness,
Coatings for slab protection they have good anti-wear properties. At the same
When casting certain steel grades, in particular shipbuilding qualities, time, they have a lower heat conductivity than pure
the surface quality of the cast strand can become impaired by copper nickel, so that the relationship described above
particles picked up from the mould wall (especially in the lower part between layer thickness and temperature devel-
of a mould) which can lead to the development of star cracks. To opment in the mould is becoming an increasingly
avoid this defect, the mould plates of slab casters used for the important factor.
production of these sensitive steel grades are protected with a
nickel or nickel-alloy coating. For the reasons outlined above, tapered nickel
coatings that are approx. 1.0 mm thick at the top
Since the steel grades which tend to develop star cracks are almost and approximately 3.0 mm thick at the bottom
exclusively cast through slab moulds, coatings for slab protection are end, or 2 – 6 mm thick partial coatings on the lower
not found with any other mould type. half of mould plates, represent the optimal solu-
tions with respect to both metallurgical and cost
Anti-wear coatings requirements.
In general a distinction is made between thick and thin nickel platings.
About 0.7 mm is the thickness limit for a cost-effective thin nickel/ As an additional safeguard against wear, one might
nickel-alloy coating. consider applying a 0.025 – 0.050 mm chrome
plate on top of the nickel. However, in most cases
As a result of the associated reduction in mould heat transfer, and this will not be regarded as an economically viable
because of the resultant higher wall temperatures which affect nickel approach on account of the high cost involved.
adherence to the copper, thick nickel coatings have a major impact
on the operational handling and relevant casting parameters. This In certain cases chrome coatings can be an
puts definite limits on the maximum allowable nickel thickness in the economical means of improving the working life
meniscus area. of mould plates for bloom casting.
The table shows the effect of nickel plating thickness on heat transfer For adjustable slab and bloom moulds, friction
and wall temperature. between the surfaces of the wide-face coppers
and the edges of the narrow-face coppers leads
From the point of view of caster operation, a reduction of approx. to wear and the localised development of deep
3.8 % in heat transfer with 3 mm nickel on the copper is not significant, scores and scratches. Any mould powder or steel
but the accompanying 45 °C increase in wall temperature causes particles getting into the resultant gap between
considerable stresses in the nickel due to the difference in coefficients the sliding surfaces further compound the situa-
of thermal expansion of the two metals. tion.

Here, the rate of wear can be reduced considerably The HN 40 nickel alloy has twice the hardness
by coating the edges of the adjustable narrow-face of HN 20, which leads to quite a considerable
plates, which slide on the inside (hot face) of the improvement in mould life. Both types of coating
wide-face coppers, with a material that has greater can be applied in greater thickness so that they
hardness. can be remachined.
The nickel coatings (AMC® -HN) are preferably Additionally, KME can supply metal-ceramic
used for the narrow-face and wide-face plates of coatings (AMC® -HF). The high hardness of such
moulds. A narrow-face nickel coating with HN 20 coatings makes it possible to achieve consider-
offers much better wear resistance than a plate able improvements in the lifetime of narrow-face
without a coating. plates, several times that achievable with nickel
coatings. KME‘s recommendation for the narrow
faces is an AMC® -HF 120 coating on the hot face
surface.

2.0-6.0 mm HN 20 1.0-3.0 mm HN 20 AMC ® -TOPOCROM®
or 2.0-3.0 mm HN 40 or 1.0-2.0 mm HN 40
1.0-3.0 mm HN 20/40 2.0-6.0 mm HN 20 0.1–0.6 mm HF 120

+ 0.025-0.05 mm HC 90 + 0.025-0.05 mm HC 90
AMC® - Advanced Mould Coatings –

hardness and thermal conductivity
It can be seen that very complex interrelationships Material Hardness Thermal conductivity
have to be taken into account when selecting a HV W/(m·K)
suitable coating and layer thickness. Recommen- AMC ® HN 20 220 90
dations can therefore only ever be made in relation
AMC -HN 40
®
400 80
to specific system and casting parameters. Close
AMC ® -HC 90 900 70
consultation between the system operator and
the mould supplier is necessary to ensure that AMC ® -TOPOCROM® 900 70
the appropriate coating systems are selected. AMC ® HF 120 1200 30
The selection of coating may furthermore depend
on what possibilities exist in terms of mould main
tenance.

Material sciences and the development of copper alloy systems

have for many years represented an important area for KME
as the leading manufacturer of copper products. A major part
of KME's efforts in these fields is dedicated to the development
of copper alloy systems for continuous casting moulds. There-
fore, depending on the application and the range of properties
required, the mould material can be adjusted using specially
tailored alloys.
Cu-GS ELBRODUR® GP
DHP copper was developed as a standard material ELBRODUR® GP is an advanced material developed
for mould tubes under normal service conditions on the basis of the tried and tested ELBRODUR®
at temperatures in the meniscus area of up to G. It has been possible to further improve this
about 300 °C. The material displays excellent heat material’s properties through careful tuning of the
and creep resistance at high temperatures and its chemistry and process control during manufacture.
workability is good.
ELBRODUR® GP-NS
CuAg-GS/NS ELBRODUR® GP-NS is an advanced material
Copper-silver alloys (CuAg) are used in applica- developed on the basis of the tried and tested
tions in which higher thermal stresses and wall ELBRODUR® GP, but with a higher strength level.
temperatures occur. CuAg alloys have a higher It was developed for near-net-shape-casting appli-
thermal conductivity, which means that the cations, such as beam-blank and thin slab moulds.
temperatures in the mould can be kept on lower
levels. In addition, they have higher temperature ELBRODUR® GD-NS
resistance to softening than DHP-Cu. ELBRODUR® GD-NS is an advanced material
developed on the basis of the tried and tested
ELBRODUR® G ELBRODUR® GP-NS. This new material is used
ELBRODUR® G is an age hardenable CuCrZr for the AFM®, ABBM and ASM applications.
alloy which has excellent mechanical properties, ELBRODUR® GD-NS is characterized by improved
both at room and higher temperatures. High heat fatigue and creep strength behavior.
conductivity, a very high softening temperature,
high creep resistance and high resistance to alter- ELBRODUR® GR
nating thermal stresses are exceptional properties The ELBRODUR® GR alloy is based on the material
that set this alloy apart from the copper alloys ELBRODUR® G and has been specially developed
previously presented. The good combination of for moulds that work with electromagnetic stirring
properties achieved in this material is made pos- coils. The precisely controlled reduction of the
sible by the use of alloying elements and a special electrical conductivity of this alloy, while main-
thermomechanical treatment (see Fig. 4). taining the mechanical properties, ensures that the
electromagnetic losses in the mould wall are kept
to a minimum and no additional output is required
from the coils. As a result of these special proper-
ties, there is no need to reduce the mould wall
thickness. At the same time, sufficient strength
of the mould is achieved.

ELBRODUR® B 95
This is a high-alloyed age hardenable CuCoBe based material which
has medium conductivity, along with very good elevated temperature
strength. This material is suitable for very special applications requir-
ing reduced cooling, such as casting rolls.
ELBRODUR® NIB
This is a newly developed material based on CuNiBe. It has been
developed specifically for use in moulds for near-net-shape-casting
and other moulds that need to withstand particularly high stresses.
Its outstanding characteristics are high strength along with medium

conductivity. Importantly, it has a special resistance to cracking
when exposed to thermal stresses caused by large temperature
fluctuations in the mould wall.
27
Properties and applications of mould alloys (See page 30/31, Table 1 and Table 2)
ELBRODUR®
Material Cu-GS CuAg-GS/NS ELBRODUR® G/GP GP-NS/GD-NS ELBRODUR® GR ELBRODUR® B 95 ELBRODUR® NIB
Thermal conductivity High Very high High High Medium Medium Medium
Softening/Recryst. temp. Medium Medium Very high Very high Very high Very high Very high
Strength/Hardness Medium Medium High High High Very high Very high
Application Mould tubes Wide-face and Mould tubes; AFM®, ABBM, ASM Tubes for billet Moulds for Wide-face and
narrow-face plates Plates for and bloom special purposes; narrow-face plates
for slab moulds/ slab moulds; moulds with casting rolls for slab moulds/
thin slab moulds; bloom moulds; electromagnetic thin slab moulds;
mould tubes (casting rolls) stirring systems casting rolls

Fig. 1
Recrystallisation/softening behaviour of KME 200
mould materials versus standard copper (ETP Cu)
E-Cu (ETP Cu)
Hardness (HBW 2.5/62.5)

Cu-GS 150
CuAg-GS/NS
ELBRODUR® G/GP/GP-NS/GD-NS
ELBRODUR® B 95/NIB
100
50
0
20 100 200 300 400 500 600
Temperature (°C)
Fig. 2 10
Creep characteristics of mould materials
(temperature 200 °C/392 °F, stress 150 MPa)
1
CuAg-GS/NS
ELBRODUR® G/GP/GP-NS/GD-NS Extension (%)
Cu-GS 0.1
0.01
0.001
1 10 100 1000
Time (h)
Fig. 3 Cu-GS
Hardness and electrical conductivity of
KME mould materials CuAg-GS/NS
Brinell hardness
ELBRODUR® G/GP
HBW 2.5/62.5
Electrical conductivity
% IACS ELBRODUR® GP-NS/GD-NS
ELBRODUR® NIB
ELBRODUR® B 95
ELBRODUR® GR
0 50 100 150 200
Fig. 4 380
Effect of temperature on thermal
Thermal conductivity (W/(m·K))
conductivity of KME mould materials

370
CuAg-GS/NS
ELBRODUR® G/GP/GP-NS/GD-NS 360
Cu-GS
350
340
~
~
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Temperature (°C)

Table 1 KME materials for mould tubes
Material Properties* Temperature Units Cu-GS CuAg-GS ELBRODUR® G ELBRODUR® GR **

40/50/60
Chemical composition (without copper) % 0.03 P 0.09 Ag 0.65 Cr 0.65 Cr
0.006 P 0.1 Zr 0.1 Zr
1.5 others
Physical Properties °C °F
Electrical conductivity 20 68 S·m/mm2 48 55 50 23/29/35
% IACS 83 95 86 40/50/60
Thermal conductivity 20 68 W/(m·K) 340 377 355 160/205/250
Coefficient of thermal expansion 20–300 68–572 10-6/K 17.7 17.7 18 18
Recrystallisation temperature - - °C 350 370 (800) (800)
Softening temperature*** - - °C 580 580
Modulus of elasticity 20 68 10 MPa

3
120 125 128 128
Mechanical Properties °C °F
0.2 % Proof stress Rp 0.2 20 68 MPa 290 290 360 350
200 392 260 260 335 330
350 662 (215) (215) 295 300
500 932 (20) (20) (185) (210)
Tensile strength Rm 20 68 MPa 310 310 430 420
200 392 265 265 400 390
350 662 (220) (220) 340 330
500 932 (80) (80) (210) (230)
Elongation A5 20 68 % 16 16 19 20
200 392 14 14 18 18
350 662 (12) (12) 19 16
500 932 (70) (70) (20) (17)
Hardness HBW 2.5/62.5 20 68 95 95 130 130
Units: 1 MPa =1 N/mm2 = 0.102 kgf/mm2 = 0.145 ksi; 1 W/(m·K) = 2.388 · 103 cal/(cm·s·°C)
* Values may change with varying thermal and mechanical treatment due to geometry and manufacturing procedure
** Values can be modified to customer's demands
*** Measurement according to DIN ISO 5182
( ) Values may change due to restricted reproducibility of measurement

Table 2 KME materials for mould plates, block moulds and casting rolls
ELBRODUR® ELBRODUR®
Material Properties* Temperature Units CuAg - GS CuAg - NS ELBRODUR® ELBRODUR® ELBRODUR® ELBRODUR®
GP-NS/ GR **
G/GP B95 B95S NIB
GD-NS 40/50/60
Chemical composition % 0.09 Ag 0.1 Ag 0.65 Cr 0.65 Cr 0.65 Cr 1.0 Co 1.4 Co 1.5 Ni
(without copper)
0.006 P 0.004 P 0.1 Zr 0.1 Zr 0.1 Zr 0.1 Be 0.3 Be 0.2 Be
< 1.5 others
Physical Properties °C °F
Electrical conductivity 20 68 S·m/mm2 54 57 48 49 23/29/35 35 31 40
% IACS 93 98 83 84 40/50/60 60 54 69
Thermal conductivity 20 68 W/(m·K) 377 385 350 350 160/205/250 240 220 290
Coefficient of thermal expansion 20–300 68–572 10-6/K 17.7 17.7 18 18 18 18 18 18
Recrystallisation temperature - - °C 370 350 (800) (800) (800) (800) (800) (800)
Softening temperature*** - - °C 580 580 580 590 590 590
Modulus of elasticity 20 68 10 MPa

3
125 125 128 128 128 128 128 128
Mechanical Properties °C °F
0.2 % Proof stress Rp 0.2 20 68 MPa 275 285 285/330 370/380 275 490 610 510
200 392 245 255 260/290 330/335 250 450 580 500
350 662 (200) (200) 230/255 300/305 220 430 540 470
500 932 (20) (20) (200/220) (245/250) (180) (400) (450) (420)
Tensile strength Rm 20 68 MPa 280 290 410/420 430/440 400 630 720 630
200 392 250 250 350/365 370/375 340 570 670 570
350 662 (210) (210) 295/310 325/330 290 500 600 510
500 932 (80) (80) (230/250) (255/260) (215) (440) (500) (430)
Elongation A5 20 68 % 16 17 25/22 19 26 13 10 12
200 392 14 15 24/20 16 23 11 7 10
350 662 (12) (12) 22/19 16 21 (5) (3) (4)
500 932 (70) (70) (22/19) (16) (21) (3) (2) (3)
Hardness HBW 2.5/62.5 1)

20 68 90 90 120/130 135 120 200 235 200
Units: 1 MPa =1 N/mm2 = 0.102 kgf/mm2 = 0.145 ksi; 1 W/(m·K) = 2.388 · 103 cal/(cm·s·°C)
* Values may change with varying thermal and mechanical treatment due to geometry and manufacturing procedure
** Values can be modified to customer's demands
*** Measurement according to DIN ISO 5182
( ) Values may change due to restricted reproducibility of measurement
1)
Hardness HBW: 2.5 /187.5 for ELBRODUR® B95, ELBRODUR® B95S and ELBRODUR® NIB

Research and Development
The goal of our work is to constantly improve our products for the
benefit of our customers. To this end, KME is continually working
on new materials and materials processing techniques. For the
development of moulds, we can use the core expertise and knowledge
of the entire group. The R & D departments of the group have been
set up in such a way that they can deal with the complete range of
assignments, from developing new mould materials right through to
supporting the application of the new products.
The development of new materials involves testing new compounds
as well as further developing known ones. The R&D department for
material development solves both tasks. Here, mould materials used
throughout the world today were developed at the beginning of the
1960s – such as ELBRODUR® G/CuCr Zr and others.
KME's laboratory’s melting and casting facilities are capable of cast-

ing blocks weighing 3,500 kg which can be further processed at the
production facilities. This means that optimal production parameters
can be determined in advance. A rolling mill and a press, together
with annealing and salt-bath furnaces, are used for thermo-
mechanical treatments within the department.
The development of materials is supported by the full range of

chemical analysis (S-OES, XRS, ICP, GF-AAS, etc.), including metal-
lography, and by SEM/TEM electron microscopes, including EDX/
WDX analysis systems. In the area of coatings, a galvanic laboratory
was set up to faciliate their development. The technological labora-
tories for physics and mechanics are equipped with all of the neces-
sary devices for testing and measuring. This includes tests on creep,
relaxation, softening, fatigue resistance, etc.
Destructive tests provide additional data, making it possible to inves-

tigate customer-specific information on particular stresses such as
thermal/chemical problems in the meniscus area with softening and
brass formation, deformation due to insufficient cooling, wear in the
bottom/edge area, etc.
Today, basic laboratory research is supplemented by development

work for the customer, focussing on improved productivity together
with high reliability and service life in specific industrial applications.
Thus, the primary goal of all development activities carried out by
KME is to provide technical support to customers on how to optimise
their facilities, processes and products.

Advanced Mould Manufacturing
Another major element of integrated mould technology is KME's

comprehensive production knowledge. Starting with material
development, through the entire process chain from melting to
coating and all the way up to final quality control, KME uses its
vast experience to supply superior manufactured mould products.
Melting and casting Special procedures and process sequences

In KME’s melting and casting facilities, copper and developed by KME make it possible for us to
copper alloys are produced on state-of-the-art produce complex geometries and dimensions,
systems. High purity cathodic copper is mainly while maintaining the highest levels of quality.
used for producing the mould materials and the
composition of the melt is monitored by an appro- Machining
priate analysis system. Billets and slabs can be Modern, precise CNC machine tools are avail-
cast on different casting machines in different able for final machining of the moulds. Con-
geometries so that the dimensions of the starting struction data for producing the desired work-
material offer favourable conditions for the down- piece geometry are transmitted via integrated
stream production stages, for example, if sufficient CAD/CAM systems. This makes it possible for
degrees of formability have to be ensured for KME to produce complex workpiece surfaces –
subsequent forging operations. like those found in the funnel area of mould
plates for thin slab casting or on beam blank
Forming liners – together with extremely tight toler-
Close coordination between the casting process ances.
and the subsequent forming process is crucial to
ensure optimal material properties in the produc- In addition to its comprehensive expertise in
tion of moulds. milling and drilling copper, KME can boast many
years of experience in the field of deep-hole
KME has both hot and cold rolling mills for forming drilling. This technique makes it possible to
the materials. In addition, we have systems for ensure optimum cooling conditions, even for
extruding, forging and annular rolling as well as for complex geometries. Our production facilities
the heat treatment of our mould materials. are also set up for the finishing of tough and
hard anti-wear coatings.

Research & Development
Engineering
Melting
Casting
Hot extrusion
Drawing Hot rolling Hot forging
Cold forming Cold rolling Hot rolling
Machining Machining
Plating Plating
Quality control Quality control
Final product – Tube – Final product – Plate –

Quality Assurance
The use of high-quality products is absolutely imperative for the

safe operation of continuous casting facilities. In order to ensure
this, KME has all production and business processes certified to
DIN ISO 9001.
This total in-house capability gives KME the start-to-finish

control needed to pursue its business philosophy on all levels
involved and through all stages of production.
Copper material performance requirements
Mould function, Properties required

type of exposure
Handling; assembly/ High basic hardness

disassembly and strength
Transfer of superheat and High thermal conductivity

heat loss of solidification
High wall temperatures Retention of high strength at the relevant

operating temperatures
Mechanical stresses High resistance to creep

at high temperatures
Heavily fluctuating thermal stresses High resistance to fatigue

(fluctuating meniscus level) and cracking
Strand/mould friction High hardness and resistance

to wear
Screening in electromagnetic Reduced electrical

stirring systems conductivity

Service for Maintenance and Recoating
Mould assemblies Repair of mould tubes

From the smallest size billet mould to remotely As a matter of basic principle, mould tubes are
adjustable slab moulds – KME builds and assem- designed as expendable items. Yet, in certain
bles all types of casting moulds complete with cases it may be economically worthwhile for
their complex drive and control systems. a client to have his large-section mould tubes
reworked.
Here, too, the uncompromising quality standards
of KME are ensured through in-process qual- Repair of mould plates
ity control at all stages of a project, no matter KME's maintenance and repair services for mould
whether it is an one-off job or the manufacture plates include the proper remachining as well as
and assembly of a whole series of moulds. These repair of stud-welded moulds and possible recoat-
services for maintenance and recoating are for ing of the copper, plus a complete overhaul of the
customers requirements on a worldwide basis. entire mould assembly, if needed.
In the case of a complete mould overhaul, the

mould will be dismantled and all its mechanical and
supporting parts will be inspected and, if neces-
sary, renewed. Like KME's newly built moulds, the
reassembled unit complete with the remachined
copper – or with new copper, if necessary – will
undergo a complete operational check.
KME provides the following services for customers

wanting to do the remachining of mould plates in
their own workshop:
– assistance with the selection/supply
of appropriate machine tools;
– transfer of the necessary expertise;
– installation and startup of the machining centre;
as well as
– detailed training of the customer's operating
personnel.
The whole package can, of course, be tailored

to individual local requirements and a customer's
existing facilities.

KME Service Stations Worldwide
Russia
Ukraine Russia
Germany
China
Spain Turkey
Mexico
India
Australia
39
KME developments on mould tubes
1960 1994/95
Manufacture of the first copper mould Supply of mould tubes with special
tubes for continuous casting of steel geometries for high speed billet casting
Size range 80-120 mm - CCT ®-Mould
- AMT®-Mould
- DIAMOLD®
Straight Inside parallel uncoated
1998/2001/2002
1963-1965 Gun-drilled beam blank moulds
Development of a special manufacturing
process to ensure a reproducible quality
regarding
- high dimensional stability 2001
- close tolerances Development of improved
Curved Inside tapered chrome coating
- Broadened size range

- All shapes 2006
Development of homogenous
1965/66 cooling mould tubes
Development and use 0.06 - 0.08 mm Cr
of Cr-plated mould tubes 0.10 - 0.12 mm Cr
From 1980
Improvement of mould tube geometry to
meet high-standard market requirements
- set up individual taper
- modification of corner radii 2008
- modification of wall Development of the AHE
thicknesses Double/ Parabolic Advanced High Efficiency Mould Tube
- closer tolerances triple taper taper
1982
Supply of first mould tubes
with beam blank moulds 2009
Development of the
Curved tapered Cr-plated ATM Advanced Tube Mould
1986/95
Supply of world’s largest mould tubes
Square
Round 2010
Size Development of the
360 x 320 mm ø 600 mm Textured Mould Tube

KME developments on mould plates
1964 1990
Start of manufacture and reconditioning Supply of wide flange
of complete non-adjustable slab moulds beam blank moulds
4-piece design
Size 200 x 1700 mm Size 500 x 410/123 mm
1966/70 Extreme dimensional stability i.e. 1994

Development and use of the special resistance to deformations through Supply of wide flange beam blank moulds
alloys of CuAg and ELBRODUR® G – high thermal conductivity 4-piece design
– excellent high temperature strength
– high creep resistance
Size 1120 x 500/130 mm
1968
Supply of the first 1998
beam blank moulds Gun-drilled funnel mould with optimised
2-piece design cooling design by KME
Size 560 x 265/100 mm

2003
1969/70 Development of the
Supply of adjustable KME AFM® mould
slab moulds
Various sizes 2006

AFM® mould running in
1975 industrial-scale production
Continued development of
electro-deposited nickel coatings
2007
Development of the KME ABBM
CrNi Ni Ni Ni Ni+Cr beam blank mould
1986
Supply of the first beam
blank moulds, 4-piece design
2009
Size 685 x 225/50 mm Development of the
ASM Advanced Slab Mould
1988
Supply of the first
thin slab moulds
40 - 50 mm thickness 2012/2013 ELBRODUR® GP-NS
x 900 - 1100 mm Development and use of the - fatigue behavior
special alloy ELBRODUR® GD-NS - creep strength

KME Germany GmbH & Co KG
P.O. Box 33 20
49023 OSNABRÜCK
Klosterstraße 29
49074 OSNABRÜCK
GERMANY
Fon +49 541 321-0
info-germany@kme.com
www.kme.com
KME Service Stations
KME Moulds Service Spain Advanced Mould Technology India Pvt. Ltd.
Special Products
Poligono Industrial "El Campillo" 4th Cross, Whitefield Cross Road
Pabellón 11-D/D-12 2B Dyavasandra Industrial Area
48500 Gallarta - Abanto Vizcaya Mahadevura Post, Bangalore,
SPAIN Karnataka 560 048
Fon +34 946 360 128 INDIA
Fax +34 946 360 133 Fon +91 (80) 28 51 08 78
Fax +91 (80) 43 58 03 31
KME Mould México, S.A. de C.V.
(Parque Industrial Kalos del Poniente) KME Kalip Servis Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.
Apolo Avenue No. 508 Office:
Building 16, Module 3 ve Temsilcilik Tic. Ltd. Şti.
66350 Santa Catarina, Nuevo Leon Necatibey Caddesi
MEXICO Akce Sok. No. 7/A
Fon +52 (81) 83 08 68 10 34425 Karaköy Istanbul
Fax +52 (81) 83 08 68 11 TURKEY
Fon +90 212 244 7460-64
KME Service Russland Fax +90 212 244 7466
Highway Kirillovskoe 86 E
Cherepovets, 162604 Plant:
Vologda Region Güzeller Osb Galvna Isyeri Sanayi Sitesi
RUSSIA Cumhuriyet Cad. No:2 F1 Blok Isyeri No:5
Fon +7 (8202) 29 07 04 41400 Kocaeli
Fax +7 (8202) 29 07 16 TURKEY
KME Service Russland Dalian Dashan Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd.

Molodezhnaya Str. 20 No. 73, Zhengpeng Industrial Zone
Magnitogorsk 455016 Economic and Technical Devolopment Area of Dalian City
Chelyabinsk Region Dalian 116600
RUSSIA Liaoning Province
Fon +7 (8202) 29 07 04 CHINA
Fax +7 (8202) 29 07 16 Fon +86 (411) 87 51 25 08
Fax +86 (411) 87 51 25 58
KME-Magma Ukraine LCC
165, Krasnoflotskaja Street KME Mould Service Australia Pty. Ltd.
87500, Mariupol 154, Shellharbour Road
UKRAINE Kemblawarra, NSW 2505
Fon +380 (629) 560189 AUSTRALIA
Fon +61 (2) 42 74 03 06
KME Mould Service Egypt under process
® = registered trademark
All changes reserved.

Owing to limitations in printing technology, the colours reproduced in this brochure should be regarded as approximate equivalents to the colours described.
1216.000.0108

Mould Description 2021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mould Description 2021

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mould Description 2021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

KME Germany GmbH & Co.

KME offers a unique combination

KME - The Company 3

The continuous casting of steel has seen major technological

The Engineered Products Division was formed

The division not only serves our customers as a

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 5

The performance requirements that have to be

6 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 7

Finite element analysis

The range of mould materials developed and pro-

Using FEA to calculate the mould stresses based

KME can provide detailed support on the design

Dimensioning Cooling conditions

If a limited range of steel types with a similar

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 9

Materials Cu-GS, CuAg-GS

Design – Square, rectangular, polygonal, round, beam blank

Coatings Chrome (recommended thickness 0.08-0.12 mm),

Sizes Up to 450 mm square; larger sizes upon request;

Wall thickness Up to 30 mm; greater wall thickness

Internal corner radius

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 11

To optimise the casting process and product quality even more,

The mould and shell are thus “coupled” together to

12 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 13

KME has developed various technology packages

Based on a precise analysis of the cooling water

ASM – mould plates Reduced heat dissipation

A significant advantage of the ASM technology

14 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

Materials CuAg-GS/NS, ELBRODUR® G/GP/GP-NS/GD-NS/GR,

Plate design – Cooling slots or cooling drills

Sizes – Practically no limits

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 15

Mould plates for thin slabs casting

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 17

Type of mould Form Materials Design Sizes Coatings

18 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 19

Copper materials have a relatively low hardness and thus low

Coating damage from zinc

Excessive wear of the moulds is accelerated by an incorrectly TOPOCROM® coatings

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 21

Material: Ni coating ∆ T wall ∆ heat transfer

Wall 0.7 + 11 - 0.9

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 23

24 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

1.0-3.0 mm HN 20/40 2.0-6.0 mm HN 20 0.1–0.6 mm HF 120

AMC® - Advanced Mould Coatings –

KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology 25

Material sciences and the development of copper alloy systems

26 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

Its outstanding characteristics are high strength along with medium

28 KME Germany GmbH & Co. KG — AMT® – Advanced Mould Technology

E-Cu (ETP Cu)

Hardness (HBW 2.5/62.5)

Destructive tests provide additional data, making it possible to inves-