February 2025 Volume 7

MATERIALS

Hydrogen-Ready Furthermore, with its hydrogen-ready design, the furnace is ahead of the curve as the steel industry widely moves to decar bonization. It can be partially run on hydrogen, which produces water vapor instead of the carbon dioxide typical of fossil fuels, offering a major step toward cutting emissions. Running on natural gas for now, it’s ready to switch to a hydrogen mix when needed, avoiding costly retrofits or downtime in pursuit of a more carbon neutral future. Hydrogen readiness offers more than just sustainability perks or meeting regula tions. Switching can boost the furnace’s efficiency and lower operational costs as hydrogen becomes more available. It also sets manufacturers up to succeed in markets like construction, automotive and renewables, where low-carbon footprint steel is in high demand. Forging the Future This project is a reminder: Specialty steel making never stops evolving. There’s always another challenge on the horizon, from sustainability goals to advances in precision manufacturing. For Metallus, the jumbo bloom reheat furnace answers today’s call while setting the stage for what’s to come. This is just one chapter in the larger ongoing story of continuous improvement in specialty steelmaking, where forgers, manufacturers and industries worldwide can look forward to a stronger, more adaptable future—one formed through a common commitment to excellence.

In turn, problems like cracks or surface indications that waste material in rolling and forging are minimized. Damage potential is also reduced due to the smooth and controlled walking beam material handling process. This all adds up to better yield and more efficient production. SMS-Prometheus software makes the bloom furnace more efficient as well by fine-tuning fuel use based on performance data. This means a smaller carbon foot print and more consistent heating. Along with its digital advancements, the furnace is equipped with ultra-low NOx burners, which are designed to burn fuel more efficiently while cutting down on nitrogen oxide emissions—a major cause of air pollution. Together, the software’s fuel optimization and the burners’ clean combustion are projected to cut Scope 1 emissions by as much as 33%. This combi nation demonstrates how the steel industry is successfully merging sustainability with high operational performance. The entire reheating process is smoother and safer thanks to automation, as the furnace’s walking beam mechanism ensures blooms move accurately through each heating zone. This setup helps cut the risk of downtime and ensures consis tent heating while protecting the blooms. Building on this, Predictive Maintenance Monitoring with SMS-Prometheus AI offers human operators real-time equip ment tracking and diagnostics assistance to maintain peak performance.

See metals differently at Metallus.com.

Chad Lacher Sr. Manager - Bar Based Product Metallus Phone: 330-284-7268 Mobile: 330-284-7268 Email: chad.lacher@metallus.com

Peter Bogan Sr. Manager - Manufacturing Capital Projects Metallus

Phone: 330-471-4438 Mobile: 412-735-2236 Email: pete.bogan@metallus.com

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