Cokemaking Cold Sheet Rolling Computer Applications Continuous Casting Cranes Electric Steelmaking Electrical Applications Energy and Utilities Environmental Technologies Galvanizing Hot Sheet Rolling Ironmaking Ladle and Secondary Refining Lubrication and Hydraulics Maintenance and Reliability Material Handling Metallurgy - Processing, Products and Applications Metallurgy - Steelmaking and Casting Oxygen Steelmaking Packaging, Shipping and Transportation Methods Pipe and Tube Plate Rolling Project and Construction Management Refractory Systems Rod and Bar Rolling Rolls Safety and Health Specialty Alloy and Foundry Tinplate and Electrogalvanizing

Cokemaking - Back to Top
By product efficiency improvements; coal supply sourcing and blending; process improvements; energy optimization; coke quality enhancements; operating cost reductions; new coke production facilities and the refurbishments of existing facilities; refractory materials and installation advancements; repair/maintenance techniques and technology for extending the life of coke oven batteries and ensuring their manufacturing reliability; environmental process improvements; new sulfur removal facilities or reliability improvement projects; wastewater treatment projects; and emissions reduction projects.

Cold Sheet Rolling - Back to Top
Sheet and tin cold rolling, temper/skinpass rolling, pickling, cleaning and annealing facilities: new, revamps or modernizations. Process modeling and equipment reliability studies. New or revised technologies for enhancing safety, energy efficiencies, cost, quality, productivity and yield of ferrous-based materials. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): width, thickness, shape, flatness, edge drop, surface, temperatures, properties, steering and processing of new and/or special steel chemistries.

Computer Applications Back to Top
New and existing uses of computers to control, monitor and interface steelmaking processes; impact of human factors in process control (such as users, engineers and support personnel); manufacturing execution systems; network/wireless communications; the application of advanced process modeling and control; emerging trends in hardware and software related to process control as well as business systems, including operating systems, software products, novel application of vision systems, security; automation planning and software development methodologies; database, data warehousing and data mining systems; remediation of legacy automation systems.

Continuous Casting - Back to Top
Thin and thick slab, bloom, beam blank, billet and near-net-shape casting machines; caster modeling; new and emerging innovations and technology in continuous casting; improvements and/or renovations in machine design to optimize operations relating to: safety, quality, productivity, reliability, energy, maintenance and the environment.

Cranes Back to Top
Case studies detailing specific experiences with reducing maintenance, operating ane nergy costs; new technology, installations, and product applications resulting in improved safety and productivity gains; better lubrication systems; latest global overhead traveling crane projects; replacements, modifications or improvements that extend crane operating life.

Cokemaking - Back to Top
By product efficiency improvements; coal supply sourcing and blending; process improvements; energy optimization; coke quality enhancements; operating cost reductions; new coke production facilities and the refurbishments of existing facilities; refractory materials and installation advancements; repair/maintenance techniques and technology for extending the life of coke oven batteries and ensuring their manufacturing reliability; environmental process improvements; new sulfur removal facilities or reliability improvement projects; wastewater treatment projects; and emissions reduction projects.

Cold Sheet Rolling - Back to Top
Sheet and tin cold rolling, temper/skinpass rolling, pickling, cleaning and annealing facilities: new, revamps or modernizations. Process modeling and equipment reliability studies. New or revised technologies for enhancing safety, energy efficiencies, cost, quality, productivity and yield of ferrous-based materials. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): width, thickness, shape, flatness, edge drop, surface, temperatures, properties, steering and processing of new and/or special steel chemistries.

Computer Applications Back to Top
New and existing uses of computers to control, monitor and interface steelmaking processes; impact of human factors in process control (such as users, engineers and support personnel); manufacturing execution systems; network/wireless communications; the application of advanced process modeling and control; emerging trends in hardware and software related to process control as well as business systems, including operating systems, software products, novel application of vision systems, security; automation planning and software development methodologies; database, data warehousing and data mining systems; remediation of legacy automation systems.

Continuous Casting - Back to Top
Thin and thick slab, bloom, beam blank, billet and near-net-shape casting machines; caster modeling; new and emerging innovations and technology in continuous casting; improvements and/or renovations in machine design to optimize operations relating to: safety, quality, productivity, reliability, energy, maintenance and the environment.

Cranes Back to Top
Case studies detailing specific experiences with reducing maintenance, operating ane nergy costs; new technology, installations, and product applications resulting in improved safety and productivity gains; better lubrication systems; latest global overhead traveling crane projects; replacements, modifications or improvements that extend crane operating life.

Electric Steelmaking - Back to Top
Implementation of innovative safety programs and procedures; advances in energy efficiency, materials recovery and heat recovery and their associated impact on greenhouse gas generation; advancements in workplace environmental factors, including gas cleaning and mitigation of greenhouse gas generation; process analysis and optimization including new EAF technologies and advances in auxiliary systems such as arc regulation, oxygen and solids injection, and water-cooled components; EAF revamping projects and start-up experience with new equipment; raw materials including scrap optimization, selection of alternative iron feed materials and yield maximization; associate development and training; EAF mechanical, hydraulic and electrical maintenance including primary, secondary and tertiary electrical components.

Electrical Applications - Back to Top
Design, application and/or engineering of power quality and distribution; AC/DC motor/drive technology; HMI systems; open architectural systems and other networks; electrical maintenance and electrical safety applications; and electrical upgrades/retrofits. Application of sensors for process control; efficiency and cost-effective solutions; on-line and off-line shape and flatness measurement; mechanical properties testing; automated surface inspection; oil thickness measurement; surface cleanliness; soft sensors (i.e., modeling of a variable that cannot be measured directly); and other unique sensors that provide new and innovative uses to the primary and finishing sides of the steelmaking process.

Energy and Utilities - Back to Top
New developments and applications that promote increased productivity, energy efficiency in the generation, distribution or use of purchased fuels and combustion; byproduct gases; steam; industrial gases, compressed air, hydrogen, oxygen, etc.; electricity; lighting; heat recovery systems; boilers/furnaces; power plants; and water systems.

Environmental Technologies - Back to Top
 Water Quality including total maximum daily loading, effluent limit guidelines, water treatment and reuse, storm water pollution prevention.  SOLID WASTE including Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, life cycle assessment, waste minimization and recycling. 

Galvanizing - Back to Top
Hot-dip galvanize, galvanneal, aluminized, new zinc alloy coating, and dual metallic/organic processes (new facilities and modernizations, productivity improvements, new equipment technologies), plus coated product substrate quality, defect prevention and detection, and new surface post-treatments.

Hot Sheet Rolling - Back to Top
Hot sheet rolling mills and facilities: new, revamps or modernizations, including: ferrous-based (carbon, silicon, titanium or stainless steel) flat rolling and/or processing with new or revised technologies in width, thickness, shape, flatness, surface, temperature, productivity, yield and quality control. Other topics of interest include (but are not limited to): equipment design improvements; roll coolant and roll bite lubrication; processing new steel chemistries (TRIP, TWIP and dual-phase steels); steering and camber control; slab sizing and width control; descaling and surface improvement systems; edge drop control; productivity improvement and start-up learning curve programs; sensors and gauge systems specifically relating to hot rolling; furnace issues relating to the rolling process, design for safety and environment.

Ironmaking - Back to Top
Blast furnace operations; campaign extension; environmental programs in ironmaking; maintenance programs for ensuring reliability; hearth and taphole design, monitoring and maintenance; blast furnace stoves, stove refractory and safe stove operation; ironmaking raw materials; waste oxides recycling; alternate and new ironmaking processes; blast furnace refractory and cooling system; ironmaking equipment design and improvement; ironmaking control and modeling.

Ladle and Secondary Refining - Back to Top
The processes of heating/cooling, chemistry control, slag treatment, desulfurization/decarburization, degassing, stirring, shape control and inclusion modification; utilizing the support systems of ladles; refractories and refractory repair; ladle transport; flow control; stirring systems; utilities; fume control; additions.

Lubrication and Hydraulics - Back to Top
Bearing technology; lubrication systems; lubricant technology (greases, oils, solid lubricants); hydraulic fluids and systems; fluid filtration and filter media; oil reclamation and refining; condition monitoring; plant lubrication programs; lubricant life and testing methods; sealing technology; gearing technology; electric motors lubrication; coupling lubrication and auto lube technology.

Maintenance and Reliability - Back to Top
Reliability, planning and scheduling with maintenance activities; leadership and cultural change, human resource development and training; contractual support, maintenance outsourcing; maintenance improvement initiatives; CMMS; predictive and preventive maintenance technologies, condition monitoring and new technologies for reliability.

Material Handling - Back to Top
Safety policies, procedures, and prevention with material handling; product tracking and identification; fleet management strategies; new material handling equipment; equipment/vehicle maintenance strategies; new material handling equipment; equipment/vehicle maintenance stratagies; scrap handling; government regulations impacting material handling; communication technologies; infrastructure maintenance of roads, tracks, bridges, etc.; and outsourcing of services.

Metallurgy — Processing, Products and Applications - Back to Top
The interrelation of production processes and product properties (dimensional and metallurgical) including liquid and solid steel processing, and products ranging from sheet and plate to tubular and long products, as well as finished components. Papers are also being sought for process metallurgy and product application of low-strength steels (LSS), high-strength steels (HSS) and advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) with focus on the fundamental aspects from microstructure features to mechanical properties. In addition, development of new process technologies and products is encouraged. Papers on process/product quality problems and control are also welcome.

Metallurgy — Steelmaking and Casting - Back to Top
Topics related to all aspects of inclusions in steel: New technologies in steel cleanliness assessment; Inclusions and steel properties; Downstream product defects related to inclusions; Steel deoxidation, reoxidation and inclusions; Nozzle clogging and related production problems; Fundamentals of inclusion nucleation and growth from nano-size to milli-size; Use of inclusions to improve properties; Modification of inclusion shape and composition; Control of inclusions during steel refining and casting (foundry casting, ingot casting, and continuous casting); Modeling of inclusions in molten steel (including nucleation, growth, fluid-flow transport, and removal); Engineering of inclusions and precipitates, including oxide metallurgy, for grain refinement and steel property improvement; use of any system, approach, methodology or equipment to improve product quality, production and/or costs.

Oxygen Steelmaking - Back to Top
BOF environmental controls, vessel slopping, secondary emissions, tapping practices and yield improvement, endpoint predictions, charge management, blast furnace/BOF strategies and coordination, plant culture, maintenance practices, and planning and energy conservation.

Packaging, Shipping and Transportation Methods - Back to Top
Safety procedures and innovations in packaging, shipping and transportation methods in all modes of transportation, including but not limited to infrastructure, ASTM standards, motor carriers, waterways, loading and packaging, open top loading rules, transloading, and governmental regulations.

Pipe and Tube - Back to Top
Safety advancements in the pipe and tubular products arena; industry requirements modifications affecting the pipe and tube manufacturing process; pipe and tube alloys and their applications; pipe and tube connection technologies; pipe and tube inspection advancements; pipe mill preventive maintenance; construction innovations; pipe and tube product quality and traceability; energy conservation and environmental challenges.

Plate Rolling - Back to Top
New plate rolling and finishing installations; discrete and Steckel processing; mill modernization, new equipment and technologies; automation upgrades; model developments in rolling and finishing; thickness, width and crown control; flatness control, measurement and correction; surface quality and inspection; scale removal; operational practices of reheat furnaces; and thermal mechanical rolling developments, including accelerated cooling.

Project and Construction Management - Back to Top
Capital effectiveness; project safety performance; project planning and implementation approaches for new installations, retrofits and maintenance projects; project team alignment/team building; new technologies to aid the project team; risk assessment, commissioning and project closeout.

Refractory Systems - Back to Top
Laboratory developments and evaluations of new refractory products and systems; field trails of new refractory products and systems in all areas of cokemaking, ironmaking, steelmaking, continuous casting and finishing; effects of operational conditions or variables on the performance of refractory systems; recycling of used refractories into new refractory products.

Rod and Bar Rolling - Back to Top
Safety innovations with rolling mill operations; new equipment and technologies; new installations and revamp of existing facilities; process and auxiliary equipment including gauging systems; shearing and handling equipment, guide systems and control systems; process and product development; defect inspection and product quality.

Rolls - Back to Top
Innovative roll manufacturing and roll testing, roll maintenance and inspection practices, roll use in the ferrous and nonferrous industries including pinch rolls, roll performance improvements, the relationship between rolls and product attributes (profile, flatness, surface, etc.), and roll surface defects and their effect on sheet quality reducing your environmental footprint.

Safey and Health - Back to Top
Contractor safety management, railroad safety, electrical safety (including NFPA 70E), project safety management (including construction), lockout/energy isolation, fall protection, confined spaces, management systems, industrial hygiene (employee exposure monitoring, qualitative exposure assessments, biological monitoring, etc.), hazard communication (including GHS), local exhaust ventilation, technology (use of technology for safety improvements and/or new safety issues due to technology/automation), assessment of safety systems (audits, indicators, etc.) and success stories and/or lessons learned. The Safety and Health Technology Committee will volunteer to join other AIST Technology Committees in developing AISTech Safety sessions that specialize in their particular process.

Specialty Alloy and Foundry - Back to Top
Alloy and superalloy grade production; stainless steel; remelt process and innovations; refining requirements due to customer specifications; casting criteria; scrap segregation and residual controls; raw materials; foundry operations; safety improvements with specialty steelmaking; environmental regulations; energy conservation.

Tinplate and Electrogalvanizing - Back to Top
Advancements applicable to the tin mill area and electrogalvanizing process. Topics of particular interest include: process improvements, process control or new or emerging technologies, procedures/practices, process reliability, quality control, water treatment, energy conservation, recycling and other environmental opportunities.

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