During the challenging landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020, Gerdau Long Brazil and Ba-dische Stahl-Engineering (BSE) embarked on a collaborative journey with the goal of improving operations and impartially assessing equipment conditions in the meltshops at Cosigua (Rio de Janeiro), Açonorte (Recife) and Cearense (Maracanaú). This article explores both the Badische and Gerdau approaches to this consulting part-nership including benchmarking, online coaching, on-site investigation, action plans and specific seminars at Badische Stahlwerke in Germany. It chronicles the preconsultation challenges faced by the three plants, details the strategic interventions employed and showcases the transformations achieved. 

HFC fluids, otherwise known as water glycol hydraulic fluids, are the most widely used type of fire-resistant hy-draulic fluid in heavy industry. Their price-performance profile and fire-resistant properties make them a suitable choice for a wide range of applications. However, when selecting an HFC fluid, specifiers should be aware that not all HFC fluids are created equally. This article will discuss factors that impact HFC price-performance characteris-tics based on field and laboratory analysis.

Materials development for rolling applications has become multidisciplinary, integrating expertise from various fields. ESW adopts this approach in all shell material developments. This article outlines the framework of ongo-ing activities in high-speed steel (HSS) material development for hot strip mills. A European hot strip mill, R&D institutions and ESW collaborated to enhance HSS material performance, focusing on heat treatment. The project aims to develop a simulation model in Abaqus to identify critical times and predict alternative heat treatment routes. The model, validated with continuous cooling transformation, time-temperature-transformation diagrams and stress measurements, uses thermophysical data and temperature measurements from an instrumented work roll.

This article examines the evolution of circular economy concepts derived from the economic theory of externali-ties, emphasizing their critical role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It highlights the importance of accurately interpreting these concepts when developing technological solutions to transition from a linear to a circular pro-duction system. The focus is on the steel industry, providing practical examples from steel mill operations, demonstrating how circular economy principles can be effectively integrated into industrial processes to foster sustainable production.

Thin-slab casters, first introduced by SMS group as Compact Strip Production (CSP), have specific requirements for a submerged-entry nozzle (SEN). These casters are often characterized by relatively thin cross-sections, a fun-nel shape, high casting speeds and a curved mold. Modern steel shops are constantly pushing the envelope to achieve long production times on an SEN. As such the designs, material combinations and the associated pro-duction of SENs play a critical role in achieving the performance demanded by such casters. This article details the development and implementation of such designs through material development and study of designs using modeling techniques. Particular references are provided to the successful implementation of one such SEN at Nu-cor Steel–Indiana.