Heavy-duty continuous casting mold oscillator

01

Set the stroke, frequency and waveform

A 2025 paper in the Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy states that the main purpose of mould oscillation is to prevent the billet sticking to the mould wall. It defines negative strip time as the period in each cycle when the mould moves downward relative to the billet. Sinusoidal oscillation depends only on stroke and frequency; non-sinusoidal oscillation adds a modification ratio that shortens negative strip time and oscillation mark depth, lengthens positive strip time to increase powder consumption and lubrication, and reduces friction. [1]

For its proposed waveform at an 8 mm stroke and 120 cycles per minute, the paper reports a 15.9% shorter negative strip time than sinusoidal motion. It finds negative strip time falls as modification ratio, frequency and casting speed rise and grows as stroke rises; in plant use its model reduced mean oscillation mark depth by 10.1 µm and raised flux consumption from 0.37 to 0.45 kg/t. [1]

Primetals states that as casting speed increases, oscillator stroke increases and frequency decreases, and that its OsciCon keeps negative strip time low and stable while increasing positive strip time, applying different oscillation curves to specific steel grades from Level 2 process data. [2]

Editorial calculation: 120 cycles per minute is 2 Hz; a rise in flux consumption from 0.37 to 0.45 kg/t is about 22%. [1]

Give the supplier the caster type (slab, bloom, billet; straight or curved mould), mould and water jacket mass, casting speed range, steel grades, required stroke and frequency range, waveform types (sinusoidal, non-sinusoidal, inverse), hydraulic supply, Level 1 and Level 2 interfaces, measurement and maintenance requirements, and the space in the caster.

02

Specify the drive, control and measurement

Primetals' OsciCon is control software that adjusts stroke, frequency and oscillation pattern online for flat and long product casting, including non-sinusoidal and inverse oscillation. Its feed-forward position control reduces phase shift between cylinders in double-cylinder configurations and avoids non-sinusoidal jerking, and an iterative learning algorithm compensates for wear in hydraulic valves and cylinders across all strokes and frequencies. It can be added to existing oscillators by a control cabinet upgrade. [2]

Primetals says irregular oscillator movement can cause surface defects. Its OsciChecker uses up to four capacitive acceleration sensors to measure mould movement in three directions, reporting stroke, frequency, non-sinusoidal values, negative strip time and percentage, and total harmonic distortion, for straight and curved moulds, with a portable and a wireless version. [3]

03

Coordinate stroke, frequency and casting rate within a window

US patent 4,602,671 A, assigned to Fried Krupp AG (priority 1983), covers sinusoidal oscillation of a rigid horizontal continuous casting mould for steel billets and blooms, for which it cites casting rates of about 1.5 to 4 m/min. It requires a frequency f of at least about 100 cycles/min, an average value of 2fH/V0 (stroke H, casting rate V0) of at least 0.64 so the mould leads the casting, and a negative strip, the distance the mould travels ahead of the casting in each forward movement, of no more than 1 mm and preferably 0.1–0.5 mm. Stroke is limited to 6 mm, preferably 5 mm, and set to 2–4 mm at the 120 cycles/min minimum it prefers. A process computer derives the three values from the casting rate. [4]

Its worked examples show how the window narrows with speed: at 1.5 m/min, 5 mm and 100 cycles/min meet both limits, but 150 cycles/min would push the negative strip above 1 mm; at 2.0 m/min the permitted frequency range moves upward and widens as the stroke shortens. [4]

Editorial calculation: at 1.5 m/min (1,500 mm/min), 5 mm stroke and 100 cycles/min, 2fH/V0 = 2 × 100 × 5 ÷ 1,500 ≈ 0.67, just above the 0.64 minimum. The patent's horizontal-caster limits are not transferable to vertical or curved slab casters, but the method of fixing a stroke–frequency window per casting speed applies to any oscillator specification. [4]

04

Moving mass, stroke and frequency range, waveforms and checks to ask any oscillator supplier for

Ask any supplier for rated moving mass, stroke and frequency ranges, waveform capability, cylinder and servo valve type, hydraulic pressure and flow, guiding design and stiffness, position accuracy, control interfaces, measurement tools, spare parts and maintenance intervals, dimensions and weight.

05

Oscillation table, hydraulic cylinders, control software, position control and measurement sensors

On a double-cylinder drive the position control keeps both cylinders in phase; Primetals' OsciCon uses feed-forward position control to cut that phase shift and compensates for wear. [2]

06

Stroke, frequency, waveform, moving mass and hydraulic supply for an oscillator quotation

Nine of the twelve rows have no published value, and the stroke and frequency figures are one study's 8 mm at 120 cycles per minute, so state your own ranges from your casting speeds. [1]

07

Send the caster, motion and control data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Caster: [slab; bloom; billet; mould type]
Moving mass: [mould + jacket]
Casting speed: [range]
Motion: [stroke; frequency; waveforms]
Drive: [hydraulic; single or double cylinder]
Control: [Level 1; Level 2]
Measurement: [oscillation checks]

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