The Steel Book

A stronger, lighter and more sustainable world

SSAB's vision
The Steel Book
Contents
The world needs steel 4
How steel is used 5
SSAB in the world of steel 8

HOW WE MAKE STEEL

Ore-based hot metal and steel 10
Scrap-based steel 12
Strip products 14
Heavy plate 16
Rolling – Quenching 18

A sustainable world 20
People and steel – The future 23

IN MORE DETAIL
Ore-based hot metal and steel 26
Secondary metallurgy and continuous casting 30
Strip products 32
Heavy plate 34

Production The Steel Book: SSAB Communications, Lena Westerlund.

Reviewed by SSAB Technical Communication Committee Glossary 36
Illustrations: Gunvor Ekström Mediagrafik & illustration AB
Design: Ola Höglund, Höglund Design AB
Printing: Henningsons Tryckeri AB, Borlänge 2012

3
The world needs steel
The global demand for steel is great. Annually 
about 1.4 billion tons of steel is produced in the world.
The steel industry is central to our social structure,
in particular our infrastructure, but steel also
improves the everyday lives of most people.

Steel is one of the materials that most affects society

simply because it is so prevalent in everyday life. It is hard
to imagine a day without the use of steel in some shape or
form. There is a need for steel for all forms of development
and growth around the world. At the same time, demands
for resource management and sustainable development are
increasing, which benefits SSAB as manufacturers of high-
strength steels.

Management of the Earth's resources requires energy-

efficient processes, including making the most efficient and
smart use of steel.
The steel industry is very energy intensive and uses large
amounts of commodity resources, but at the same time steel
can be recycled and used again and again. Steel scrap such
as old cars, industrial machinery or railway equipment is
melted down and turned into new steel and new products.
About a third of the world's steel production is based on
scrap recycling.

4
How SSAB's steel is used
SSAB has strong brands for steel plate for different
applications, which require strength, wear resistance
and formability. SSAB sells not only steel, but also the
knowledge and services around the applications of its
steels.
SSAB's steels are used for transporting, lifting or carrying,
and for security applications.
SSAB's high strength steels allow a user to reduce the weight
of a product while increasing its strength and extending the life
of various structures. These are properties that are especially
valuable to manufacturers of construction machinery, mining
equipment, trucks, cranes, and containers.
These tough steels also are used for various safety
applications in the automotive industry.
SSAB also produces a variety of lower strength steels,
which are used for various products within the manufac-
turing, construction, and energy (including wind turbines)
industries.
Did you know?
∑ Steel is the world's most important engineering material due to its
high strength relative to weight and cost effectiveness.
∑ Steel is produced in many forms – from thin sheets to thick
load-bearing bridge girders.
∑ Industrial development requires steel.
∑ Steel is constantly evolving and is a high-tech material.
∑ Steel makes up part of a cycle, and is the world's most
recycled material.
5
Garbage trucks carry larger loads
A Canadian garbage truck manufacturer has designed a
vehicle which takes advantage of the breadth and possibili-
ties of high strength steels. It is a front-loader garbage truck
which can carry about 700 kg more payload using SSAB's
steels compared to previous models. The new design has
not only become lighter, but also can withstand higher
compression in the hopper. The result is a more efficient
vehicle that requires fewer trips and therefore has a reduced
environmental impact.
Dump trucks in mines
Dump trucks for use in mining are exposed to very high wear
conditions. A South African company uses high strength wear
plate in its redesign of the truck bed to create a lighter and
more durable component. The weight of the truck is 
reduced by 19%, nearly eight tons. As a result, operating and
maintenance costs are reduced, as well as the impact on the
environment due to lower emissions.
Specialists
SSAB focuses on solving difficult problems. The company has
specialists with unique expertise in everything from the steel
properties such as strength, bending, cutting and joining to
fatigue and wear. The close collaboration between SSAB's
application engineers and customers contributes to new
knowledge, new ideas and solutions to problems.
SSAB is at the forefront of design, innovation, technology
and environmental responsibility.
The specialists in technical customer support are involved
in new products and projects at an early stage. Collaboration
with customers is very valuable for both parties.

RIGHT: A front-loading garbage truck with approximately

700 kg higher payload capacity when SSAB's steel is used.
BELOW: Reduced operating and maintenance costs and
environmental impact when SSAB wear plate is used for
dump trucks that are exposed to excessive wear.

6
1 2 3

HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL HAS MANY APPLICATIONS

1. For mining and heavy transport,
resistance to wear and extreme dura-
bility are important characteristics.
Hardox and Weldox give designers
many possibilities. a super-strong and light material.
2. Prelaq Energy was used for roofs and
walls in the Swedish pavilion at the
World Exhibition in Shanghai in 2010.
The material makes it possible to
reduce the energy consumption in
buildings.
3. SSAB's steel is often used in award-
winning interior design, such as the
bookshelf Cell by Peter Cohen.
4. For extreme racing gear Docol is
5. Armox makes embassy buildings
more secure.
6. Weldox increases the reach of cranes
by utilizing the steel's extreme
strength.

Learn more about SSAB's product brands on page 9.

7
5 6
SSAB in the world of steel
In the world of steel, SSAB is a relatively small player, with a
production capacity of 6 million tons of steel annually. SSAB
has production facilities in Sweden and the U.S.
SSAB steel production takes place in blast furnace pro-
cesses using iron ore and coal, as well as in the steel mills
that use recycled scrap as the raw material. It is customary
to divide steel production into long products, such as pipes
and beams, and flat products, such as heavy plate and strip
products. SSAB produces both plate and strip products.
8
In Sweden, about 3.5 million tons of steel is produced using
blast furnaces and refining equipment in Oxelösund and
Luleå.
In Borlänge, there is a roll mill, which refines the steel into
strip products. Oxelösund has the entire process chain with
hot metal and steel manufacturing, as well as rolling facilities
for refining heavy plate production.
In the United States, SSAB has two steelworks that use
scrap as the basis for the production of heavy plate. SSAB
produces about 2.5 million tons of steel per year in the U.S.A.
SSAB produces high strength steel that has several advan-
tages from a sustainability perspective. The steels are stron-
ger and can be used to build lighter equipment compared to
ordinary steels. This means lower carbon emissions during
equipment use.
There is great demand for SSAB’s high strength steel
products.
SSAB's product brands
Structural steel for lightweight and durable solutions. Used mainly in
the transportation sector in truck beds, containers and chassis.
Wear plate for maximum payload and longer service intervals in
truck beds, containers, buckets, and wear parts in raw material
handling and recycling.
Cold rolled steel for light and safe components. Mainly in crash
beams and seats of vehicles. Suitable for bending and forming.
Structural steel for heavy and demanding applications. Used for
cranes and other structures with requirements for high strength and
good weldability.
Pre-painted sheet steel for environmentally-friendly construction
products. A sustainable solution for roofs, walls, guttering and fittings.
Protective plate used for armored car transports, buildings, mine
sweepers and personal property protection.
Steel for machine components and tools that can withstand extreme
temperatures. Hardened and ready to go into production.
THE COMPANIES PLANNJA AND TIBNOR 
ARE INCLUDED IN THE SSAB GROUP
Tibnor
Tibnor is a one-stop source of steel and metals for manufacturing,
processing and construction companies in the Nordic countries and
Baltic States. Tibnor is the leading distributor in the Nordic countries,
and a strategic and long-term partner of the industry. Together with
customers and suppliers the best solutions for materials, logistics and
production are developed.
www.tibnor.se
Plannja
Plannja is one of Europe's leading brands within refined strip
products for construction and sheet metal work, small house
construction and other producers of housing modules. The produc-
tion facilities in Luleå, Järnforsen and Landsbro deliver both product
systems as well as custom-made solutions. This contributes to simple
and economical construction and aesthetically pleasing buildings.
www.plannja.com
9
HOW WE MAKE STEEL
Ore-based hot metal and steel
In Sweden, SSAB produces strip products and heavy
plate, while only heavy plate is produced in the United
States. Swedish production is ore-based, and in the
United States, production is scrap-based.
In Sweden, hot metal is produced from iron ore pellets in
blast furnaces in Luleå and Oxelösund. There also is a small
amount of scrap added as the hot iron is refined into crude
steel in LD converters.
High strength steels derive their strength partially by the
addition of alloying elements and partially by the manufac-
turing methods, for example, by quenching in rapid cool-
ing processes in a matter of seconds. Precise precision is a
prerequisite for product .
SSAB's strength lies in the business concept where the
company works with customers to find optimal solutions.

3. The blast furnace

is fed continuously
with iron ore pellets,
coke, limestone and
additives.

1a. SSAB purchases coal from Australia
and the United States. The coal is
shipped by sea to Luleå and Oxelösund.
2. The coking plant converts coal to
coke and gas by heating in a battery of
sealed furnaces. The gas is converted
to energy. The coke goes to the blast
furnace.
4. The hot metal is tapped
as soon as the correct
level in the blast furnace
is reached. The carbon
content is about 4.5%. The
slag is skimmed off into a
slag pot. 5. The hot metal is trans- 6. The hot metal is
ported to the steelworks treated to remove
in a cigar-shaped railcar sulphur.
known as a torpedo car.
This can hold approxi-
mately 300 tons of liquid
hot metal.

1b. LKAB's iron ore pellets are

shipped by rail to Luleå and then
onwards by sea to Oxelösund.

10
 LEFT: The metallurgy processes
convert hot metal and scrap into
molten steel. The steel is cast into
a semi-finished slab product.
CENTER: The liquid hot metal is
transported from the blast furnace
to the steelworks in ceramic-lined
vessels called torpedo cars.
RIGHT: Heavy ladles with molten
steel in the production process can
be transported by means of radio
control.

9. In the continuous casting process, the

steel is converted from molten to solid
slabs. The temperature of the molten steel
at the caster is approximately 1600°C.

10. The mould consists of water-cooled copper

plates, between which the steel solidifies to form
a long strand.

11. The steel strand is cut into slabs. The

7. Hot metal and cooling scrap are charged slabs are labeled and placed into piles to
into the LD converter. The operator injects cool while awaiting shipment to the roll mills.
8. Fine tuning of the steel's chemical
oxygen at high pressure by means of a lance.
composition and temperature is carried
The oxygen combines with the coal. The hot
out in the secondary metallurgy pro-
iron is considered to have been converted to
cess. The steel also is vacuum treated
steel when the carbon content has dropped to
to remove hydrogen and nitrogen, if
less than 1.7%.
required.
Alloying elements are added when the steel is
tapped from the LD converter into steel ladles.

See also the “in more detail” section on page 26.

11
HOW WE MAKE STEEL
Scrap-based steel
Recycling of scrap is a smart way to manufacture
steel. Steel scrap has already been transformed into
steel in its previous life and is an energy-efficient
alternative to producing new steel. Moreover, it is
good management of Earth's resources.
Steel scrap is the world's largest recycling system and covers
the entire world in a global cycle. Scrap is always sorted care-
fully because the scrap steel can be alloyed and contain
various additives. The scrap types suitable for the steel
produced is selected.
SSAB has scrap-based steelworks in Montpelier, Iowa and
Mobile, Alabama. Scrap melting occurs in twin-shell electric
arc furnaces. The scrap is first preheated by means of natural
gas.
While the scrap is preheated with natural gas in one shell,
scrap is melted using electric and chemical power in the
other shell. Carbon electrodes immersed in the scrap bath
creates a high current arc. The melted scrap is converted
into new crude steel and is tapped into ladles.

1. Steel is the world's largest
recycling system. Steel used
in everyday life can be melted
down to become new steel
products.
2. Montpelier and Mobile use
twin-shell, electric-arc furnaces for
scrap melting. In one shell, scrap is
preheated using natural gas, while in
the other shell, scrap is melted using
electric and chemical energy. Then,
the molten steel is tapped into ladles.
3. At the ladles metallurgy furnaces, 4. The hot steel is turned into slabs 5. The slabs are heated in
steel chemical composition and by continuous casting. in an open, gas-fired reheating furnace to a
temperature is fine-tuned. Alloying water-cooled, copper mould. temperature needed for rolling.
elements are added, the carbon
content is regulated, and the sulfur
level is reduced. Some steel types
also are vacuum treated to remove
hydrogen and nitrogen.

12
 THE ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE

The electric arc furnace uses a high

current and relatively low voltage,
600–1200V, to melt the scrap. The
power input is between 60–100 MW.

An arc is created between the

electrodes and the scrap, which is
grounded via the furnace shell. The
LEFT: Steel scrap is recycled in SSAB's facilities in the U.S. arc creates a hot plasma that melts
The scrap becomes raw material for heavy plate. the scrap (comparable to lightning
during a thunderstorm). The voltage
ABOVE: Finished plates at steelworks in the U.S. before being varies with the distance between the
shipped to customers. electrodes and the scrap melting,
and can be regulated.

Slag port

TAP HOLE

6. The steel slabs must be rolled to
produce the required dimensions and
properties. This is done in different
ways at different sites.
In the U.S., slabs are rolled on
Steckel mills which have down coilers
at both ends of the four-high rolling
stand.
7. The heavy plate can be heated,
quenched (rapidly cooled) and
tempered to get the right proper-
ties.
Read about secondary metallurgy and continuous casting on page 30.
8 Plates cool on a bed before
they are painted, cut to length
and prepared for delivery.
After all the scrap has been melted,
the slag is poured off and the liquid
crude steel is transferred to a ladle.
Each charge contains 150 tons of
steel in Montpelier and 175 tons of
steel in Mobile.

13
HOW WE MAKE STEEL
Strip products
Rolling the sheet into thin dimensions takes place
in hot mills, which the sheet passes through several
pairs of rolls in a series one after another, each with a
decreasing gap between the work rolls.

Consequently, the sheet becomes thinner as it passes through each

rolling stand. This also increases the overall strip length.
The process begins in the roughing mill followed by a hot strip
mill in which the sheet is still glowing hot.
Some of the hot rolled plate is then cold rolled to become even
thinner and smoother.
6. Hot rolled strip
products are sold
as coils or cut into
formatted sheets.
glödskal

vatten

1. The slabs are heated in 2. Mill scale is removed 3. At the roughing mill, the thickness of the 4. In the finishing line, six stands 5. The plate is water cooled to
slab furnaces to the exact from the steel surface steel slabs is reduced from 22 cm to 3 cm, (each with a pair of work rolls) reduce about 600°C before winding the
temperature for rolling in several stages during and the length increases from 11 meters to the final thickness in the range of long strip into a coil.
– about 1250°C. hot rolling. nearly 80 meters. This partially-rolled slab is 1.8 and 16 mm.
wound into a coil on the coil box.

7. The pickle bath

removes the mill scale
(oxide layer) formed
during hot rolling.
Pickling is carried out
in hydrochloric acid
Did you know? solution and then the
strip is rinsed in several
steps.
∑ A slab that is 11 m long, 22 cm thick and 1.5 m wide can be rolled
down to 0.4 mm and then becomes a 6 km long strip.

14
 LEFT: A new water cooling section
was built in Borlänge in 2011
The facility allows for the direct
quenching of thinner plates in
addition to conventional cooling.
RIGHT: The pickled sheet is rolled
in the Cold Roll Mill, this time
without heating. This makes the
plate thinner and harder.

14. Some sheet coils are hot-dip galvanized to pro- 15. Hot-dip galvanized steel can be
vide a corrosion-resistant shield. This involves another further treated, for example, by painting
heating step and immersion in molten zinc followed by before delivery to customers.
cooling.

8 Hot rolled 6 mm 9. Strip products can 10 Cold rolled steel is hard and 11. To harden the plate 12. After cooling, there is 13. Cold rolled sheet plate is
can be made thinner be rolled as thin as 0.3 brittle. and it must be annealed it is quickly cooled. usually another heating step sold as coils, or cut into
and smoother by cold mm. at 850°C in order to become (200–500°C) to make the formatted sheets.
rolling. formable again. hardened steel more formable.

See also the “in more detail” section on page 32.

15
HOW WE MAKE STEEL
Heavy plate
SSAB's great success with high strength steel
began in Oxelösund with a special cooling technology.

A rolling mill is needed in order to produce heavy plate. The

thick, heavy steel slabs must be rolled out to become plates
of the right thickness and width. SSAB's Swedish rolling mill
for heavy plate, located in Oxelösund, is one of the strongest
in the world.

1. Steel slabs are heated in
slab reheating furnaces to
the exact rolling temperature.
2. High pressure water sprays
remove scale from the heat slabs.
3. The slab is rolled back and forth
in the four-high rolling mill until the
plate reaches the desired thickness
and width.
4. SSAB's four-high rolling mill
in Oxelösund works with forces of
100,000 kN (10,000 tons) and is
one of the world's most powerful
rolling mills.

16
 LEFT: Heavy plate is cut into manageable
lengths after rolling.
CENTER: The finished plate is blasted,
painted and labeled.
RIGHT: The granulation facility at the steel-
works in Oxelösund converts hot metal into
iron pellets.

5. The hot plates are cut into 6. Quenching is done by rapid and 7. Heating (tempering) of the plate occurs 8 The plate is cut to length before
sheets of manageable lengths evenly distributed cooling with water. at between 200–700°C. This makes the being blasted to provide a scale-free
after rolling. This gives the plate its high-strength quenched plate more ductile. surface. Then the plate is labeled and
properties. painted with anticorrosive paint.

See also the “in more detail” section on page 34.

17
HOW WE MAKE STEEL
Rolling – Quenching
Steel slabs are large and heavy. They weigh about
25 tons each and must become thinner and lighter to
be able to be used. Therefore, slabs are processed in
roll mills. Slabs can be rolled into heavy plate, or strip
products. Plate products are supplied in flat form,
while sheets can be supplied as either flat sheets, or
in coils.

The steel slabs are heated in furnaces until they become soft
and glowing. The roll mill acts as a giant rolling pin, which rolls
out the steel slab to its final thickness.
After rolling, the plate can be rapidly cooled, quenched and
tempered and further treated.
Some plate products are cut to length and painted before
they are delivered to SSAB's customers.
SSAB has rolling mills in Oxelösund, Borlänge, Montpelier
and Mobile.
SSAB's focus on producing high strength steel started in
Oxelösund in the 1970s. The brand Hardox is steel with
exceptional wear resistance.

HOW TO MEASURE THE STRENGTH OF STEEL?

The strength of steel can be measured by a so-called
tensile test, which a piece of steel is pulled with such
force until it breaks into two pieces.
One measure of strength is yield strength, which refers
to the point where the steel loses its ability to regain its
original shape. Draghållfastheten mäts i Megapascal,
MPa.
An example of steel with very high yield strength is
Docol 1500M. A 1 dm wide piece of metal which is 0.5
mm thick can resist a pulling force equivalent of six tons
before it deforms permanently.
18
The yield strength of Docol 1500M is 1,200 MPa. This
means that the sheet metal piece is strong enough to lift
five connected normal size cars under each other.
Another way to measure the strength of steel is the
tensile strength – the maximum load of the steel before
breakup.
Toughness and durability are also important
characteristics of steel products.
TOP: The hot strip mill in Borlänge manufactures
sheet products. Slabs are reheated to about
1250°C prior to rolling.
LEFT: Sheet products can be delivered as coils, or
as cut-to-length flat sheet.

19
A stronger, lighter and more sustainable world
SSAB's vision

SSAB's vision mirrors the direction the company is

heading.
SSAB's work method is consistently characterized
by its respect for employees, partners, countries and
environments in which it operates. SSAB has signed the
UN Global Compact. The UN Global Compact is an
initiative to promote corporate responsibility. Its
frame-work comprises ten principles in the areas of
human rights, labor rights, environment and corruption.

Managing resources
The world's resources are finite. Therefore it is important to
manage raw materials and use them as efficiently as possible.
The steel industry is central to social structure, and SSAB's
high strength steel has several advantages from a
sustainability perspective.

Management of the world’s resources requires energy-efficient

processes, and efficient and smart utilization of the finished
steel. The business activity requires environmental efforts that
contribute to a lasting and sustainable development.
A lighter, but stronger design needs a smaller amount of
steel, provides greater capacity, and reduces emissions of
carbon dioxide. This leads to energy conservation, good
management of resources, and a reduced environmental
impact.

20
Energy Ore
The steel industry is one of the world's most energy-intensive SSAB is one of the world's most energy-efficient steel
basic industries. Steel production uses mainly electricity and producers. For example, the pellets provided by LKAB consist
coal. of 100% magnetite ore. This represents a major energy
advantage. Magnetite ore requires less energy and gener-
The processes generate energy-rich gases from coke
ates only a third as much carbon dioxide compared to pellets
ovens and blast furnaces. Using the gases created from the
made from hematite ore.
processes means that, for example, the need for oil can be
reduced. Energy-efficient blast furnaces
Using process gases as a raw material produces electricity SSAB's blast furnaces are some of the most energy-efficient
in gas turbines in combined heat and power (CHP) plants. It in the world. The amount of coal and coke used per ton of hot
covers half of SSAB's electricity needs for the production metal are among the lowest. Efficient processes are crucial
SSAB uses scrap as a raw
facilities in Luleå, Oxelösund and Borlänge. for the energy-efficient use of resources.
material in the electric
Process gases also contribute to the production of district Electric power and district heating produced by SSAB's arc furnaces in the United
heating. The households connected to the district heating process gases are examples of the efficient use of natural States. Scrap is recycled
using natural gas and
network in Oxelösund, Luleå and Borlänge have SSAB as their resources.
electricity.
district heating provider.
SSAB uses scrap as a cool-
Natural gas is used to preheat the processes of scrap recy- ant in the LD converters in
cling in SSAB's U.S. facilities. Thereafter, the scrap is melted Luleå and Oxelösund.

in electric arc furnaces. Natural gas is also used for the slab SSAB recycles steel in both
reheating furnaces. ore-based and scrap-
based metallurgy.

Did you know? THE LIFECYCLE OF STEEL

SSAB annually awards the international Swedish Steel Prize. All steel can be recycled. Steel is one of the most recycled
materials in the world. Used materials are melted down
Every year in November, a winner who has made the best use of high strength and turned into new products again. Scrap is an important
steel in a design is selected from dozens of candidates. raw material.

21
 Blast furnace slag
Blast furnace slag is formed during hot metal production and
is a good raw material for cement-like binders, road materials,
and other applications. The uses of blast furnace slag include
road construction. It is sold under the name Hyttsten and has
the advantage of being a lightweight construction material.
Blast furnace slag contains lime and is therefore also used
as a raw material for KRAV certified agricultural lime. Blast
furnace slag is a good example of the resource management
of raw materials in the steel industry.

Merox
Merox is a subsidiary of SSAB operating primarily at the three
production sites in Sweden. The company specializes in the
handling and sale of by-products formed during steelmaking.
Merox’s responsibilities include bringing ferrous materials
back into SSAB's processes.
Merox produces and sells products covering a wide range
of areas, including construction materials for roads, riding
tracks, raw materials for cement, fertilizer, magnets, and
coloring pigments.
Bringing materials back into the processes and using
by-products as new materials are examples of effective
management of the world's resources.
ABOVE LEFT: Hyttsten is an environmentally friendly road
construction material for major and minor roads.

ABOVE RIGHT: Finely crushed blast furnace slag (Hyttsten)

– a bearing surface layer for equestrian sports.

LEFT: Fine-grained materials such as filter dust are mixed

with cement and used in the form of briquettes as a new
raw material in the blast furnace.

22
People and steel – The future
SSAB is a knowledge-intensive company with sites on
all continents and in over 45 countries. SSAB’s major
production facilities are in Sweden and the United
States. There are nearly 300 different professions in
the company, and many employees are working
locally and globally at the same time.

SSAB’s operations have a high knowledge content, and the

company is dependent on the initiatives and innovation of
all employees to continuously improve and streamline
operations.

Knowledge-intensive
Producing advanced steel products requires great knowledge
and a thorough understanding of metallurgical processes.
SSAB also conveys knowledge to its customers about how
high strength steel can be used. New applications, designs and
products are constantly developed together with customers.
Hence the need for employees with skills and innovative
ideas across many areas – from marketing, research and
development to logistics, production and process development.

The impact on the environment can be reduced by

constantly improving and streamlining the various stages
of steel manufacturing.
Continuous professional development is essential in order
for employees to meet their different missions and to con-
tribute in the best way possible. Development opportunities
within SSAB's operations are numerous.

Development opportunities for employees within

SSAB are plentiful. There are close to 300 different
professions within the company.

23
 Environment and safety
SSAB is systematically and persistently working to create a
safe working environment for all employees. The company's
demanding work sites require a high level of safety-focused
thinking from everyone involved.
The goal of SSAB is to be the safest steel company in the
world.

A future for you?

Are you a future employee? Do you want to be part of creating
a stronger, lighter and more sustainable world?

To learn more, please visit:

www.ssab.com/career
or look us up on Facebook.

24
Some of the more than 300 occupations that
are represented at SSAB
Application and product developer • Technician • Electrician 
Seller • Chemist • HR partner • Crane operator • Bricklayer 
Controller • Development engineer • Metallurgist • Project leader
Researcher • Strategic buyer • Product developer • Economist
Application Engineer • Fireman • Planner • Mechanic
Continuous caster • Constructor • Ergonomist • Logistician
System developer • Customer service engineer • Welder 
Controls and control engineer • Machine operator • Truck driver
IT architect • Work environment engineer • Construction leader
Designer with different orientations

25
IN MORE DETAIL

Ore-based
INSIDE THE BLAST FURNACE The blast furnace is charged continu-
ously with iron ore pellets, coke and
additives from the top.

hot metal and steel

The gas from the
Coking plants Raw materials are also recovered for use reduction process rises
In addition to iron ore pellets, SSAB uses in the chemical process industry, such as through the burden.
both pulverized coal and coke for producing sulphur for agricultural fertilizer use, tar and Purified process gas is
It consists of carbon
monoxide and carbon
hot metal.  SSAB metallurgical processes asphalt. Other customers to the coking plant an important energy
dioxide.
have coking plants in Luleå and Oxelösund. include manufacturers of perfumes and source for SSAB's own
processes, for power
Injection coal and coke are the reduction pharmaceuticals. generation and district
agents in the blast furnace process. heating. 150º C

At the core of the coking plant is the cok- Blast furnaces

ing battery which comprises a number of
tall, narrow ovens. Coking is a dry distillation
process, i.e. combustion without access to
oxygen. The black coal is charged by coal
machines above the oven battery. The ovens
have brick partitions in which the heating wall
channels are heated by the gas generated in
the coking battery itself, possibly mixed with
blast furnace gas. The coal is heated in the
narrow, airtight ovens until it is in an almost
– A smelting reduction process
One hundred years ago, Sweden had
approximately 120 blast furnaces. Combined, The furnace's interior tem-
perature reaches approximately
they produced about half a million tons of
2200°C. The melting reduction
hot metal per year. Today, Sweden has three process combines the ore's
blast furnaces, all of which are owned by oxygen with coal. Pulverized coal
SSAB. The largest of them is in Luleå, and this is injected at
high pressure
alone produces 2.5 million tons of hot metal Hot blast air is forced with to the blast air.
per year. There are two smaller blast furnaces high pressure through large 1 400 - 1 800º C
Malmen smälter
in Oxelösund. SSAB's total hot metal capacity nozzles, called tuyeres.

fluid-flowing, plastic form. The elements that is just over 4 million tons.
are to be removed will then be gasified. The All Swedish hot metal is produced using
total process takes approximately 18 hours. pellets from the LKAB ore deposits in northern The hot blast air 2 200º C
Koks förbränns
The temperature is above 1000°C and the Sweden. The LKAB pellets are produced from meets the ore
and coke in the
coal is converted to 75% coke and 25% gas. magnetite ore and have a high iron content –
blast furnace
1 500º C
The coking plant has a series of processes more than 66%. LKAB utilizes the properties belly. The burden Råjärn tappas ut
in which the gas is purified in several steps of the magnetite ore in its pellets, so that a lets the process
gas through, while
and many raw materials are recovered. The lower amount of energy is needed for produc-
the molten iron The hot metal is Tapping goes on for two hours and
most important is the purified coke oven gas ing the blast furnace pellets. The high purity of drips down. collected at the then there is a 40–50 minutes break
that provides energy to the coking plant and the LKAB pellets provides SSAB with benefits bottom of the before the next tapping takes place.
other facilities, such as the blast furnace. in hot metal production. blast furnace, the The slag is separated from the hot
hearth. metal using a skimmer. The iron
temperature is more than 1500°C.

26
Reducing elements, additives
In order to convert ore pellets into hot metal
in the blast furnace, the oxygen in the ore
must be removed. This is called reduction.
The blast furnace process is a melting
reduction process.
In the iron ore, the iron is bound to oxygen
as magnetite, with the chemical formula
Fe3O4. Fe is the chemical symbol for iron and
O the chemical symbol for oxygen. The
numerals specify the number of atoms of
each element. A reducing agent that will
combine with the oxygen at high tempera-
ture must be added. Carbon, with the chemi-
cal symbol C, is used as a reducing agent in
the form of coke and injection coal.
Hot metal flowing around the clock
The blast furnace is continuously charged
around the clock from the top with iron ore
pellets, coke and additives.
The coke supports the large column of
ore and coke inside the blast furnace. The
particle size of the coke allows the molten
hot metal to trickle down and the gas to rise
through the blast furnace. Some of the coke
can be replaced by injecting pulverized coal
to the blast furnace's blast air.
Hot blast air is supplied at high pressure The carbon monoxide is rich in energy. The SLAG
though a number of large nozzles under the blast furnace gas is recycled as energy for When the hot metal is tapped from the blast
broad belly of the blast furnace, where pul- the processes of the blast furnace itself and furnace, the slag is also discharged. The
verized coal is injected at the same time. The for other energy customers in the steelworks. slag consists mainly of silicon and lime. The
blast air nozzles are known as tuyeres. The It is also used for power generation and silicon is a residue from the ore gangue –
blast air is heated in tall brick towers, cowpers district heating. the rock that surrounds the ore veins. Lime
or heaters using energy recovered from the SSAB participates in research on how car- is added to the blast furnace process in
blast furnace gas and coke gas. bon monoxide can be recycled and used in order to collect silicon and other undesired
The reduction process takes place inside the reducing process. SSAB is also involved substances to form a slag. The slag floats on
the ceramic-lined blast furnace, where the in research projects which aim to halve car- top of the molten hot metal. It is separated
temperature is 2200°C in the hottest zone.  bon emissions of future steel production. by the runner and then tapped separately.
The iron melts at about 1500°C. The slag is recycled once it has cooled and
When the iron has been reduced and solidified.
melted, it trickles down and collects at the
bottom of the blast furnace, which is known
as the hearth. The blast furnace is tapped at
a uniform rate. Tapping takes place during
two hours and is then interrupted for 40–50
minutes before the next tapping.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OXYGEN AND
CARBON THAT HAVE BEEN REDUCED?
They form two gases, carbon monoxide
and carbon dioxide, CO and CO2, which are
discharged from the blast furnace through
large pipes to a treatment facility.
EFFICIENT BLAST FURNACES IN WESTERN EUROPE
The blast furnaces in Sweden recirculate furnace soot in
the form of briquettes in the process – a way to recycle
materials so that they are used as efficiently as possible.
Blast furnace 3 at SSAB in Luleå is the most energy-
efficient furnace in its category.
Blast furnace 4 in Oxelösund uses injected furnace soot
– another way to recycle by-products. Barrel at Blast furnace 3 in Luleå.
27
IN MORE DETAIL
Ore-based 
hot metal and steel
The LD process
The LD process is an oxygen-
related steelmaking method
used to decarburize iron, i.e.
to lower the carbon content
so that the iron is converted
into malleable steel. Hot metal
is converted into steel when
the carbon content has been
lowered to 1.7%.
The LD converter has a
thick lining of a special
ceramic brick. The bricks
and tap hole wear out
and must be replaced
at regular intervals.
28
The purified process gas is DESULPHURIZATION OF HOT METAL STEEL PRODUCTION USING THE LD PROCESS
very rich in energy and is used
The hot metal is transported in liquid form to The LD process (converter) is a steel-making
both in our own processes for
metallurgy and for energy for the steelworks for refining via ceramic-lined method in which hot metal is decarburized
consumers. Half of SSAB's vessels, called torpedoes. The hot iron is and converted to steel by blowing oxygen
electricity demands are met by
close to 1500°C, and contains about 4.5% from above into the molten metal with a
its own process gases, primarily
from the blast furnace but also carbon, 0.1% sulphur and 0.5% silicon. In the water-cooled lance. Hot metal is converted
from the coking plant and the first step, the sulphur is removed by refining into steel when the carbon content has been
LD process. by adding magnesium oxide or calcium lowered to 1.7%. The final carbon content can
carbide to the molten metal. It binds the vary from 1% for very hard carbon steel to
sulphur to form a liquid slag which is skimmed only a few hundredths for steel with ultra-
off the top of the hot metal. Transportation low carbon content. Such ultra low-carbon
The oxygen lance is inserted in of hot metal and steel at the steelworks is steels are soft and pliable.
the molten metal and oxygen
done by ceramic-lined containers, ladles. Besides hot metal, scrap is also added to
is blown at high pressure into
the vessel. the converter. Scrap is an important raw
material in the LD process and is melted with-
The oxygen reacts with the
out the addition of any other energy
carbon to make carbon monox- – a highly energy-efficient recycling method.
ide and carbon dioxide gases. The scrap is added primarily to cool the
The oxygen infusion continues
molten metal which sees a sharp rise in
until the predetermined carbon
content has been reached. 1.7% temperature when oxygen reacts with, for
is the threshold between the
brittle hot metal (pig iron) and
malleable steel.
The tapping temperature is over
1600°C.
 The hot liquid steel is continuously
cast into manageable slabs.

example, carbon and silicon. The carbon reacts

with the oxygen and forms carbon monoxide,
while other elements, such as silicon, form a
slag. Burnt lime is also added to capture silicon
and other unwanted substances in the slag.
When the hot metal is tapped to a ladle, at a
temperature of about 1700°C, a variety of
alloying elements also are added.
These will form the basis of the steel analysis
which will be manufactured.

ENERGY-RICH GASES
The purified process gas is very rich in energy
and is used in our own processes for
metallurgy and as energy for consumers. For
example, half of SSAB's electricity needs in
Luleå, Borlänge and Oxelösund is produced
using our own process gases, mainly from the
blast furnace but also from the coking plant
In Luleå, Borlänge and Oxelösund,
and the LD process. house-holds receive district heat-
ing with the help of SSAB. SSAB
gas produces steam that drives
turbines with electric generators.
The hot water is used for district
heating.
The top picture shows one of the
blast furnaces in Oxelösund which,
besides hot metal, also produces
energy-rich gas.

29
IN MORE DETAIL
Secondary metallurgy and continuous casting
All raw steel is converted into slabs by continuous casting.
SSAB produces about 500 different grades, each with its
own special "recipe". Steel grades and quality demands are
constantly evolving.
Various alloying elements
such as niobium, manga-
nese, titanium, boron and
aluminum are added at
the secondary metallurgy
process.
Gas can be added in the
secondary metallurgy
both via lance and
bottom flushing.
SECONDARY METALLURGY
Whether the hot metal is produced by
ore-based or scrap-based raw materials,
the operators fine-tune the temperature,
and the amounts of various alloying
elements. Analytical limits are very tight
and tolerances are small. Each type of
steel has a unique recipe that must be fol-
lowed exactly. The operators use
computers and analytics with rapid
30
SSAB has several different pro-
cesses for secondary metallurgy.
This fine-tunes the steel's analysis
and temperature.
The recipe book contains
500 different types of steel.
Accuracy is measured in
hundredths of a percent.
Some steel types can also be
vacuum treated to remove
hydrogen and nitrogen.
laboratory evaluations to ensure that the
steel contains the correct amount of the
right ingredients and that the steel is at
the right temperature.
The requirements and degree of accuracy
are identical across all SSAB steelworks,
although the processes may differ.
The steel can also be subjected to
vacuum treatment for extremely high
Liquid steel is tapped from the bottom
of the ladle to an intermediate vessel,
called a tundish. The temperature is now
below 1600°C.
The mould is an open mould with four
water-cooled plates that the hot steel
glides between. A hardened shell is
formed when casting. The casting
temperature is now around 1540°C.
The steel is still glowing hot, but has
solidified throughout when it is cut into
slabs by oxygen lances. The tempera-
ture is 1000°C. Each slab is labeled
Cooling continues by quench- before being placed on a cooling bed.
ing with water sprayed
throughout the strand.
purity, such as hydrogen and nitrogen station through to the LD converters,
removal. vacuum treatment, and finally continuous
casting.
Steel with precision
SSAB utilizes various carbon contents and
Accuracy is an important factor in the vari-
alloys to achieve the desired strength and
ous manufacturing steps for SSAB's steel
ductility. SSAB high strength steels belong to
types. Hard or soft steel? This is determined
the family of low-alloy steel grades.
in secondary metallurgy. The recipe follows
every ladle – right from the steelwork's first
processing step at the desulphurization
 Swedish operations cast thicker slabs com-
Continuous casting
pared to the works in the United States which
Continuous casting is a process to convert
cast thinner and wider slabs.
the 1600°C hot liquid steel into manage-
Each slab receives an "ID number" and is a
able slabs. The ladle carrying the liquid steel
carefully recorded entity intended for a specific
is placed in a holder. From here, the steel is
end-product. Samples of the steel are taken
tapped through a casting pipe to a tundish. A recipe
throughout the production chain and ulti-
The tundish is an intermediate vessel used SSAB produces the high strength steel Docol which is used,
mately also from the finished slab. All slabs are for example, for side impact protection in car doors to
during casting to allow the changeover from
inspected and some further treatment may be protect in a collision.
one ladle to another without any interruption To arrive at that particular steel grade, carbon, manga-
required, such as grinding.
in the process.  nese, silicon and other alloying elements are used.
The slabs are cooled in different ways. Some
Continuous casting is done using a water- After rolling, the sheet is still 600°C when it is rolled up
sensitive steel slabs require slow cooling at on coils. At this point, the sheet is 4 mm thick.
cooled mould, which is open both at the top
a steady pace and are allowed to cool under The cold rollup mill reduces the sheet thickness to 1.5
and bottom. mm, a standard thickness for safety features in cars.
special hoods.
A casting powder is used, so that the steel After cold rolling, the material is hard and brittle. That is
The metallurgy process takes 12 hours – from why the sheet is heat-treated, which makes it moldable. To
slides smoothly through the mould. Power-
iron and steel production through to it becom- gain the highest strength, the plate can also be annealed
ful water-cooling of the mould's casting and then cooled rapidly.
ing a steel slab, ready for rolling into sheets.
plates immediately gives the hot liquid melt This is an example of how SSAB produces steel grades
a shell of hardened steel. The cooled steel according to customer requirements.
The steel commuter train
shrinks in volume as it is withdrawn from the
The steel commuter train is a train system in
underside of the mould in a long strand. The
Sweden between Luleå, Borlänge, and Oxelö-
strand is continuously cooled on its arc-
sund. Slabs are transported from Oxelösund
shaped path down to the cutting station. At
and Luleå to Borlänge for rolling. Borlänge then
this stage, the steel is still hot and glowing, but
sends the finished strip product coils to Oxelö-
is sufficiently solid to enable the strand to be
sund where they are shipped worldwide from the
cut with movable oxygen torches into pieces
Steel Harbor in Oxelösund. A comparison
up to 11 m long.
The steel in the Eiffel Tower in Paris weighs 7300 tons. At
full operation, the steel commuter train between Luleå and
Slabs Borlänge carries 7000 tons per day on four trains. Every day,
shipments equate to almost the weight of the Eiffel Tower.
Slabs can vary in length, width and thickness
depending on in which of SSAB's plants the The cast iron manufactured in 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was
slabs are produced. A common slab weighs erected, had a tensile strength of 200 MPa (megapascals).
25 tons. The steel from one ladle is enough Today, SSAB's high strength steel with a tensile strength of
1400 MPa could be used for a new Eiffel Tower. It would reduce
for a handful of slabs, and is the smallest the weight by 40%.from 7300 tons to 3000 tons
quantity of the same grade of steel that
SSAB can produce.
IN MORE DETAIL
Strip products
Hot rolling
The slabs are heated to approximately
1250°C in two furnaces at the works in
Borlänge, using oil or gas as an energy
source. The slabs are then rolled initially in
the roughing mill. The thickness is reduced
to 3 cm after five passes back and forth
in the roughing mill. The glowing hot slab
has then grown in length from a slab measur-
ing 11 m to an intermediate slab measuring
80 m. It is then wound up as a coil in the
so-called coilbox and transferred to the
finishing strip mill. The plate is then further
rolled down to a thickness of between 1.8–16
mm in a continuous manner through six
different mill stands.
At the end of the hot strip mill, the
steel reaches a speed of 120 km per hour.
The decrease in thickness means the sheet
must expand in a longitudinal direction. The
speed increases with each mill stand, and is
fastest at the end. At a final thickness of  hard in the first stage. This is because the
2 mm, the sheet strip has grown to a length
of 1300 m.
Quenching
After the final rolling stand, the sheet is
cooled. For some grades of steel the cool-
ing process is very rapid. Other steel grades
require slower cooling. In the quenching line,
the strip is rapidly cooled at about 100°C per
second. This gives the sheet its hardness and
strength. SSAB can roll the world's toughest
A coil of hot rolled sheet can weigh 24 tons. hot rolled strip in Borlänge.
32
After cooling, the sheet undergoes a descaling
treatment in one of two so-called pickling
lines. During rolling, mill scale (iron oxide) is
formed on the plate through its contact with
air. In the acid pickling baths, the mill scale is
removed from the sheet surface.
Cold rolling and Annealing
When the customer requires thinner plate
than that obtained by hot rolling, the sheet
must be cold rolled. Cold rolling gives a more
precise thickness and a smoother surface.
In the cold roll mill, the sheet is cold rolled
in a rolling mill with five consecutive pairs of
rolls. Each rolling stand has two working roll-
ers and two backup rollers. In order to make
the plate thinner, high roll forces, as well as
sheet tension are required between each pair
of rolls. Everything happens automatically at
high speed with the help of computers.
Cold rolling makes the plate brittle and
grains in the structure of the steel have
become elongated and deformed.
Cold rolled sheet must therefore be
annealed. Heating to a sufficiently high
temperature causes new grains to grow at
the expense of the deformed grains, and
restores the formability of the sheet.

The rolled strip products in Borlänge are wound up as coils before continuing.
Annealing and quenching
SSAB's specialty is extremely high strength
steels. To obtain a higher strength, the sheet
must be quenched. This is done by annealing
and rapid cooling. The extreme rapid cooling
affects the fine structure of the steel grains
The rapid cooling locks to carbon atoms in
place, and causes the increase in strength.
The thickness of cold rolled plate can vary
from 0.3 to 3 mm. A cold rolled sheet that is
0.6 mm thick, becomes a coil of 4 km sheet.
Coating
Cold rolled sheet can be further processed
by coating. Hot-dip galvanizing provides
good corrosion protection. In hot-dip
galvanizing, the strip is first annealed and then steels. To divide the wide coils into narrower
cooled to 470°C before passing through a
molten zinc bath. After the final cooling, the
sheet passes through trimming and leveling
rolls to provide it with the final properties.
THE STRUCTURE OF STEEL
The steel's grain structure is affected by rolling. 1.
1. In hot rolling, the steel regains its grain
structure after rolling.
2. Cold rolling produces stretched and deformed
grains. This makes the plate hard and brittle.
3. Heat treatment creates new tension-free
grains, and the plate becomes formable again. 2. 3.
A very strong grain structure is created by sub-
sequent quenching and rapid cooling. Tempering
(reheating) increases the steel's ductility in one
last step.
The sheet also can be painted and is then
coated with several layers of paint in a con-
tinuous process. The paint is applied on the
moving strip by rubber rolls, and then passes
through drying furnaces before being coiled
up again. SSAB has painting lines for strip
metal in Borlänge and Finspång.
CUTTING TO LENGTH
Strip products can be delivered as either coils
or as flat, cut-to-length sheet. Plate rolls are
called coils. A large proportion of the produc-
tion tonnage is cut-to-length to suit the
customers' exact needs. This process is
carried out in shearing lines using forces
ABOVE, LEFT: Cut-to-length sheet.
sufficiently high to cut even the strongest
ABOVE, RIGHT: A thin layer of zinc gives
the sheet good rust protection.
strips, the material runs through a slitting line.
RIGHT: Galvanized sheet can be
painted in a wide range of colors. The
paint is applied with rubber rollers and
quickly dried in curing furnaces.
33
IN MORE DETAIL

Heavy plate
The slabs for making heavy plates are 15–29 cm thick. The
slabs are cut to the right length before being rolled.

Oxelösund has one of the strongest reversing
four-high mills in the world. The separating
force is 100,000 kN (10,000 tons). Here, 29
cm thick slabs are rolled to plate with thick-
nesses ranging all the way from 150 mm to 4
mm. The plates can be up to 40 m long.
Four-high rolling means that four heavy
rolls, two work rolls and two backup rolls,
deform the plate with tremendous forces in a
number of passes back and forth through the
rollup stand.
Heavy plate on a coil
In the United States, Steckel rolling mills
are used to manufacture heavy plate. The
Steckel mills are similar to four-high revers-
ing plate mills and also uses a four-high mill
stand with work rolls and backup rolls through
the rolling stand. However, Steckel mills also
have heated coil boxes on each side of the
rolling standm where the plate can be held
between rolling passes (to minimize
temperature loss). During the later rolling
passes, the plate is run from one downcoiler
to the other downcoiler back and forth in
a number of rolling passes until the plate
reaches the final thickness. Plates up to 3 m
wide can be rolled in Mobile and Montpelier,
and they can be delivered as either flat plate
or as large coils.
Rapid cooling gives extreme
strength
High strength steels are finished in SSAB's
quenching lines. Quenching takes place
through rapid cooling. The rapid cooling is
done using water under very high pressure.
SSAB was one of the pioneers in the
development of high strength steels.
SSAB is increasing its quenching capacity
in both Sweden and the United States. An
increasing volume of high strength steels are
being produced.

The four-high mill in Oxelösund is one of the

strongest rolling mills in the world. The sepa-
rating force is 100,000 kN (10,000 tons).

34
TEMPERING

Steel can take on different atomic structures, phases,

which differ partly by the degree of hardness and/or
ductility. By quenching, heating and rapid cooling, the
steel transforms into the martensite phase, which is
very hard. Thereafter, the steel can be heat-treated
to improve formability and reduce the risk of cracking.
The tempering of hardened steel is a process
used to increase the steel's ductility and reduce its
hardness. To achieve this, the steel is reheated to
200–700°C. In this way, the ductility of most steel
types increases.

ABOVE LEFT: SSAB steel is manufactured with a

view to achieving different properties, such as
Weldox for high strength and weldability.
ABOVE, RIGHT: Monitoring the process from the
control room.
RIGHT: In Oxelösund, heavy plate is manufactured
with a variety of properties including hardness,
ductility and wear resistance. The steel's special
properties are created with SSAB's different
processes with alloying elements, heat treatment,
quenching and rapid cooling.
35
Dictionary, steel language
A Coiling, coiler – Machine part that receives sheet
Abrasion resistance – Ability to withstand
abrasive wear; wear resistance
Alloy – Blending, mixing
Alloying elements – Substances that bind with
iron or other metals, and alter the metal's 
properties
Annealing – Heat treatment, heating to above
680 degrees [Celsius], usually to make steel softer
Application – Final customer/end- product for
which a certain grade of steel is used
Application engineers – Specialists in the
properties and workshop performance of the
mate-rials, with a focus on developing new
applications
B that has not yet been refined into a definite steel
Basic industries – Industries for extracting and
processing raw materials
Blast air – Heated air that is blown into the blast
furnace at high pressure
Blasting – Sand or small steel balls are blasted,
often with water, at high pressure against a sur-
face to clean it, for example, before painting
Burden – The contents of a blast furnace and the
supply of raw materials such as ore pellets, lime,
coke and coal
Bustle pipe  – Pipe around the blast furnace
through which blast air is supplied and distributed
C and pipes carrying hot water to consumers. It
Carbon dioxide, CO2 – Colorless gas, soluble in
water to produce carbonic acid, what gives soft
drinks their fizz, and by making up 0.03% of the
atmosphere is one of the so-called greenhouse
gases
Carbon monoxide, CO – Colorless and odor-
less energy-rich gas that burns with a blue flame,
poisonous. When burnt, carbon dioxide is formed
36
or plate from the rolling mill and winds it into a coil
Coilbox – Rolling machinery for intermediate
storage of partially-rolled plate between passes
Coils – Large rolls of rolled sheet
Coke – Dry-distilled coal converted into a metallic
hard and porous form by heating in sealed ovens
Cold rolling – Technique in which hot rolled plate
is rolled out to thinner dimensions without prior
heating
Cowpers – Heaters, ceramic towers used for
heating the blast air
Continuous casting – Method of casting steel
in continuous long strands, which are then cut up
into slabs
Crude steel – Iron that has been decarburized to
remove part of the carbon in the molten metal but
grade
Cutting station – Station in which the steel
strand is cut into slabs
D Four-high reversing rolling mill – A roll mill with
Decarburizing – Steelworks process where hot
metal is converted into crude steel by reducing
the carbon content
Desulphurization – Method used for removing
sulphur from the hot metal or steel, e.g. by the
addition of carbide or magnesium oxide
District heating – Heating systems for cities and
communities through a central energy producer
can use different energy sources, such as SSAB's
process gases
District heating power plant  – Combined heat
and power (CHP) plant – power plant that gener-
ates both electric power and steam for district
heating. Uses steam turbines that drive electric
generators. Used steam then produces hot water
Dry distillation process  – Combustion in the
absence of oxygen
Dual phase steel – High strength steel that has a
soft (ferrite) and a hard (martensite) microstruc-
ture, resulting in a desired combination of good
ductility with high strength
Dust filter  – Cleaning facility for gas or air in
which the dust is separated and collected for
recycling
E Hot rolling – Technique in which slabs are heated
Electric arc furnace – Technique using high
voltage between electrodes to create an arc that
melts scrap
Electrical arc furnance process – Electrical
method to melt iron and steel
F  Impact guards – Energy-absorbing vehicle
Fatigue – Deterioration of a material's strength
caused by frequent changes in the mechanical
state of stress
two work rollers and two backup rolls that exert
very high forces to reduce the thickness of slabs
to plate in a number of passes
G Ladle – Containers for transporting or  treating
Granulation – Liquid slag or steel is rapidly
cooled in water in such a way that it turns into fine
grains similar to coarse sand, i.e. granules
H treatment with oxygen. Converts hot iron metal
Hearth – The blast furnace bottom where molten
hot metal is collected
Heat – Refers to a batch of a given recipe from
the steel shop
Heavy plate – Plate with dimensions of and above
3 mm rolled in reversing plate or Steckel mills
Hematite – Fe2O3, non-magnetic iron ore
High strength steel – Steels which have been
developed a higher strength by micro-alloying,
heat treatment or so-called thermo-mechanical
treatment
Hot-dip galvanizing  – Method of applying an
anti-corrosive coat of molten zinc and aluminum
to the surface of sheet steel
Hot metal – Iron with a carbon content above 1.7%
in furnaces to high temperatures prior to rolling to
reduce the slab’s thickness
Hot sheet mill – Hot strip mill for wide, rolled
strips wound into coils
I
feature for protection in the event of a collision.
Injection coal – Finely ground coal which is
injected into the blast furnace at high pressure
without first being converted to coke
Iron ore pellet – Balls of purified compressed iron
ore powder
L
hot, liquid metal
Ladle change – Changeover from an empty ladle
to a ladle full of molten steel (at the caster)
LD converter – Steel process named after Linz
Donawitz that consists of a vessel and lance for
into crude steel by decarburizing
Low alloy steels – Steel whose properties have
been changed with low amounts of alloying elements
as opposed to high-alloy steel, often stainless
M Process/methods – Way to extract raw
Magnetite – Fe3O4, magnetic iron ore
Melting reduction process – Process used for
melting and removing unwanted elements from
metal raw materials
Metallurgy – The science of the production of
metal and its properties
Mill scale – Residual scale (iron oxide) on the
surface of the plate during and after hot rolling
Mill stand – A set of two or more cylindrical rollers
in a machine
Mould – Casting mould
O Recycling  – Restoring used products or
Ore wagon – Railway car for transport of chunk
ore, iron ore or pellets
Oxygen lance – Tubular lance for injection of
oxygen into a liquid steel bath
P Rolling mill – Machinery using cylindrical rollers
Pair of rolls  – A pair of cylindrical rolls used to
reduce the plate’s thickness using high pressure
Payload – The useful load a vehicle can carry. If
the truck's own weight is reduced, the load can be
increased by an equivalent amount
Phases – Steels have different crystal struc-
tures at different temperatures and a number of
different phases depending on heat treatment,
alloy variety, quenching, cooling, etc. Best known
are martensite (quenched), ferrite (pure iron) and
austenite (non-magnetic)
Pickling line – Process line that uses dilute acid
for descaling hot rolled sheet
Post-treatment – Heat treatment, cooling, etc.
to give the steel certain properties; also
galvanizing, painting and cutting to length
Process gas – Gas from metallurgical processes,
often rich in energy
materials and manufacture products in a
continuous process without interruption
Process water  – Water from cooling or treat-
ment in various SSAB processes. Always treated
and can often be recirculated
Q content below 1.7%
Quenching – Rapid cooling to make the steel
harder
R Strand – Strand of cast steel
by-products to a new cycle of production
and use
Reducing agents – Substances that can unite
with an undesirable substance in a process, such
as carbon which can remove oxygen from iron ore
Roll pass – The steel's passage one time through
rolling stand reduces the thickness
to roll out steel to thinner dimensions
Roughing mill – Two cylindrical rough rollers which
reduce the slab to a thinner dimension prior to
finish rolling
Runner  (for tapping the molten steel) – Runner
with a ceramic lining for controlling the hot metal
S aim of making hardened steel tougher and less
Scrap – Used materials that can be crushed and  susceptible to cracking
recycled, such as steel scrap
Secondary metallurgy – Technique for the fine
adjustment of alloying elements, purity and
temperature of the steel
Slab furnace – Furnace used for heating steel
slabs to rolling temperature
Slabs – Steel slabs
Slag – By-products of slabs separated in 
metallurgical processes, includes lime and silicon
V
Vacuum cleaning – Method to vacuum clean the
from coal and coke ash
steel from hydrogen and nitrogen
Steckel roll mill – Four-high rolling mill with
Steckel coiling furnaces at each side of the rolling
stand. The plate is recoiled after each rolling pass
in there coilboxes Y 
Yield strength  – The maximum stress that the
Steel – Alloy of iron and carbon with a carbon
steel can withstand without sustaining permanent
deformation. At stresses below the yield strength
Steel commuter train – Train system for the
the material deforms only elastically like a rubber
transportation of slabs between Luleå, Borlänge
band
and Oxelösund
Steel slab – Semi-finished product used for
producing steel plate or sheet
Strength – The material's ability to resist, for
example, tensile stress without deforming (yield
strength) or rupture (tensile strength) or cyclic
loading leading to fatigue failure
Strip products  – Thin sheet with a maximum
thickness of 16 mm. Can be cold rolled down to
0.2–0.3 mm
Submerged entry nozzle – Ceramic tube that
protects the steel against contact with air during
casting
Surface treatment, surface coating – Cleaning,
grinding or coating of surfaces, e.g. by galvanizing
and/or painting
T
Tempering – Heating to 200–700°C with the
Tensile strength – Maximum strength that can be
applied without breaking
Torpedo car, torpedo  – Cylindrical railcar lined
with bricks and used for transporting the hot metal
from the blast furnace to steel shop
Tundish – Intermediate containment vessel used
during casting to be able to pass the liquid steel
between the ladle and casting mold
37
 Luleå
Borlänge

Oxelösund

business areas
SSAB AMERICAS Sales office
Steelwork
SSAB EMEA
Annual turnover SEK 45 billion Rolling mill
Crude steel volume 5.7 million tons of crude steel SSAB APAC Distribution center
Niche products 1.7 million tons
Number of employees 9000

LARGE PRODUCTION SITES

Sweden Luleå, Borlänge, Oxelösund, Finspång
United States Montpelier (Iowa), Mobile (Alabama)
China Kunshan
Exporting countries More than 100 countries
Figures from 2011. For more information, visit www.ssab.com
SSAB is a certified company within quality, environment and occupational
environment, and fulfils the requirements of the following standards:
Luleå: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 and AFS 2001:1
Borlänge, Finspång: ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001
Oxelösund: ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
Mobile: ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001
Montpelier: ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and OHSAS 18001

38
SSAB is a leading global provider of high strength steel. SSAB offers products

1000-EN-The Steel Book-V2-2011 Höglund Design AB. Henningsons Tryckeri.

developed in close cooperation with customers to create a stronger, lighter and
more sustainable world.

SSAB has employees in over 45 countries, and production facilities in Sweden and
the United States. SSAB is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange, Stockholm.

www.ssab.com