Advanced Manufacturing Processes

Assignment-1
Name: Kashif Changez
Roll No: 362946
MS - Design & Manufacturing (Fall 21)

Production of Steel (Process Flowchart)

 Q.2. The process of steel production starting from the production and refinement of all possible
raw materials till refinement of finished steel is a very time-consuming process. Give your
suggestions (in bullets) of how this total cycle time can be minimized with reference to the
flowchart created in the first question without compromising upon the quality of steel.
Sol. The following can be done to minimize the cycle time for steel production:

• Solid steel scrap is the most used raw material in the EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) and it takes
a lot of time to melt. This time can be minimized by preprocessing the scrap to make it in
the form of chips. This processed scrap melts faster and can also be compressed easily for
further scrap addition.
• Scrap must be distributed optimally inside the EAF to efficiently melt the iron and reduce
the splashing which requires additional process such as vacuum degassing to bubbles from
the molten metal.
• Processes like vacuum oxygen decarburizing and vacuum degassing are not necessary for
all grades of steel and can be eliminated to minimize time and effort.
• Direct reduced iron (DRI) is produced faster than pig iron from blast furnace. Therefore, if
time minimization is necessary, DRI can be used instead of pig iron as a subsidiary raw
material for steel production.