【Invention Title】
CONTINUOUS CASTING AND ROLLING METHOD AND CONTINUOUS
CASTING AND ROLLING DEVICE
5
【Technical Field】
The present disclosure relates to a continuous casting
and rolling method and a continuous casting and rolling device
and, more particularly, to an invention preventing wastage of
10 a slab even when a process line is stopped.
【Background Art】
A process of performing rolling using a high-temperature
solidified slab in a continuous caster is currently widely used,
15 due to equipment costs and operating costs thereof being lower
than those of conventional equipment and processes.
Namely, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in a continuous casting
and rolling device 1' which may perform continuous rolling, when
a slab 2' having a predetermined thickness is produced by a
20 continuous caster 10', the slab 2' is pressed using a rolling
mill 40' to be discharged into rolled products.
At this time, before the slab 2' is introduced into the
rolling mill 40', the slab 2' is heated to a temperature for
rolling by a heating furnace 30'.
25 However, even when the continuous casting and rolling
Page 3
process is stopped due to a failure of a device component or
the like which performs operations occurring after those of the
rolling mill 40', the continuous caster 10' continues to produce
and discharge the slab 2'. The slab 2' discharged in such a
5 manner is cut and discarded so as to not be formed as a rolled
product.
Therefore, there is a need for research into a continuous
casting and rolling method and a continuous casting and rolling
device to solve the above-mentioned problems.
10
【Disclosure】
【Technical Problem】
An aspect of the present disclosure may provide a
continuous casting and rolling method and a continuous casting
15 and rolling device which prevent wastage of a slab even when
a process line is stopped, thus increasing a yield percentage.
【Technical Solution】
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a
20 continuous casting and rolling method may include: a continuous
casting step for producing a slab by a continuous caster; a
rolling step for carrying out a thickness reduction in the slab
by a rolling mill; and a selective entering/exiting step, which
is carried out between the continuous casting step and the
25 rolling step, for cutting and then separating the slab or
Page 4
introducing the separated slab, according to whether the
process is stopped after the rolling step, in which the
selective entering/exiting step may include: a slab separating
step for cutting the slab received in the continuous casting
5 step and separating the same from a main path connected to the
rolling mill from the continuous caster, if the process is
stopped after the rolling step; and a slab introducing step for
putting the separated slab onto the main path, if the process
after the rolling step is carried out again.
10 The slab separating step of the continuous casting and
rolling method according to an embodiment in the present
disclosure may include: a cutting step for cutting the slab to
a length corresponding to a length required to form a rolled
steel sheet which is ultimately produced and discharged; a
15 separating step for separating the at least one slab, cut to
the length, from the main path; and a piling step for piling
the separated slab.
The slab separating step may further include an
accelerating step, which is carried out between the cutting step
20 and the separating step, for accelerating and moving the cut
slab onto the main path, such that the slab is spaced apart from
a following slab.
The cutting step of the continuous casting and rolling
method according to an embodiment in the present disclosure may
25 be carried out after the slab is put into a heating furnace
Page 5
heating the slab.
The slab separating step of the continuous casting and
rolling method according to an embodiment in the present
disclosure may be carried out until all residual molten steel
5 of the continuous caster is consumed.
The slab introducing step of the continuous casting and
rolling method according to an embodiment in the present
disclosure may include: a putting step for putting the slab,
separated from the main path, onto the main path; and a heating
10 step for heating the slab, put onto the main path, by the heating
furnace and transferring the slab to the rolling step.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure,
a continuous casting and rolling device may include: a
continuous caster producing a slab; a rolling mill linked to
15 the continuous caster, and carrying out a thickness reduction
in the slab to produce a rolled steel sheet; a cutter provided
between the continuous caster and the rolling mill, and cutting
the slab to a length corresponding to a length required to form
a rolled steel sheet which is ultimately produced and
20 discharged; a heating furnace provided between the cutter and
the rolling mill, and heating the slab; and a conveying unit
provided in the heating furnace, and separating the cut slab
from the heating furnace, or introducing the separated slab into
the heating furnace, in which the heating furnace may be
25 provided to have a shape in which only one side is open in a
Page 6
direction perpendicular to a main path connected to the rolling
mill from the continuous caster.
【Advantageous Effects】
5 According to an embodiment in the present disclosure, a
continuous casting and rolling method and a continuous casting
and rolling device may prevent wastage of a slab even when the
process line is stopped and may form the slab into rolled
products.
10 Accordingly, a yield percentage of the continuous casting
and rolling process may be increased and the operation may be
stabilized.
【Description of Drawings】
15 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional continuous
casting and rolling device;
FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a continuous casting
and rolling device according to an example of the present
disclosure;
20 FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the periphery of a
heating furnace in a continuous casting and rolling device
according to an example of the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a continuous casting
and rolling method according to an example of the present
25 disclosure;
Page 7
FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a selective
entering/exiting step in a continuous casting and rolling
method according to an example of the present disclosure;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a slab separating step
5 in a continuous casting and rolling method according to an
example of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a slab introducing
step in a continuous casting and rolling method according to
an example of the present disclosure.
10
【Best Mode for Invention】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will
be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. Meanwhile, the spirit of the present invention is
15 not limited to the suggested embodiments, and those skilled in
the art to which the present invention pertains could suggest
retrogressive inventions or further embodiments which fall
within the spirit of the present invention through the addition,
modification, and deletion of additional components without
20 departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In the drawings, the shapes and dimensions of elements
may be exaggerated for clarity, and the same reference numerals
will be used throughout to designate the same or like elements.
A continuous casting and rolling method and a continuous
25 casting and rolling device 1 according to an example of the
Page 8
present disclosure relate to an invention which prevents
wastage of a slab 2 even when the process line is stopped.
Namely, the continuous casting and rolling method and the
continuous casting and rolling device 1 according to an example
5 of the present disclosure may produce the slab 2 into rolled
products without wastage thereof even when the process line is
stopped, thus improving a yield percentage of a continuous
casting and rolling process and stabilizing operations.
First, the continuous casting and rolling device 1 will
10 be described in detail, and then the continuous casting and
rolling method will be described.
FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the continuous casting
and rolling device 1 according to an example of the present
disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a periphery
15 of a heating furnace 30 in the continuous casting and rolling
device 1 according to an example of the present disclosure.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the continuous casting and
rolling device 1 according to another example of the present
disclosure may include a continuous caster 10 producing the slab
20 2, a rolling mill 40 linked to the continuous caster 10 and
pressing the slab 2 to produce a rolled steel sheet, a cutter
20 provided between the continuous caster 10 and the rolling
mill 40 and cutting the slab 2 to a length corresponding to a
length required to form a rolled steel sheet which is ultimately
25 produced and discharged, the heating furnace 30 provided
Page 9
between the cutter 20 and the rolling mill 40 and heating the
slab 2, and a conveying unit 50 provided in the heating furnace
30 and separating the cut slab 2 from the heating furnace 30
or introducing the separated slab 2 into the heating furnace
5 30, in which the heating furnace 30 may be provided to have a
shape 30a in which only one side is open in a direction
perpendicular to the main path connected to the rolling mill
40 from the continuous caster 10.
This is a configuration in which, even when the process
10 occurring after that of the rolling mill 40 is stopped by
equipment, the slab 2 produced by the continuous caster 10 is
stacked on one side without being discarded, conveyed to the
rolling mill 40 after the equipment is adjusted to be normal,
formed as rolled products, and discharged.
15 Here, the continuous caster 10 may serve to produce the
slab 2 from molten steel through a casting process. Namely,
the continuous caster 10 may supply the molten steel to a mold
from a tundish, and the supplied molten steel may form the slab
2, while being deprived of a quantity of heat, and the slab 2
20 may be guided and moved by a segment roll and a pinch roll and
may be supplied to the rolling mill 40 to be described later.
However, because the continuous caster 10 produces the
slab 2 depending on the solidification rate of the molten steel,
it may be difficult to adjust the production rate. Therefore,
25 continuously receiving the slab 2 produced by the continuous
Page 10
caster 10 and pressing the slab 2 by the rolling mill 40, to
be described later, to produce the slab 2, may be restricted
in terms of speed.
In particular, because the continuous caster 10
5 continuously produces the slab 2 until all the molten steel
supplied to the tundish is consumed, even when the process
occurring after that of the rolling mill 40 is stopped, the
production of the slab 2 may not be stopped until all molten
steel is consumed.
10 Thus, in general, the slab 2 produced by the continuous
caster 10 during the stoppage of the process occurring after
that of the rolling mill 40 may be cut and discarded. However,
in an example of the present disclosure, the slab 2 may be formed
as the rolled products without being discarded by the cutter
15 20, the conveying unit 50, and the heating furnace 30 to be
described later.
The rolling mill 40 may serve to receive the slab 2
produced by the continuous caster 10 and to press the slab 2,
thereby producing the slab 2. To this end, the rolling mill
20 40 may press the slab 2, while passing the slab 2 between a pair
of rolling rolls of a rolling stand, and such a rolling stand
may be provided in plural.
Further, the rolling mill 40 may be distinctively provided
as a first rolling section or a second rolling section,
25 according to the positions available.
Page 11
Here, the first rolling section may be the rolling mill
40 provided to be connected to the rear end, the output side
of the continuous caster 10, and may produce the slab 2 in
cooperation with the second rolling section.
5 The second rolling section may serve to directly receive
the first rolled slab 2 produced in the first rolling section
or the slab 2 produced by the continuous caster 10, and to produce
an ultimate second rolled slab 2.
The heating furnace 30 may serve to heat the slab 2,
10 provided by being produced by the continuous caster 10, or to
keep the slab 2 warm, and to provide the slab 2 to the rolling
mill 40. To this end, the heating furnace 30 may be provided
between the output side of the continuous caster 10 and the input
side of the rolling mill 40.
15 In particular, the heating furnace 30 may be provided to
have a shape 30a in which one side is open in order to separate
the slab 2, cut by the cutter 20 to be described later, from
the main path connecting the continuous caster 10 to the rolling
mill 40.
20 In other words, in order to move and discharge the cut
slab 2 to a side perpendicular to the main path, the heating
furnace 30 may be provided to the shape 30a in which a portion
of a side wall of the heating furnace 30 is open. One example
thereof is illustrated in FIG. 3, which may be a wall portion
25 of the heating furnace 30 having a U-shaped cross section.
Page 12
Here, the heating furnace 30 may be provided with a heating
component using induction heating. Namely, the heating
furnace 30 may include, for example, a coil plate, a controller,
or the like.
5 The coil plate may be a component that may perform
induction heating, and the controller may be a component that
may adjust a degree of heating of the coil plate or the like.
Here, the coil plate may include an induction coil for
heating using induction electromotive force, and when heating
10 is performed using the induction coil, it may be possible to
adjust the temperature for heating the slab 2. Accordingly,
the heating amount may be set differently, according to the
position in which the heating furnace 30 is provided, and it
may also be provided to gradually increase the heating amount.
15 The cutter 20 may serve to cut a portion of the slab 2,
and may also be linked to the conveying unit 50, to be described
later, for withdrawing the cut slab 2. Here, the cutter 20 may
be provided between the output side of the continuous caster
10 and the input side of the heating furnace 30.
20 Here, it may be preferable that the slab 2, cut by the
cutter 20, be cut to a length corresponding to a length required
to form a rolled steel sheet which is ultimately produced and
discharged.
Namely, since the cut slab 2 is required to be put onto
25 the main path, formed as the rolled steel sheet, a rolled product,
Page 13
and discharged, in a case in which the process occurring after
that of the rolling mill 40 may be normally performed, it may
be preferable that the cut slab 2 be provided by being cut to
the required length, in order to be discharged into a product
5 in which a rolled steel sheet is coiled.
In addition, the cutter 20 may preferably cut the slab
2 after the slab 2 is put into the heating furnace 30. This
is because, if a distance between the cutter 20 and the heating
furnace 30 is provided such that the cutter 20 and the heating
10 furnace 3 are spaced apart from each other by a distance
corresponding to the length of the slab 2 for producing the
rolled steel sheet which is ultimately produced and discharged,
the entire continuous casting line may be lengthened more than
is required.
15 Namely, the continuous casting line may be provided to
be relatively short by cutting the slab 2 after the slab 2 is
put into the heating furnace 30.
The conveying unit 50 may serve to separate the cut slab
2 from the main path, or to introduce the separated slab 2 onto
20 the main path.
Namely, when the process occurring after that of the
rolling mill 40 is stopped, the conveying unit 50 may separate
the slab 2, cut by the cutter 20, from the heating furnace 30,
and when the process occurring after that of the rolling mill
25 40 is normally performed again, the conveying unit 50 may
Page 14
reintroduce the slab 2 to the heating furnace 30 to produce the
rolled product repeatedly.
To this end, the conveying unit 50 may include a conveying
body, a moving member moving the slab, and a pusher changing
5 the position of the slab by applying driving force to the moving
member.
Here, the pusher may be an actuator of a pneumatic or
hydraulic cylinder, a motor, or the like, and the pusher may
be coupled to and supported by the conveying body, and may be
10 coupled to the moving member to move the moving member.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a continuous casting
and rolling method according to an example of the present
disclosure. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a selective
entering/exiting step in a continuous casting and rolling
15 method according to an example of the present disclosure.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a continuous casting and
rolling method according to an example of the present disclosure
may include: a continuous casting step for producing a slab 2
by a continuous caster 10; a rolling step for carrying out a
20 thickness reduction in the slab 2 by a rolling mill 40; and a
selective entering/exiting step, which is carried out between
the continuous casting step and the rolling step, for cutting
and then separating the slab 2 or introducing the separated slab
2, according to whether the process is stopped after the rolling
25 step, in which the selective entering/exiting step may include:
Page 15
a slab separating step for cutting the slab 2 received in the
continuous casting step and separating the slab 2 from a main
path connected to the rolling mill 40 from the continuous caster
10, if the process is stopped after the rolling step; and a slab
5 introducing step for putting the separated slab 2 onto the main
path, if the process after the rolling step is carried out again.
Namely, there may be proposed a method of piling the slab
2, produced in the continuous casting step, on one side without
being discarded, transferring the slab 2 to the rolling step
10 after the process is adjusted to be normal again, and producing
and discharging a rolled product even when the process is
stopped after the rolling step.
The continuous casting step may be a step for producing
the slab 2, and may solidify molten steel in a mold to form and
15 discharge the slab 2. To this end, the continuous caster 10
may supply the molten steel to the mold from a tundish, and the
supplied molten steel may form the slab 2, while being deprived
of a quantity of heat, and the slab 2 may be guided and moved
by a segment roll and a pinch roll and may be transferred to
20 a following step.
The rolling step may be a step for pressing the slab 2
to produce a steel sheet product. Namely, the slab 2 produced
in the continuous casting step may be received and pressed to
produce the steel sheet product, and a slab 2 produced
25 separately from the continuous casting step may be received to
Page 16
produce a steel sheet product.
Here, the rolling step may also include a plurality of
steps, and may include a first rolling step for forming the
initially supplied slab 2 as a first pressed slab 2 having a
5 thickness greater than that of an ultimately produced product,
but less than that of the initially supplied slab 2; and a second
rolling step for second pressing the first pressed slab 2 in
the first rolling step to have a thickness of the ultimate
product.
10 However, in the related art, the operations may be
interrupted due to reasons such as accidents and the like after
the rolling step. Even at this time, since the slab 2 is
produced in the continuous casting step until all of the molten
steel is consumed, there has been a problem in that the produced
15 slab 2 is cut and discarded. An example of the present
disclosure may provide a selective entering/exiting step to be
described later to solve such a problem.
The selective entering/exiting step may be a step for
cutting the slab 2 according to whether the process occurring
20 after the rolling step is stopped or carried out normally, and
separating the slab 2 from the main path connecting the
continuous caster 10 to the rolling mill 40 or introducing the
separated slab 2.
Namely, when the process after the rolling step is stopped
25 due to reasons such as accidents and the like, the slab 2 produced
Page 17
by the continuous caster 10 may be cut and separated to be moved
to the outside of the main path to be piled, and then when the
process after the rolling step is normally performed, the piled
slab 2 may be reintroduced to carry out the process repeatedly.
5 To this end, the selective entering/exiting step may be
divided into a slab separating step and a slab introducing step.
The slab separating step may be a step for cutting the
slab 2 continuously produced and discharged in the continuous
casting step even at the time of the stoppage of the process
10 after the rolling step, and temporarily separating the cut slab
2a to the outside of the main path.
Namely, the slab separating step may cut the slab 2 to
a predetermined length by the cutter 20, and may separate the
cut slab 2a within the heating furnace 30, whose one side is
15 open, from the main path using the conveying unit 50.
In particular, the slab separating step may be undertaken
until all of the molten steel supplied to the continuous caster
10 is consumed. Because the weight of a coil, a rolled product,
is generally about 20 tons and the maximum weight of molten steel
20 supplied to a ladle of the continuous caster 10 is about 200
tons, a maximum of 10 slab separating steps may be performed
as an example.
Namely, the slab separating step of the continuous casting
and rolling method according to an example of the present
25 disclosure may be carried out until all residual molten steel
Page 18
of the continuous caster 10 is consumed.
To this end, the slab separating step may be divided into
a cutting step, a separating step, a piling step, and an
accelerating step, and detailed descriptions thereof will be
5 provided with reference to FIG. 6.
The slab introducing step may be a step for, when the
process after the rolling step is adjusted to be normally
performed, reintroducing the slab 2, separated from the main
path in the slab separating step, onto the main path to produce
10 the rolled steel sheet.
To this end, the slab introducing step may be divided into
a putting step and a heating step, and detailed descriptions
thereof will be provided with reference to FIG. 7.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a slab separating step
15 in a continuous casting and rolling method according to an
example of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, the
slab separating step of the continuous casting and rolling
method according to an example of the present disclosure may
include: a cutting step for cutting a slab 2 to a length
20 corresponding to a length required to form a rolled steel sheet
which is ultimately produced and discharged; a separating step
for separating the at least one slab 2, cut to the required length,
from the main path; and a piling step for piling the separated
slab 2.
25 Further, the slab separating step of the continuous
Page 19
casting and rolling method according to an example of the
present disclosure may further include an accelerating step,
which is carried out between the cutting step and the separating
step, for accelerating and moving the cut slab 2 onto the main
5 path, such that the slab 2 is spaced apart from a following slab
2.
Further, the cutting step of the continuous casting and
rolling method according to an example of the present disclosure
may be carried out after the slab 2 is put into a heating furnace
10 30 heating the slab 2.
Namely, as detailed steps of the slab separating step,
the cutting step, the separating step, the piling step, and the
accelerating step may be presented.
The cutting step may be a step for cutting the slab 2,
15 being discharged from the continuous caster 10, to a
predetermined length. At this time, since the cut slab 2 is
reintroduced onto the main path later, formed as a coil, a rolled
product, and discharged, the length to which the slab 2 is cut
may be preferably provided as a length of the slab 2 required
20 to form a rolled steel sheet which is ultimately produced and
discharged.
To this end, the cutting step may cut the slab 2 by the
cutter 20.
In particular, the cutting step may cut the slab 2 at a
25 point of time after the slab 2 is put into the heating furnace
Page 20
30. This is performed to provide a relatively short continuous
casting and rolling line. The detailed description thereof has
been described above.
The separating step may be a step for separating the cut
5 slab 2 from the main path. Namely, the slab 2 may be prevented
from being transferred to the process after the rolling step,
not being normally performed, by separating the cut slab 2 from
the main path, connecting the continuous caster 10 to the
rolling mill 40, to one side.
10 The piling step may be a step for piling the slab 2,
provided by being separated in the separating step, on the
outside of the main path. Namely, one slab 2a may be cut and
discharged. However, because a plurality of slabs 2a are
generally cut and discharged, storage space for the cut slabs
15 2a may be reduced by piling and storing these cut slabs 2a.
The accelerating step may be a step for preventing the
slab 2a, cut in the cutting step, from colliding with the
following slab 2 prior to the separating step, and may
accelerate the cut slab 2a such that it moves away from the
20 following slab 2.
To this end, the accelerating step may increase the
rotational speed of a driving roll on the main path onto which
the slab 2 moves so as to raise the moving speed of the slab
2a.
25 FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a slab introducing
Page 21
step in a continuous casting and rolling method according to
an example of the present disclosure. The slab introducing step
of the continuous casting and rolling method according to an
example of the present disclosure may include: a putting step
5 for putting the slab 2, separated from the main path, onto the
main path; and a heating step for heating the slab 2, put onto
the main path, by the heating furnace 30 and transferring the
slab to the rolling step.
Namely, the detailed steps of the slab introducing step
10 are presented, and may be divided into the putting step and the
heating step.
The putting step may be a step for moving the cut slab
2a, piled on the outside of the main path, onto the main path.
In the putting step, the conveying unit 50 may be introduced
15 onto the main path by being driven in a direction opposite to
that when the slab 2 is separated therefrom.
The heating step may be a step for heating the slab 2a
to a temperature for performing rolling in the rolling step,
before the slab 2a that has been piled on the outside of the
20 main path enters the rolling step while being introduced onto
the main path.
Namely, because the cut slab 2a that has been piled on
the outside is cooled, the heating step may be carried out to
heat the cut slab 2a.
25 At this time, heating the slab 2a may be provided by
Page 22
introducing the slab 2a into the heating furnace 30 and heating
the slab 2a and by heating the slab 2a while moving the slab
2a back and forth in order to heat the slab 2a to a target
temperature.

【WE CLAIM:】
【Claim 1】
A continuous casting and rolling method comprising:
5 a continuous casting step for producing a slab by a
continuous caster;
a rolling step for carrying out thickness reduction in
the slab by a rolling mill;
and a selective entering/exiting step, which is carried
10 out between the continuous casting step and the rolling step,
for cutting and then separating the slab or introducing the
separated slab, according to whether the process is stopped
after the rolling step.
15 【Claim 2】
The continuous casting and rolling method of claim 1,
wherein the selective entering/exiting step includes:
a slab separating step for cutting the slab received in
the continuous casting step if the process is stopped after the
20 rolling step and separating the slab from a main path connected
to the rolling mill from the continuous caster; and
a slab introducing step for putting the separated slab
onto the main path if the process is carried out again after
the rolling step.
25
Page 24
【Claim 3】
The continuous casting and rolling method of claim 2,
wherein the slab separating step includes:
a cutting step for cutting the slab to a length
5 corresponding to a length required to form a rolled steel sheet
which is ultimately produced and discharged;
a separating step for separating the at least one slab,
cut to the length, from the main path; and
a piling step for piling the separated slab.
10
【Claim 4】
The continuous casting and rolling method of claim 3,
wherein the slab separating step further includes an
accelerating step, which is carried out between the cutting step
15 and the separating step, for accelerating and moving the cut
slab onto the main path, such that the slab is spaced apart from
a following slab.
【Claim 5】
20 The continuous casting and rolling method of claim 3,
wherein the cutting step is carried out after the slab is put
into a heating furnace heating the slab.
【Claim 6】
25 The continuous casting and rolling method of claim 2,
Page 25
wherein the slab separating step is carried out until all
residual molten steel of the continuous caster is consumed.
【Claim 7】
5 The continuous casting and rolling method of claim 2,
wherein the slab introducing step includes:
a putting step for putting the slab, separated from the
main path, onto the main path; and
a heating step for heating the slab, put onto the main
10 path, by the heating furnace and transferring the slab to the
rolling step.
【Claim 8】
A continuous casting and rolling device comprising:
15 a continuous caster producing a slab;
a rolling mill linked to the continuous caster, and
carrying out a thickness reduction in the slab to produce a
rolled steel sheet;
a cutter provided between the continuous caster and the
20 rolling mill, and cutting the slab to a length corresponding
to a length required to form a rolled steel sheet which is
ultimately produced and discharged;
a heating furnace provided between the cutter and the
rolling mill, and heating the slab; and
25 a conveying unit provided in the heating furnace, and
separating the cut slab from the heating furnace, or introducing
the separated slab into the heating furnace,
wherein the heating furnace is provided to have a shape
in which only one side is open in a direction perpendicular to
a main path connected to the rolling mill from the continuous
caster.