Steel industries

RACO electric actuators help automate movements in steel production, for example the operation of the casting ladle or the charging of the furnace with slabs in hot rolling mills.

Two types of movement can be identified in a foundry. The swinging/horizontal movement of the entire casting device is realized by a handle that engages it from the side via an electric actuators. The same applies to the filling and emptying of the casting tub as well as the removal of the casting device after the process is complete. During the casting process, the tub is gradually and slowly tipped until the casting mould is filled with the liquid material.

Afterwards, it is quickly tilted back and returned to the original position with an actuating speed of up to 500 mm/s in order to abruptly stop the flow of the material. In addition to the heavily soiled environment, the high temperatures of the machine and the switching frequency at full load pose challenges for the actuators.

For this reason, RACO deploys electric actuators of the heavy duty series with the following features: Guide cap with a heat-resistant wiper. Heat-resistant bellow (approved use for up to 300°C). Ball screw drive with optimized profile of nearly backlash-free design. High temperature grease for Long Life Lubrication. Synchronised servo motor with resolver and hand break. With these automating measures, maintenance is minimized while simultaneously increasing clock rate and productivity.