Tata Steel and SMS Group commission third slab caster at Kalinganagar plant

Tata Steel has partnered with SMS group to commission Caster No. 3, a third two-strand slab caster within Steel Melting Shop 1 at the Kalinganagar facility.

The vertical bending plant reached its designed annual production capacity of 3.1 million tons shortly after the initial heat, operating at maximum casting speeds of up to 1.9 meters per minute.

The caster produces slabs 230 mm thick and 1,000 to 2,150 mm wide, covering IF steel, low carbon, microalloyed peritectic and medium-carbon steel grades. Advanced equipment features include a high-performance copper mold, Dynamic Soft Reduction? technology, zone-controlled air-mist secondary cooling, and X-Pact? automation systems.

During the initial operational phase, the plant achieved a continuous casting record of 560 heats over 17 consecutive days. This installation joins two previous casters commissioned at the site in 2016 and 2024.