Method of thin strip casting

A method of continuously casting metal strip comprising the steps of:

• (a) assembling a pair of counter-rotating casting rolls laterally forming a nip between circumferential casting surfaces of the casting rolls through which metal strip is cast;
• (b) assembling a pair of side dam holders and a pair of side dams adjacent each end portion of the casting rolls with each side dam holder tapered along edge portions configured to dovetail with edge portions of an adjacent side dam assembled in position, and with each side dam configured to confine a casting pool of molten metal supported on casting surfaces of the casting rolls above the nip;
• (c) assembling a metal delivery system above the casting rolls delivering molten metal to form a casting pool supported on the casting surfaces of the casting rolls above the nip and confined by the side dams at each end portion of the casting rolls;
• (d) laterally oscillating each side dam holder and adjacent side dam at a frequency between 2 and 50 hertz with an amplitude between 100 μm and 2000 μm during a casting campaign;
• and
• (e) counter-rotating the casting rolls such that the casting surfaces of the casting rolls each travel inwardly toward the nip to produce a cast strip downwardly from the nip.

A side dam assembly for continuous casting metal strip, said side dam assembly comprising:

• (a) a pair of side dams adjacent to end portions of a pair of counter-rotating casting rolls arranged laterally, each casting roll with less than 800 millimeters in diameter and positioned to form a nip there between through which thin strip is cast, with each side dam configured to confine a casting pool of molten metal supported on casting surfaces of the casting rolls above the nip;
• (b) a pair of side dam holders, each side dam holder supporting an adjacent side dam and tapered along edge portions configured to dovetail with edge portions of the adjacent side dam assembled in position and configured to move with the adjacent side dam;
• and
• (c) an oscillation mechanism configured to apply lateral oscillation of each side dam and side dam holder together at a frequency between 2 and 50 hertz and with an amplitude between 100 μm and 2000 μm during a casting campaign.