# US 12,759,031 B2 · System and method for the continuous casting and subsequent flat rolling of a steel strip > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,031 B2 - Document ID: US12759031B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/024,790 - Filed: 2021-09-08 - Published: 2024-08-22 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-08 - Assignees: SMS group GmbH - Applicants: SMS group GmbH - Inventors: Hartmut Hof; Ingo Schuster; Matthias Peters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759031B2 ## CPC - B21B 1/26: by hot-rolling {, e.g. Steckel hot mill} - B22D 11/001: {of specific alloys} - B22D 11/124: for cooling - C21D 6/00: Heat treatment of ferrous alloys - C21D 8/02: during manufacturing of plates or strips (C21D8/12 takes precedence) - C21D 8/021: involving particular fabrication steps or treatments of ingots or slabs - C21D 8/0226: {Hot rolling} - C21D 9/56: Continuous furnaces for strip or wire - C21D 9/573: with cooling - C21D 9/60: with induction heating - C21D 2211/001: Austenite - C21D 2211/005: Ferrite - B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04) - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) - C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B) ## Abstract A system for the continuous casting and subsequent flat rolling of a steel strip with an austenitic and/or ferritic microstructure and a thickness of less than 1.0 mm comprises a casting device with which a raw steel strip with a thickness in the range of 1.50 to 4.0 mm can be continuously cast. At least one hot rolling stand is coupled to the casting device, with which the raw steel strip can be roughed into the steel strip immediately after the casting process while still in the austenitic and/or ferritic microstructure range. At least one rolling module is arranged immediately after the hot rolling stand coupled to the casting device. The rolling module includes, in this order, a cooling device, a heating device and a hot rolling stand with which the roughed steel strip can be hot-rolled in the austenitic and/or ferritic microstructure range to specifications into the steel strip. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system (1) for the continuous casting and subsequent flat rolling of a steel strip (2) having an austenitic and/or ferritic microstructure and a thickness of less than 1.0 mm, comprising a casting device (3) configured to continuously cast a raw steel strip (4) having a thickness in the range of 1.50 mm to 4.0 mm; at least one hot rolling stand (6) coupled to the casting device (3) configured to rough-roll the raw steel strip (4) into the steel strip (2) immediately after casting while still in the austenitic and/or ferritic microstructure range; and at least one rolling module (7) arranged immediately after the at least one hot rolling stand (6) coupled to the casting device (3), wherein the at least one rolling module (7) includes, in this order, a cooling device (8), a heating device (9), and a hot rolling stand (10) configured to hot-roll the steel strip (2) in the austenitic and/or in the ferritic microstructure range to the thickness of less than 1.0 mm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one cooling section (11) is provided after the at least one rolling module (7). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rolling module (7) comprises at least two rolling modules (7, 15) respectively arranged one behind the other, wherein each of the at least two rolling modules (7, 15) includes, in this order, a cooling device (8, 16), a heating device (9, 17), and a hot rolling stand (10, 18). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rolling module (7) comprises at least three rolling modules (7, 15) respectively arranged one behind the other, wherein each of the at least three rolling modules (7, 15) includes, in this order, a cooling device (8, 16), a heating device (9, 17), and a hot rolling stand (10, 18). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system (1) according to claim 4, further comprising a pickling device for pickling and/or a heat treatment device for annealing the steel strip (2) arranged after a last rolling module (15) of the at least three rolling modules (7, 15). ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system (1) according to claim 4, wherein at least one cooling section (11) is provided after a last rolling module (15) of the at least three rolling modules (7, 15). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one heating device (5) arranged before the at least one hot rolling stand (6) coupled to the casting device (3). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a pickling device for pickling and/or a heat treatment device for annealing the steel strip (2) arranged after the at least one rolling module (7). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one coiling device (13, 14) for coiling the steel strip (2) into a coil. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system (1) according to claim 9, further comprising a separating device (12) arranged before the at least one coiling device (13, 14) for separating the steel strip (2). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system (1) according to claim 1, further comprising at least two, coiling devices (13, 14) for coiling the steel strip (2) into a coil.