Forging furnace fuel consumption, constant refractory maintenance and unscheduled downtime is a significant cost driver for the forging process. Increasing furnace efficiencies and reducing unscheduled down times will lead to better quality precision forgings and increased production.

Current electric arc furnace electrode consumption is a significant cost driver for the steel producing industry. Reducing electrode consumption and increasing electrode life will lead to U.S. steel producers once again becoming the low cost provider of quality steel to the U.S. forging industry

Project: Evaluation of Ceramic Coatings in Forging and Electric Arc Furnaces – Emergent R&D program

Objective:
Install reflective ceramic coatings on the interior forging furnaces and on graphite electrodes to evaluate the cost and lead time savings as well as prolonged electrode life in electric arc furnaces.

Solution:
Apply ceramic coatings to the refractory within the furnace, which reflects heat back into the furnace, reducing the amount of heat that is absorbed. Extend the short electrode life on electric arc furnaces by reducing oxidation and electrode consumption through the application of ceramic coatings.

Principal Investigator:

• Greg Odenthal
• ITC Coatings