ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (83) 705 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 253 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation. 
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen 
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983, 
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003 
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit 
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben. 
COMMISSION OF THE EU R O PEAN  COMMUNITIES
C0MC83) 705 final
»
Brussels, 2 December 1983
MEMORANDUM
on the implementation and execution of a steel pi lot/demonstration  
project programme with a view to obtaining financial aid under  
Article 55(2)(c) of the ECSC Treaty
(submitted to the Council by the Commission)
C0MC83) 705 final

COMMISSION  
OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
MEMORANDUM
on the implementation and execution of a steel pilot/demonstration  
project programme with a view to obtaining financial aid under  
Article 55(2)(c) of the ECSC Treaty
I-INTRODUCTION
On the basis of Article 55 of the Treaty establishing the European Coal  
and Steel Community, the Commission of the European Communities has  
promoted technical research relating to the production and use of steel.
It has been shown that alongside the technical research as such there  
existed a vast field of application for the results obtained. The  
transposition of this knowledge to the level of pilot and/or demonstration  
projects, an essential stage in the development of new technologies and  
products, has, as a result of the grave economic crisis affecting the  
steel industry, become essential for Community steel enterprises.
However,this has been prevented by the high cost of development, by the  
need for investment beyond the financial means of the companies and by  
technical risks too dangerous to run.
In its Communication published in the Official Journal of 24 March 1983C ^,  
the Commission decided to grant financial support to pi lot/demonstration  
projects in the iron and steel industry. This support has taken the form  
of an overall allocation of approximately 50 million ECU over a period of  
approximately 5 years. The Communication also lists the criteria which the  
projects submitted with a request for financial aid must meet :
- techniques, processes, plant and products that are innovatory in  
themselves or in their applications.
- major capital expenditure.
- prospects of economic viability demonst ated by previous research.
- considerable interest to the European .ommunity,
- very desirable collaboration between partners, one of which at least must  
be a steelmakina enterorise.
(1)0J No C 81, 24.3.83

-2-
This memorandum presents 6 projects selected from the 41 requests received.  
They make up the first part of the ECSC aid programme for pi lot/demonstration  
projects. The projects presented have been examined in detail by the  
Commission in collaboration with the members of the Technical Development  
Committee (TDC).
They have been selected as a function of the criteria mentioned above and  
come under the following steel industry headings :
- horizontal continuous casting :  2 projects, PP 006 and PP 027
- treatment of finished products :  2 projects, PP 004 and PP 017
- coating of finished products :  1 project , PP 018
- steel use :  1 project , PP 040
These projects meet the following criteria :
I  -—  .
_ .. .  '  — ^.Project PP No  I  Criterion006027004017018040 |
|  Reduction of production costs | X X X
Reduction of operating costs X
|  Increased production j X X I
,  Lower capital investment X XX
|  Better product quality | XXXX
New process XXXX X
|  Improved products | XXXXx I
New product use X X
|  Intracommunitary collaboration | XXXx I
The financing currently agreed for projects PP 004, PP 017, PP 018 and 
PP 040 is for the initial execution phase only. Additional financing may  
be granted subsequently as a function of the technical and/or economic  
results obtained and the annual budget situation.
With the aim of stimulating intracommunitary collaboration and taking  
into account the additional costs involved, it is proposed to award  
a financial aid of 50% of total costs for the collaboration projects  
undertaken jointly by organisations coming from two or more Member States,  
while the aid conceded to other projects would be only 40% of total costs.
The financial support granted to the 6 pi lot/demonstration projects  
presented amounts to 7 572 100 ECU to which must be added a sum of  
121 300 ECU for ancillary expenses and the cost of disseminating  
information, i.e. a total financial commitment of 7 693 400 ECU.

- 3 -
II - PILOT/DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
PP 006 :  Development of a horizontal continuous casting process for steel
The technology of continuously casting steel was developed after the 1950s  
using patents held concurrently by Rossi and Junghaus. Since then the  
process has developed little, the continuous casting of steel being  
effected in machines in which the jet of steel at the entry to the mould  
is vertical and the axis of the mould very close to vertical. In the case  
of several semi-products (slabs and large blooms) current plant has  
attained remarkable degrees of productivity and is able to match the  
output of electric furnaces or oxygen convertors. However, for small  
sections (blooms and especially billets), output per strand is such that  
it is necessary :
- either to limit the specific dimensions of the steelworks production plant,
- or to multiply the number of strands to an inordinate degree.
In the first case the maximum size of the oxygen convertors is limited to  
approximately 150 t. In the second case, monsters equipped with 8 parallel  
strands have to be dealt with.
The research started by Krupp in 1980, with financial support from the  
ECSC Steel Research budget^) in the first two stages, is aiming at  
developing an almost horizontal casting process for steel such as is  
currently used in the non-ferrous metals industry :  the HAZELETT process.
This consists basically in casting metal between two parallel, mobile steel  
strips and between two side walls, the whole device being water-cooled.
In contrast to the normal extraction rate of 2m/mn with conventional  
machines, Krupp hopes to achieve a rate of 10 m/mi which, given the  
experimental section selected (70 x 180 mm), will enable it to supply a  
small section mill working at a rate of approximately 60 t/h with a  
single strand.
The previous studies (7210-CA/127 and 133) have shown that the process  
is theoretically valid. There are however important points to be resolved  
at the pilot scale which would, therefore, be a logical follow-up to the  
two steel research projects. The problems are as follows :
(1)The supply of molten steel shielded from the air to prevent oxidation  
of certain components which would produce microscopic and macroscopic  
inclisions in the final steel product.
(2)Coating of the mould to avoid steel adh sion.
(3)Scientific operation of the machine.
(4)Free contraction of the steel in the mould.
(1 )Total ECSC aid of 870 700 ECU / total research costs 3 384 500 ECU

- 4 -
(5) Monitoring and control of secondary cooling.
(6) Synchronization of the exit speed from the machine and the equipment  
downstream.
Subsequent research could, if necessary confirm the results of this  
third phase.
The work will be carried out at the Bochum steelworks of Krupp Sthal.
Applicant :  Friedrich Krupp GmbH - Essen
Budget :  2 410 000 ECU
Probable duration :  1 1/2 year
PP 027 :  Method for horizontal continuous casting with vibrating mould  
for alloy steel and super alloys *  1  2  3
The production of these steels and alloys is normally carried out in a  
vacuum furnace. Casting into a conventional mould poses very complex  
problems with regard to the vacuum or protective atmosphere. In addition,  
the homogeneity of the ingots is not certain because of segregation  
phenomena during solidification.
The hot mechanical strength of these steel puts a strict limit on the use  
of the normal curved-mould continuous casting process. It would be possible  
to use vertical continuous casting with a vertical bloom but the investment  
costs would be such as to make this process uneconomic for the quantities  
of steel involved.
Krupp Stahl AG (including Krupp Industrie und Stahlbau AG) is hoping to  
develop :
- a laboratory-scale horizontal casting machine,
- subsequently, a pilot-scale horizontal casting machine.
The initial machine would cast blooms 100 mm square while the other machine  
would be developed with a view to the industrial production of other  
sections (300 mm squares and 400 mm diameter rounds).
The innovatory aspects of these machines are as follows :
(1) the concept and developemnt of a "liquid metal Tundish reservoir"  
under vacuum or under protective gas,
(2) the development of a mould oscillating at a frequency to be determined,
(3) the development of a connection between the Tundish and the mould  
which is both leak-tight and capable of operating at the temperature  
of the liquid metal.

-5-
In addition, the use of a flux or a rotating process (for the casting of  
rounds) could be envisaged.
The theoretical and practical work would comprise the following  
simultaneous or successive phases.
(1) Theoretical study of casting parameters (speed, frequency and  
amplitude of the oscillations, geometry and material of the casting  
nozzle) and of the solidification parameters (variation in metal  
temperature in the Tundish-mould connection, cooling in the mould and  
downstream).
(2) Engineering study, development and commissioning of a laboratory-  
scale machine, and subsequently a pilot machine.
The work will be carried out at the Siegen-Gesweid steelworks of the  
Krupp Stahl company.
Applicant :  Krupp Stahl AG - Bochum
Budget :  6 419 000 ECU
Probable duration :  4 years
PP 004 :  Production of high-strength rails by heat treatment from rolling 1  2  3
heat
The MMRA has played a part in the development of the TEMPC0RE process  
(quenching and hardening in line with rolling) for reinforcing steels.
The process consists in carrying out the heat treatment on rounds at  
the exit from the hot rolling mill in such a way as to make it :
(1) automatic and repetitive,
(2) regular from the point of view of results,
(3) does not impair the output of the rolling mill.
The MMRA (in cooperation with the CRM) is proposing to transpose the  
TEMPC0RE technique to the production of high strength rails so as to  
avoid having to have recourse to the simplistic solution of changing the  
composition (addition of Cr etc.) (cost over 2 500 FB per tonne) with  
the associated risk of reducing weldability. The MMRA also wishes to avoid  
recourse to heat treatment outside the normal rolling cycle (cost over  
4 000 FB per tonne).
Currently there is no industrial plant working to the system proposed  
by the 1MRA because of the problems of controlling the quenching and  
tempering stage or large deformations due ■ *  ^  the inequality of distribution  
of the masses in a conventional rail.
The process which Rodange wishes to devr  op comprises a heat treatment  
applied to a rail with a conventional r .nposition and, at the exit from  
the final pass in the rolling mill, a treatment as a function of several  
factors which are known to influence the mechanical properties of steels.

-6-
To summarize, the main stages in this developemnt are as follows :
Ca) finalization of the theoretical study of heat treatment proposed  
by the CRM,
(b) engineering development, ordering, installation and commissioning  
of the pi lot plant.
Subsequent phases are already envisaged.
The pilot tests will take place at the exit from the section and rail mill  
(mill A) at Rodange.
Applicants :  Métallurgique et Minière de Rodange-Athus - Rodange
Centre de Recherches Métallurgiques - Liège  
Budget :  1 547 500 ECU
Probable duration :  2 years
PP 017 :  Stress relieving and straightening of rails by traction 1  2
Heavy sections, including rails, have for a long time been straightened  
in the cold state in roller straighteners after hot rolling, a process  
which can be supplemented by local straightening with a hydraulic press.
This process has many advantages (productivity, quality of work, compactness,  
etc.).
The quality of products finished in this way have met the requirements of  
the railways for a very long time.
However, the increase in axle loads and in particular the increase in  
train speeds have given rise to new requirements which cannot easily be  
satisfied by the conventional process.
The current trend is :
(1) To increase rail straightness so as to enable butt welding to be  
carried out, to avoid the creation of internal defects or stresses  
at rail ends, and to eliminate "periodic waves", which are likely to 
cause vibrations which may damage permanent way and rolling stock.
(2) To reduce residual stresses which, when added to service stresses,  
may be sufficient to give rise to fatigue and brittle fracture  
phenomena.
Straightening by traction has been studied over the last decade. It would  
appear from tests carried out by Sacilor that this process will make it  
possible to satisfy the new requirements mentioned above fairly easily.
In particular, fatigue strength will be improved by straightening by  
traction. In addition it has been found that this straightening process  
can improve the yield point of rails by an order of 10% (elongation 0.2%).

-7-
The practical problems to be resolved by these studies are as follows :
(1) the study and installation of a traction machine on a demonstration  
project scale,
(2) the study of feed-in and feed-out problems within an industrial-scale  
shop.
Subsequent phases have already been scheduled.
The straightening machine will be installed in the rail and beam mill at  
the Saint-Jacques works at Hayange.
Applicants :  Sacilor - Hayange
Métallurgique et Minière de Rodange-Athus - Rodange  
Budget :  2 038 000 ECU
Probable duration :  2 1/2 years
PP 018 :  Pilot plant for high-current-density radial-jet electroplating
The electroplating of steel strip is being more and more widely used to  
increase the service life of steel or to enable it to receive additional  
coatings suitable for various types of use.
The cost of these primary coatings and the need to save energy and coating  
material require the development of processes providing for the deposition  
of thinner and thinner layers of metal on the steel and/or the costing  
of only one side of the strip or yet again the deposition of coatingsof  
different thickness on the two sides of the strip.
The container industry is particularly interested n coatings based on zinc,  
chromium or nickel, whether alloyed or not :  the '  ;tomotive industry is  
looking for coatings of zinc and its alloys .
These coatings obviously need to be able to stan.: up to the shaping of  
the sheet in subsequent stages.
Finally, it would be of interest to make the electroplating lines more  
compact and thus more economic.
Of the electrolysis cells currently in existence, the so-called radial-jet  
appears to meet the requirement best.
In this process the strip is guided round a cylindrical conductor roll  
(cathode) surrounded by a cylindrical consumable anode. The distance  
between the two electrodes is of the order of 20 to 30 mm (minimum energy  
loss). The guiding principles of this cel’  are as follows :
high turbulence + high mass transfer + 1  gh current density + compact cell  
+ compact line

-8-
The work will be broken down into three stages :
(1) study and construction of the Line,
(2) study of the coating of can-type material (Sn, Cr, and Ni),
(3) study of the coating of automotive material (Zn and Zn alloys)  
(N.B. :  this phase is not currently envisaged).
The work in phase 2 will consist of the following :
(1) determining the effect of strip width variations,
(2) minimizing the pumping energy required for high turbulence,
(3) studying the shape and type of the cathode roll,
(4) examining the importance of the risk of spark formation.
Each phase would last one year.
The work will be carried out within the Hoogovens works.
Applicants :  Hoogovens - Ijmuiden
British Steel Corporation - London  
Rasselstein AG - Neuwied  
Budget :  2 352 500 ECU
Probable duration :  2 years
PP 040 :  Ring pull-lids of steel for drink cans
Most metal cans which contain drinks are made up of a steel body (tin  
plate or similarly coated steel) and an aluminium lid.
This metal was selected for its stability and its resistance to corrosion  
by acidic drinks as well as for its mechanical properties which enabled  
the design of the well-known ring-pull to be developed.
Demonstration project No 040 is based on the possibility of showing that  
tin plate (or one of its steel-based substitutes) can replace aluminium  
for the manufacture of these lids if certain precautions are taken.
If this could be achieved there would be a potential extra market of  
10 000 t/year for the manufacturers of tin plate. The recycling of drinks  
cans would also be facilitated.
While the techniques for the protection of tin plate are very well known,  
certain new problems arise here :
(a) the container is often under pressure,
(b) the liquid contained may be acidic,
(c) the impression to be "printed" on the lid must make it possible to  
open tie container easily without the aid of special tools,

- 9 -
(d) the containers must be capable of being stored easily for a
sufficiently long time without problems of corrosion or leakage.
The work must therefore cover :
(a) the design of the lid, its connection to the body of the can, the  
"printing" of the impression, the shape and location of the opening.
(b) the internal protection of the lid by a product to be determined  
(plastisol), so that the drink does not deteriorate, so that tne  
properties of the can are not changed by the drink, and that the  
drink can be kept for a sufficiently long period. Subsequently, the  
attachment of the lid and the opening of the Lid will have to be  
studied.
(c) the external protection of the lid and, in particular, the impression  
against corrosion.
All these developments are dominated by the desire to maintain the
productivity of the manufacturing lines currently in existence.
Phase 1 :  Installation of a pilot plant for the production of lids -  
associated work.
Phase 2 :  Start up of the demonstration line and the development of the  
shape of the lid and the protection products, and development  
of can filling.
A third phase is envisaged for tests by users.
The work will be carried out at the Andernach Works of Rasselstein AG.
Applicants :  Rasselstein AG - Neuwied
Hoogovens - Ijmuiden
British Steel Corporation - London
Budget :
Probable duration :  2 1/2 years

Communication from the Commission of the European Communities to companies in the
ECSC
(Article 48 o f the ECSC Treaty)
In the letter to the chairman of the Consultative Committee of the ECSC, the 
Commission asked the Committee to undertake the consultation laid down in Article 55 
(2) (c) of the Treaty concerning the desirability of allocating the following sums from 
the levies laid down in Article 50 of the Treaty for financial aid aimed at facilitating the 
following nohm 'eth researefr;proiects._pu et/<J«. wiUrt ice a_ tic o )
Under Article 48 of the Treaty, associations of companies in the ECSC are entitled to 
submit to the Commission the observations made by their members concerning the 
undermentioned subjects of consultation.
Any observations should be received by the Commission not later than 10 January 1984
(C n ECU)
J - Development of a direct strand reduction method 964.000
for steel
Horizontal continuous casting with oscillating 2.567.600  
mould for high-alloy steels and superalloys
3- Production of high-strength rails by heat treat-j 773.750  
ment from rolling heat j
L ) -1 Stress-relieving and straightening of rails by j 1.019.000  
traction
S ~ \ Pilot plant for electroplating at high current '  1 .176.250
,  densities
Ring-pull lids of steel for drink cans 1.071.500

Annex
SUMMARY TABLE
Project
Title of projectProject proposed Financial aid
No. PPbyProbable
Duration
(years)Budget ECU  
(30.9.83)%I  Amount ECU  
(30.9.83)
ORE REDUCTION
006 Development of a direct strand reduction method  
for steelKrupp 1 1/2 2.410.000 40964.000
027 Horizontal continuous casting with oscillating  
mould for high-alloy steels and superalloys
TRANSFORMATIONKrupp 4 6.419.000 402.567.60Ö
004 Production of high-strength rails by heat treat­
ment from rolling heatMMRA \ 
CRM I2 1.547.500
■50773.750
017 Stress-relieving and straightening of rails by  
tractionSacilor \ 
MMRA J2 1/2 2.038.000 501.019.000
018 Pilot plant for electroplating at high current  
densities
UTILIZATIONHoogovensj  
Rasselstein j
BSC J22.352.500 501.176.250
040 Ring-pull lids of steel for drink cans Rasselstein|  
Hoogovens/  
BSC }2 1/22.143.000 501.071.500
Sub-total 16.910.000 7.572.100
Ancillary costs and dissemination of information 121.300
TOTAL 7.693.400 If