Using a Performance Criterion to Incorporate Prior Operational Experience in the Design of Continuous Casting Machines

The use of a performance criterion in assessing the potential for creating new continuous casting machines of the required reliability is assessed. This approach is found to permit not only the assessment and determination of the reliability according to tests of prototypes but also the transfer of these results to new continuous casting machines. The relative change in the performance of the continuous casting line matches the change in performance of its components. Hence, this parameter may be used as a universal indicator for each specific continuous casting machine. On that basis, the use of the performance to transfer knowledge gained in the operation of the existing continuous casting machine to the development of new designs is discussed.