Through nearly three years' unremitting independent research and development by the heavy plate production, marketing and research group of Baosteel, Baosteel 80kg grade easy-welding high-strength steel realizes no-preheating welding and the product has started to be supplied to customers in batch. This important research achievement signifies that Baosteel has solved a historic problem successfully. Meanwhile, it makes positive contributions to promoting the environmental protection, energy saving and low cost of manufacturing of coal mine equipment.
Easy-welding high-strength steel is used in manufacturing of coal mine mechanical equipment, especially for making hydraulic support, which is characterized by corrosion resistance, wear resistance, shock resistance, high strength, light weight and easy processing. Baosteel has focused on research and development of easy-welding high-strength steel continuously for years. Since independent R&D and successful trial production of 60kg grade series of products, Baosteel explored and practiced constantly, and now Baosteel has the production capacity of various series and specifications of 60-80kg grade products.
In 2010, Baosteel initiated the idea of solving the hard problem of no-preheating welding of 80kg grade easy-welding high-strength steel, so the scientific research project was started. The research and development group found a special way to solve the balance relationship between the strength and crack resistance of steel, besides, they also focused on the research of new steel strengthening mechanism and gained a significant breakthrough. Meanwhile, they gradually optimized the rolling technique, cooling technique, levelling control technique and other techniques during production, and realized mass production of the products. Besides, Baosteel specially established an user technology research team to give guidance to the user in respect of welding process, so as to promote the safety of structure service of coal mine machinery.
It is reported that a coal mine machinery factory has measured and calculated the economic benefits brought by realizing the no-preheating welding of 80kg grade easy-welding high-strength steel. By converting the cost saving of energy, manpower, heating equipment and so on, the cost of every year can be saved by 30,000,000 RMB approximately. Besides, it can also solve the working environment and environmental protection problems caused by preheating process, and put an end to the safety risk may brought by insufficient preheating.
As the biggest country in coal production and consumption in the world, China will have a more demand and higher expectation in no-preheating welded easy-welding high-strength steel series of products. Now, Baosteel is working on research and development of higher grade products, and sprinting to solve more sophisticated technical problems.
