Steel-sheathed cored wire for precise injection of alloy powders into molten steel in ladle metallurgy. Encapsulated alloy core materials ensure deep delivery below the slag layer for high recovery rates and accurate composition control.
Cored wire technology has transformed precision alloy addition in ladle metallurgy by providing a reliable method for delivering reactive materials deep into the molten steel bath, shielded from the oxidizing influence of the slag and atmosphere. The wire consists of a mild steel strip formed into a tubular sheath that encapsulates the alloy powder core, creating a sealed package that can be fed at high speed (2–6 m/s) through a guide tube directly into the steel. As the wire penetrates the slag layer and enters the molten steel, the steel sheath melts and releases the core material below the surface, where it can react with the steel rather than being consumed by slag-metal reactions. This deep injection approach achieves recovery rates of 70–95% for most core materials, compared to 10–30% for loose additions of the same alloys.
Calcium treatment using CaSi or CaFe cored wire is the most widespread application of cored wire technology and represents a critical step in the production of aluminum-killed steel for continuous casting. Aluminum deoxidation produces solid alumina (Al2O3) inclusions that readily deposit on the walls of submerged entry nozzles (SEN), causing clogging that disrupts casting operations and can force premature casting machine shutdowns. Calcium treatment transforms these solid alumina inclusions into liquid calcium aluminate phases (primarily 12CaO·7Al2O3) that remain liquid at casting temperatures and pass harmlessly through the nozzle. The calcium recovery achievable with cored wire injection (15–25%) is dramatically higher than the 1–5% recovery typical of loose calcium additions, making the process both effective and economical.
Beyond calcium treatment, cored wire serves as a versatile delivery platform for a wide range of alloying and trimming additions. Carbon cored wire enables precise end-point carbon adjustment without the variability of loose carbonizer additions. Sulfur cored wire allows controlled sulfur increases for free-machining steel grades where a target sulfur range of 0.15–0.35% must be hit within tight tolerances. Titanium cored wire delivers titanium for interstitial-free (IF) steel production where titanium contents of 0.04–0.08% must be precisely controlled to tie up residual carbon and nitrogen. Our cored wire products are manufactured with strict quality controls on core fill ratio (minimum 90%), wire diameter consistency (+/- 0.3 mm), and seam integrity to ensure reliable, jam-free feeding through all standard wire injection machines.
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