Russia's Asha Metallurgical Plant Completes First Replacement of Caster Turret Bearing in Twenty Years

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 18, Russia's Asha Metallurgical Plant completed the replacement of the slewing bearing on the lifting and rotating turret of the continuous caster in the No. 2 Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking Shop. The work was part of a scheduled preventive maintenance program, and the repaired equipment has passed inspection and trial operation before being returned to service.

The lifting and rotating turret is responsible for receiving the ladle, rotating it, and precisely positioning it above the tundish of the continuous caster, serving as critical equipment linking molten steel transport and continuous casting. The slewing bearing connects the turret to the equipment foundation, bears the primary loads from the ladle and turret frame, and ensures smooth rotation of the mechanism. Its operating condition directly affects ladle positioning, continuous casting, and production safety.

This replacement required the complete removal of the multi-ton lifting and rotating turret from its foundation, marking the first such operation since the mechanism was commissioned nearly 20 years ago. Due to space constraints at the site, two overhead cranes could not simultaneously lift above the equipment installation position. Maintenance personnel used a dedicated lifting beam to distribute the load, transferred the turret to an adjacent bay, and after completing the bearing replacement, hoisted the equipment back into place.

Specialized contractor Prokatmontazh participated in the work. Personnel from this company had been involved in the installation of the turret when the caster was commissioned, and this maintenance was carried out in accordance with the disassembly and assembly procedures specified by the equipment manufacturer. The company has not disclosed the duration of the maintenance, the impact on production, the bearing specifications, or the contract value of the repair work.

This continuous caster was first commissioned in 2007, with technical documentation rating its annual capacity at 800,000 tons of steel. This replacement of the high-load rotating component is primarily aimed at reducing the risk of abnormal ladle positioning and unplanned downtime in the continuous casting process. The company has not yet published data on equipment utilization after the maintenance, maintenance intervals, or changes in output.