Business targets
Desiring to expand its portfolio of electrical isotropic steels, NLMK is not only working on existing isotropic ETS families improving key magnetic properties such as specific magnetization losses but also developing new families of steels with additional properties for its portfolio.
One of these works is a project to develop NGO steels with improved mechanical properties.
High strength NGO steels are a family of high tensile strength NGO steels that are used to produce cores in high frequency motors above 1 kHz, or in large low and medium frequency motors. Grade of NGO steel will be determined depending on the frequency used and the requirements for the strength characteristics. That is why this project lays the foundation for the development of a whole family of high-strength NGOES grades.
Choosing the initial target properties of the developed metal we focus on the indicators obtained as a result of negotiations with our key clients.
Implementation features
The project is still at the initial stage of implementation.
However, analysis of literature data and patent analysis have already been carried out to identify the main mechanisms for the formation of increased mechanical properties in NGOES. So far, three independent groups of such mechanisms have been identified. And now we have to choose the metallurgical principles that need to be incorporated into the future product. On the one hand, it will be easier for a company to master a new product if its production is close to existing processes and chemical compositions, but on the other hand, we are limited by the existing patents of our competitors — the future developed technology must be original and not violate intellectual property rights of the competitors.
The project will use a wide range of computer models to calculate thermo-mechanical effects on the semis and to simulate microstructure before the tests are transferred to the production line. An extensive program of laboratory tests is also planned, in which it is planned to study various chemical compositions and methods of their processing on small samples.