Document 0qOQZM4xEBqRN1aMKM0BJ3YwJ

I I COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT April, 1974 The Design Department continues to be inundated by recipe change revisions, arising from revised binder systems and asbestos-free changes. The total for Apri1 was 25. * The new 8-piece ledged hot top #598 for Atlantic Steel is proving unusually ' difficult, both in achieving the correct size for good fit and in producing correctly formed pieces from the tool. Further sampling is scheduled. At J & L-Warren, a survey has been made of their hot topping requirements, and we are preparing a report of our reconmendations. All production is B.E.U. in several different mold sizes. The customer has expressed an interest in slotted molds, as space restrictions preclude the use of casting systems on all but the most commonly used mold sizes. Pour height indicater notches are being installed on #376 Seal-on boards for U.S.S.-Lorain. The object is closer control of ingot weight to minimize butt losses. At U.S.S.-Gary, the #941 Seal-on ring (40 x 57 mold) has been revised to a 4-piece unit at the customer's insistence. It was originally designed as a 2-piece horseshoe system. For the 25 x 25 mold, a survey was made of the casting route in the mill, as a result of which the #985 Seal-on casting design was "fine-tuned." The order for 50 castings has now been placed with the foundry. Although we made some improvement in the method of handling P.M.P. castings at Armco-Butler, the customer still considers it too difficult. We have been asked to design our own casting for this mold (#349 - 21 x 43) and submit it for their consideration. Testing of the #444 hot top at Allegheny Ludlum-Brackenridge has now been resumed. The proposed #828 test at C.F. & l.-Roebling is in abeyance, and recent announce ments show the future of this mill to be uncertain. We have added setting lugs to the #450 Seal-on casting for the 25 x 27 mold at RepublIc-Chicago, to permit more accurate setting and reduce seal leaks. On the 34 x 34 mold, our #538 inserted one-piece top continues to be plagued by seal leak problems. We have met continuing delays from our supplier in trying to introduce correctly-sized double wiper strips, although their latest attempt..seems more promising. However, the ultimate solution on this mold is in the introduction of the #453 Seal-on. Tests are continuing but still moving slowly. The #737 Seal-on test at Bethlehem-Lackawanna is also continuing, and we understand it will be accelerated in the near future. We are testing head to head against Ferro.