Only when ladle furnace and vacuum degassing technology was well developed could electric arc melted steel compete in quality. This iron ore based process was uniquely suited for the production of high-carbon low-alloy steels, and consistently gave high-quality steel.

However, “Bearing Quality” steel became synonymous with high-quality, clean steel much earlier than this with the application of the acid open hearth process used up until the late 70s. The ladle furnace technology which Ovako Steel uses today was invented and developed in Hällefors, Sweden, one of Ovako’s plants. This procedure is called teeming, to distinguish it from the other type of pouring operation. After refining, the steel is poured into moulds. The first pouring takes place after melting, when the steel is transferred from the melting to the ladle furnace. Molten steel is poured twice during processing. Steel is made in three stages: melting, refining and teeming. Control of the entire production chain, from scrap selection to final product marketing activities, is an effective means of achieving this. Steel-making development work is critically dependent upon the combination of process know-how and profound knowledge of the requirements of the application for which the steel is intended.įinal product property requirements, component-forming operations and the raw material production all need to be aligned and constantly addressed in product and productivity development work. Through careful attention to these factors, coupled with the introduction of a number of key techniques including vacuum degassing, argon shrouding of molten steel and inductive stirring during secondary steel refining, the fatigue performance of engineering steels has improved progressively. Important criteria are cleanliness of the steel and the reduction of non-metallic inclusions – particles that could cause stresses and hence potential failure of the steel component. Bearing steel is made from raw materials that vary in composition and overall consistency.īearing steel is one of the most demanding of the high quality steel applications. In essence, high quality components such as bearings require high- quality raw materials. This places similar pressure on steel manufacturers to ensure consistency and quality in the products delivered for bearing applications.Clean steel technology is the heart of bearing steel requirements and this has long traditions within SKF and Ovako Steel. Last longer and transmit ever higher loads often under arduous conditions. Demands on rolling bearing reliability and performance are continually increasing.

Heart of steel meaning