China’s Rizhao Steel has received the final acceptance certificate from Primetals Technologies for the installation of the LevCon Bender Anti-Bulging system across all five of its Arvedi ESP (Endless Strip Production) high-speed casters. The upgrade keeps Rizhao’s facility, currently the world’s largest ESP plant with more than 11 mln tons per year of capacity, at the forefront of thin-slab casting technology.
The patented LevCon system enables precise control of bulging during slab casting, a critical requirement for the high casting speeds typical of ESP lines. It combines conventional mold-level control with hydraulically actuated, position-controlled benders that dynamically adjust roller gaps, allowing real-time regulation of liquid steel volume at the top of the caster.
This active control stabilizes the mold bath level, compensates for bulging-related fluctuations, and supports higher average casting speeds. Plants using the system have reported throughput gains of about 7.5pct, alongside improved surface quality, fewer oscillation marks, reduced powder entrapment, and lower breakout risk.
The technology was first proven in 2021 at the Arvedi ESP master plant in Cremona and on Rizhao’s ESP Line No. 5. Its rollout across all five Rizhao lines has supported the producer’s shift from commodity output to quality-oriented grades, including automotive steels, medium- and high-carbon steels, and hot-forming grades.
The LevCon Bender Anti-Bulging system is now deployed on all ten operational Arvedi ESP lines worldwide and is standard on new projects. Arvedi ESP is recognized as the only officially certified solution for carbon-neutral thin-slab casting and rolling and is among the most energy-efficient routes for producing high-quality eHRC.
Founded in 2003, Rizhao Steel is a subsidiary of Rizhao Steel Holding Group. The company produces hot-rolled steel, galvanized steel, and H-beams.
