Arc furnace steel production, Kansas City Works-Armco Steel Corp.

Summary

In this paper we have reviewed some of the factors which, in our experience, influence production rates and production costs of electric furnace operations. We have not mentioned many of the things that any steel producing shop must do. A sound electric and mechanical preventive maintenance program is certainly an important factor in the operation of an electric furnace. An excellent paper on preventive maintenance in an electric furnace shop was presented in the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers’ 1962 Western Section Meeting by Dennis Miner, Supt. of Mechanical and Electrical Departments for Bethlehem Steel Corp., Seattle, Wash.⁴

No one can overlook the value of a scrap charge that is easy to charge and melts readily. We want the scrap charge to be free of foreign material. We have gone to great lengths working with the scrap dealers, educating them on the value of clean scrap in our operation.

There are many, many factors involved and the ones we have mentioned here certainly could stand further elaboration but, in the main, I believe we have hit the high spots and the reasons why we have been able to grow from an Electric Furnace Shop producing roughly 7000 tons per month in 1952 to over 70,000 tons per month early this year.