The increasing hardness requirements of bearing manufactures have indu
ced Ascometal. with the help of Irsid, to improve its steelmaking grad
es in order to obtain the highest degree of inclusionary cleanliness.
This consisted in optimizing secondary metallurgical slags, degassing
and casting practices, especially for refractories. Contact fatigue li
fe was highly improved, both on the continuous casting route and the i
ngot route.