Future developments in continuous casting technology

Based on over 150 years of development, continuous casting (CC) has become a mature technology of solidification processing. Key features already impl emented in CC of non-ferrous metals such as meniscus free casting and direc t strip casting can provide a road map for future developments in the steel industry, too; but gradually reduced funding in process development will r equire an increasingly focused use of research expenditure. This could effe ctively be supported by trilateral alliances with equipment manufacturers a nd university research. Since the main CC development activity is anticipat ed to be in process automation, the necessary understanding of process mech anisms and application of process fundamentals should be reflected in adapt ed university curricula as well as participative university research. Effic ient use of development funds may also benefit from interdisciplinary coope ration in multimetals casting, and drawing on core competences of a global research network.