Mini Mill Steel Producers Key Terms

Get to know key terms related to mini steel mills

If you want to be a mini mill steel producer, you will need to learn about mini mill tools and operations. Mini mills are key components of the secondary steel manufacturing business. Most mini mills use an electric arc furnace to melt steel scrap and convert it into high-quality steel using a ladle and reheat furnace.

This guide will familiarize you with key terms to help you get a better understanding of mini mill operations.

 

Electric arc furnace

In order to convert steel scrap for reuse, you will need an electric arc furnace. The furnace primarily converts raw material into liquid steel and prepares it for further refinement.
Try: Learn more about electric arc furnaces at the World Steel Association, a comprehensive resource on iron- and steel-making processes.

Continuous caster

A continuous caster or a strand caster converts molten steel into a solid form or into slabs to use for rolling additional products in the mill.
Try: At  Energy Manager Training, you can learn about the basic principles of continuous casting of steel.

Fly cutter

If you want to cut out circular portions from metal, you will need to use a fly cutter. The fly cutter has an attached shaft and an adjustable wing to change the diameter of the circle.
Try: You can look at fly cutters instructions at Sherline Products, Inc., a manufacturer of mini mill equipment.

End mill

You will need an end mill for cutting operations in milling applications. End mills have single-edge ends or double-edge ends that you can use to cut metal. The double-edge ends model can be an economical option, as you can cut tools with both the ends.
Try: You can learn more about end mills at LittleMachineShop.com.

Center drill

In steel mini mill operations, you will need center drills to make holes in the metal. You can use drills of varying length and width for getting holes of desired sizes. You will also need to use a lubricant to keep the drill safe from damage.
Try: At mini-lathe.com, an online resource for milling operations, you can get detailed information on the use and applications of center drills.

Slitting saw

The purpose of a slitting saw is similar to that of a mini mill cutter, although you can use it to cut bigger shapes out of the work piece.
Try: To learn about using a slitting saw, browse through the information provided at mini-lathe.org, a useful resource on mini mill tools.

Collets

You will need to use collets in your mini mill to hold the cutting tools in place.
Try: Modern Machine Shop is an online magazine where you can find useful information on collets.

Milling vises

A milling vise holds your work piece in place while you work on it. It is a very convenient tool to hold small clamped up parts for milling.
Try: At www.millvises.com, you can find different types of milling vises offered by various manufacturers.

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