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Research Excellence Sustainable Future in Metals Table of contents

Page No.

02 The key to a sustainable future in metals

03 World class facilities in focus

05 RD&T at the heart of the company

07 Revolutionary ironmaking process cuts both carbon and costs

09 Silent running for rails around the world

10 Keeping up appearances

12 Super-armour that uses holes to smash bullets

13 Higher strength steel without penalties

14 Clean coal for green steel

16 Trials of innovative long-lasting track increase

17 Significant savings for strategic customers in India

18 Realising the potential of RD&T innovation

19 Thermal Technologies Centre

21 Key contacts The key To a SuSTainable FuTure in MeTalS

Dr Debashish Bhattacharjee, Group Director “Our research programme is closely aligned Research, Development and Technology, to the business needs and strategies, such (RD&T), gives his vision on the role of RD&T as raw materials, environment and energy, in . new products and markets, and cost efficiency. “The steel industry is a technology intensive heavy industry where large-scale and “Innovation provides competitive edge and dynamic high-temperature processes are we work closely with our collaborative managed accurately within narrow partners in leading academic and research specification ranges to produce the complex institutes across the globe, including M2i in microstructures of today’s products. the , CRM in Belgium, VDEh in Dr Debashish Bhattacharjee Germany, the Indian Institutes of Group Director of RD&T “The performance requirements for modern Technology, our UK strategic partner steel products are ever more stringent as universities including Cambridge University customers and markets push the application and many others. This enables us to create boundaries. This drives us to develop new an environment where ideas can flourish Dr Debashish Bhattacharjee, and innovative materials, with properties and be implemented with speed. Group Director of RD&T, said: tailored to our customers’ needs, and the necessary manufacturing technologies to “We place a significant emphasis on produce them economically and developing our research capabilities “We place a significant emphasis sustainably. through the nurturing of world-leading on developing our research experts in steel manufacture, steel product capabilities through the “RD&T teams are located in five centres and steel application-related fields. operating in three countries: United nurturing of world-leading Kingdom, the Netherlands and India. “Indeed, our researchers, engineers and experts.” Through our knowledge of the long-term technicians, and their capabilities are our global trends impacting on steel greatest assets.” manufacture and steel-based products, we develop solutions in new products and technologies to enable Tata Steel worldwide to reach both current business targets and future strategic goals.

02 World claSS FaciliTieS in FocuS

1. Teesside Technology Centre • Normanton pilot plant – , basic oxygen furnace, secondary , continuous casting, ingot casting, twin roll strip casting • 350kg fully instrumented coke oven and extensive coke testing facilities • Pilot gasifier/tuyere rig • Thermodynamics laboratories • Fluid dynamics – water modelling, air modelling, laser imaging • Metallurgy – optical, macro and scanning electron microscopic laboratories • High temperature facilities - viscometry, compositional analysis, melting behaviour • Materials testing laboratories • Modelling and simulation - computational fluid dynamics, finite element modeling, MatLab, process design

2. Swinden Technology Centre • Pilot rolling mills • Mechanical testing • Welding processes • Fracture and fatigue testing • Analysis environmental impact • Advanced analysis including transmission electron microscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, surface roughness and infrared spectroscopy • Experimental melting and pilot re-heating facilities

3. Automotive Engineering • Automotive design and engineering • Value analysis and value engineering • Low carbon automotive technologies

4. IJmuiden Technology Centre • Ironmaking pilot plant and test facilities • Thermal mechanical treatment simulator • Can production and testing • Ceramics research • Accelerated corrosion testing • Pilot rolling mills • Water modelling • Automotive design and testing • Advanced analysis including x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface roughness and infra-red spectroscopy • Schuler – semi-industrial stamping and hot stamping press • Trumpf – laser welding equipment • Crash tower • Non-contact optical strain measurements

5. Research & Development and Scientific Services • Raw material beneficiation facilities • Coke making and testing facilities • Pilot rotary hearth furnace • Pot grate sintering unit • Refractory testing facilities • 1:10 scale blast furnace model • Water modelling • Microstructural characterisation (scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction image analysis) • Formability, Gleeble 1500 • Welding laboratory • Corrosion and coating laboratory • Coal beneficiation pilot plant

Tata Steel manufacturing, distribution and sales locations

03 1

1. 2. 3. 4.

5.

research, development and Technology operates from five centres in three countries, providing a global capability for world-wide manufacturing and commercial operations.

04 rd&T aT The hearT oF The coMpany

Tata Steel’s overall strategy puts customers at the heart of everything it does. Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) has an organisation and programme of work that is aligned to this strategy, whether it is working on new, efficient processes or developing new products that will help customers to achieve their goals. Tata Steel has a global organisation, focused on achieving its vision: To maximise value creation for Tata Steel Group by creating stakeholder delight through world-class differentiating research.

RD&T’s objectives are to: • Have a global resource pool • Implement globally and efficiently with speed Europe • Execute a balanced, aspirational portfolio of research projects • Attract, retain and develop high quality researchers India • Measure the benefits of research Support Global Organisation

Group Director Group Intellectual Property Services Group Research Programme Products & Technical Finance, Purchasing Process Research Applications & Information Research & Development and Scientific Services Programme Programme Research Excellence Management Human Resources

RD&T has a global management team structure to define and deliver the research programme together with over 600 researchers and support staff. The increasingly global research programme is planned, resourced and delivered through topic-focused global resource teams.

The teams continue to improve the way they operate and deliver research through the support of a Director for Programme Research Excellence. An in-house intellectual property team provides expertise to ensure the business stays at the forefront of technology development.

Raw Iron Steelmaking Hot and Cold Finishing Product Material making and Casting Rolling Process Application

The key to success is to understand global trends, customers and markets in which Tata Steel operates. Researchers are encouraged to use their skills to develop innovative concepts that are reviewed through a phase-gate funnel so that the teams can focus on the most important developments and drive them through to implementation. It is RD&T’s aim to have 25 per cent of its work in the ‘Thrust Programme’ of future developments; these are ideas that will have a step-change impact on the business.

All projects are progressed through several stages, ensuring that internal processes are robust and efficient, before delivering new products to customers in the wide range of market sectors in which Tata Steel operates.

05 Almost everything that supports the way of life and the fabric of society is either made of steel, or made with steel

06 SUCCESS STORIES

1 revolutionary ironmaking process cuts both carbon and costs

The project How it was achieved The HIsarna pilot plant at Tata Steel in The HIsarna plant was designed, IJmuiden uses groundbreaking technology constructed and put into operation by Tata to convert iron ore fines and coal almost Steel’s RD&T and Engineering teams. directly into liquid iron. The project was part of the international The furnace simplifies the blast furnace ULCOS (Ultra Low CO 2 Steelmaking) process dramatically, because it can handle programme, a joint initiative of the fine raw materials directly without the need European steel industry. for agglomeration (collection into a cluster or mass) or coking. A former hot metal desulphurisation plant in IJmuiden was chosen for the pilot plant Project Coordinator Koen because of good rail connections and an Meijer said: The results existing baghouse with suitable capacity. The potential environmental and financial The two-year project was supervised by a rewards of HIsarna are high. technical committee of ULCOS partners and “The pilot plant work has only Rio Tinto. just started and there is still a The energy efficient process route can long way to go, but the first reduce CO 2 emissions by 20 per cent and In April 2011, the plant was pre-heated for the process can use more economicall y the first tests, where 50 tonnes of liquid hot results are encouraging. With priced raw materials than the blast furnace. metal were poured into the furnace for a continuing support of the quick start-up. international consortium we’re

Sixty per cent of the injection capacity was sure the goals can be achieved .” achieved for a short period, and parameters such as cooling losses and gas composition were in the right range.

Two more trials have now been scheduled.

The HIsarna pilot plant at Tata Steel in IJmuiden

The HIsarna vessel is delivered HIsarna in

07 08 SUCCESS STORIES

2 Silent running for rails around the world

Knowledge Group Leader Paul Kitson said:

“one of the most useful features of SilentTrack is that it can be added where track is already in use.

“it’s also very long-lasting. once SilentTrack is fitted, it performs throughout the life of the rail. SilentTrack’s patented Tuned Rail Dampers are attached to the rail to reduce noise it’s maintenance-free and does not interfere with normal track The project How it was achieved Today’s rail networks are under increasing To develop SilentTrack, Tata Steel teamed maintenance.” pressure to reduce noise levels and luckily specialist railway engineers with acoustic for them, Tata Steel anticipated this need experts at the world-renowned Institute of more than a decade ago. Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton. The result was SilentTrack, a cost-effective solution that reduces excessive track noise SilentTrack’s patented Tuned Rail Dampers by between three and seven decibels. are made up of two or three resonant masses of steel embedded in elastomer with a high damping factor. The results SilentTrack was developed by Tata Steel’s The dampers are attached to the rail with Research, Development and Technology sophisticated spring clips, reducing noise (RD&T) working with Tata Steel’s Rail across the wide frequency spectrum division. It was launched in 2000 and went associated with rail noise. on to win the 2001 noise abatement award in the Netherlands. SilentTrack is particularly useful in tackling isolated noise hot spots – this approach Today, advanced acoustic modelling has been used in the UK, Netherlands, techniques allow SilentTrack to be Germany and elsewhere in the world. optimised for major effectiveness, no SilentTrack has been installed in the UK at matter what the effectiveness of the track. Blackfriars station in

Further developments are also being made to ensure the product is suitable for the different track forms now being installed by infrastructure operators.

09 3 keeping up appearances

The project The results Every product Tata Steel produces must Managing and controlling surface quality meet stringent customer requirements, and on a continuous basis results in higher- the finishing touch is increasingly the quality products that keep customers demand for higher-quality surface for a satisfied. range of applications including automotive and consumer applications. It is not only the customer that benefits this work can also lead to more efficient Steelmaking is a complex process requiring production processes, save costs and allow rigorous controls at each step. It is vital to faster launch of new products. eliminate opportunities for surface imperfections to occur, maintain the quality How it was achieved of the product and ensure that customers Surface quality is dependent on almost Lene Hviid, Knowledge are satisfied. every stage in the steel manufacturing process and solving the issues are Group Leader, Continuous The RD&T Continuous Surface technically complex, often requiring Surface Improvement, said: Improvement team works constantly, using researchers to identify features in steel that their wide-ranging expertise to identify are just fractions of a millimetre in size. “We used to talk about fighting potential issues, root causes and Furthermore, each new grade of steel will continuously improve surface presentation. have new challenges to overcome. defects, but now we talk about making continuous The team works with cross-functional teams improvements. in the manufacturing plants to identify root causes and develop solutions. “precise and detailed control of They use techniques and tools, including steel manufacturing processes the development of surface inspection enables higher surface quality systems to collect data, using data mining and advanced surface characterisation standards to be achieved. techniques to trace root causes and develop robust solutions. “consistently meeting customer specifications is the key to happy customers!

“but what is a wish today is a need tomorrow, and a Types of product surface features identified through sophisticated imaging systems demand in two years’ time. you have to improve your performance constantly if you don’t want to fall behind.”

10 11 SUCCESS STORIES

4 Super-armour steel that uses holes to smash bullets

High-speed photography of bullet impact on Superbainite sheet

The project How it was achieved Research, Development and Technology Superbainite was first developed as a (RD&T), as part of a cross-functional team, concept by Cambridge University in the has developed a lightweight, super- 1990s. Research carried out by the effective armour steel to protect those Superbainite team included trial operating in the front line. manufacturing through a dedicated steel making and continouous casting pilot plant at Teesside laboratories. Further processing The results trials were undertaken at Tata Steel’s Personnel on active military duty can now and Brinsworth facilities. be offered enhanced safety from a UK-made product, thanks to Tata Steel’s Modelling work led to recommendations on Knowledge Group Leader Superbainite ultra-high hardness armour. the feasibility of steelmaking and casting, Andrew Smith said: handling the product after casting, and Superbainite is an ultra-high hardness parameters for hot rolling and coiling the armour steel with life-protecting ballistic Superbainite. “The research project has made properties at least twice as effective as what was previously considered conventional rolled homogenous steel Extensive experimental work was carried impossible, possible, and armour. out to understand the metallurgy of the process and finished product, the opened the way to further The high silicon steel is produced at high importance of the alloying elements used involvement with the Mod in temperature and perforations through it and to determine a feasible chemistry and developing other products in cause bullets to topple and shatter, recipe for commercial scale manufacture. this sector.” spreading and reducing the force of the shot. Characterisation of Superbainite produced by a full-scale production route confirmed As a result, Tata Steel is now able to supply that it met the requirements of an armour Superbainite steel strip ready for processing plate. into perforated armour plates for use in front line armoured vehicles. Tata Steel has received a licence for manufacture and processing Superbainite in the UK and for global export.

Optical micrograph SEM micrograph

12 SUCCESS STORIES

5 higher strength steel without penalties

The project Without the initial brilliant idea the The development of DP800 Hyperform ® GI development would never have started, but a new advanced high strength steel (AHSS) equally important is the spirit of cooperation and a world’s first for Tata Steel, is a between process experts, metallurgists and successful new product development. application experts that makes it happen.

There has always been a driver for improved The development does not stop at the first formability in high strength . The TRIP generation DP800 Hyperform ® GI. The strengthening mechanism is a well-known second generation is being developed due concept to provide formability superior to to new insights in manufacturing options. straightforward dual phase steels. Yet The first generation required substantial automotive customers are hesitant to use process development and is a challenging classical TRIP steel compositions because of manufacturing route. Tata Steel’s customers their very limited weldability. In many request wider coil widths. This requires a automotive applications DP800 Hyperform ® new alloy concept retaining all previous GI can replace TRIP steels at a lower cost for advantages and adding increased ease of the customer. manufacture. The journey continues to ensure improvements are continually made to meet customers’ needs. The results Tata Steel developed the first generation DP800 Hyperform ® GI to avoid the typical problematic TRIP alloy concepts and provide formability at approximately the same level as lower strength dual phase 600 MPa steel. DP600 part pressed with DP800 Hyperform ® GI Automotive customers appreciate this innovative concept and the benefits offered by DP800 Hyperform ® GI.

How it was achieved Successful new product development required knowledge of the metallurgy of the base material, coating technology and Manager Technology Projects manufacturing capability (usually on lines Richard Mostert said: not designed for the new product) as well as consideration of all application aspects for “dp800 hyperform Gi started the customer. Failure to pay attention to ® these will result in the development being with a brilliant concept. Then nothing more than a nice idea. the hard work began.”

3Q91 microstructure showing high percentage of martensite/retained austenite

13 6 clean coal for green steel

The project The results For efficient and sustainable steel The chemical leaching process involves production, steel plants across the world adding chemicals that react with the need coal with ash content below ten per mineral matter locked inside the coal cent. The main problem persisting in India matrix to allow it to be easily removed. The (the fourth largest steel producing pilot trial results show that the ash content country) is that indigenous coals contain of Tata Steel’s captive coals can be reduced finely disseminated minerals and high ash by about 60-65 per cent with more than 70 content of 3 0-35 per cent compared to the per cent yield, without any deterioration in worldwide figure of less than 20 per cent. coking properties.

Tata Steel’s washeries produce coal with an Through the implementation of this ash level of 15 per cent at 39 per cent yield process, Tata Steel can use low ash clean RD&T team in Jamshedpur using physical beneficiation techniques. coal produced in-house and avoid But when targeting the eight per cent ash dependency on low ash imported coal level using the present method, it further from other countries. cuts down yield to ten per cent. How it was achieved With this challenge Research, After obtaining encouraging results in Development and Technology (RD&T), laboratory and bench scale experiments, Jamshedpur, took a decision to make RD&T’s Raw Materials and Coke Making eight per cent ash clean coal without Research Group in Jamshedpur has diminishing yield through the designed, erected and commissioned a development of a new technology pilot plant with a capacity of 500kg per alternative to the existing physical batch. beneficiation techniques. The pilot plant includes a coal preparation P K Banerjee, Chief Researcher, section, feed preparation area and Raw Materials and Coke production zone with two reactors and Making, said: one filter each for alkali and acid leaching. It is also equipped with facilities to regenerate and recycle the chemical “This is a fantastic example of reagents. innovative thinking in rd&T.

The coal slurry and reagents prepared at We have demonstrated how we the feed preparation tanks are processed can really take on a seemingly inside two alkali reactors at atmospheric impossible challenge and make and elevated pressure followed by it work! treatment inside two acid reactors. Coal slurry is then filtered and washed with water to produce low ash clean coal. The “This new method will allow us The pilot plant commissioned by RD&T’s Raw filtrate sample is recycled and to exploit the use of coals with Materials and Coke Making research group in concentrated using a triple effect finely disseminated minerals and Jamshedpur evaporator. The pilot plant is designed to beneficiate the run of mines, middling and ash contents as high as 35 per clean coal from West Bokaro washeries. cent compared to less than 20 per cent worldwide.”

14 15 SUCCESS STORIES

7 Trials of innovative long-lasting track increase

The project How it was achieved HPrail® is a metallurgically-engineered rail During a five-year project, a team from steel developed by Tata Steel to tackle three Research, Development and Technology major issues for European mixed traffic (RD&T) took inspiration from wire rod railways: wear, plastic flow and rolling grades, which were modified specifically to contact fatigue. suit exacting rail requirements.

Laboratory development involved a The results comprehensive test programme to confirm HPrail® was launched in 2011 and is the significant property enhancements. Pilot undergoing long term performance five-tonne casts were made and evaluated monitoring at challenging Network Rail sites before production of commercial BOS casts. Research Metallurgist Howard around the UK. Selected rails from these casts were installed Smith said: Demand for this high performance rail is in the works track at ’s high with the prime focus being the Steelplant. However, the only real place to “We are continually increasing re-railing of curved portions of track and for test such products is on the public network the number of track trial sites, all switches and crossings. and so a development partnership with of which are closely monitored major customer Network Rail led to to assess the performance of installation in track trials. the product.” By developing the manufacturing capability alongside the technical and market development streams, the team was able to reduce the time to commercialisation by several years. Using the world-leading technical expertise in Research, Development and Technology (RD&T), unexpected manufacturing challenges were overcome, resulting in efficient manufacturing and a product that is fully compliant with demanding specifications.

Key to the success of the development programme is that HPrail® is an as-rolled product, thereby eliminating the need for costly heat treatment. This innovative technology, coupled with a granted European patent, will ensure that Tata Steel remains a world-leader in the supply of Diagram showing the position of the premium grade rail. rail between the sleeper and the wheel HPrail ® profile

16 SUCCESS STORIES

8 Significant savings for strategic customers in india

The project The results Tata Steel was approached by two of The results achieved on the two exercises India’s leading automotive manufacturers were extremely beneficial to both Tata to participate in cost saving exercises on a Steel and its customers. The VA/VE number of their current models. achieved 175 feasible new ideas resulting in potential savings to the customer of Early Vendor Involvement (EVI) is a process approximately £7 million. of working together with strategic customers to gain mutual benefit from Following these two successful examples, either a new vehicle programme or a Global RD&T teams continue to work with cost/weight saving on an existing vehicle. Sales & Marketing teams from Tata Steel to Engineers with materials expertise advise help its customers implement the new Peter Jones, Customer customers on the best specification of steel ideas. This is a clear demonstration of Tata grades. Early knowledge of customer Steel’s commitment to being a preferred Engineering Manager, material requirements enables strategic supplier to its customers and helping in Tata Steel Automotive product development for Research, their success. Engineering, said: Development and Technology (RD&T).

Working together, Tata Steel’s Global RD&T “undertaking a Va/Ve study is and Sales & Marketing teams, and the an ideal vehicle for working customers’ engineering teams, organised with our customers to quantify and carried out two value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE) studies at the opportunities for cost and customers’ facilities in India. Engineers weight savings. made a detailed study of the vehicle structure and looked for cost/weight “Studies like this allow our reduction opportunities in a controlled and systematic way. engineers, metallurgists and sales teams to share and exchange knowledge with their counterparts at the vehicle manufacturers.”

Global RD&T and Sales & Marketing teams worked with customers on value analysis/value engineering studies

17 9 realising the potential of rd&T innovation

The project The results Zinc coatings are used to protect steel from In 1998, work began on improving metallic corrosion. Tata Steel uses galvanised steel coatings in IJmuiden. The idea was to look at substrate to produce Organic Coated Steels additions to the existing zinc layer to (OCS) for construction and specifically the improve performance. A significant Building Envelope sector. improvement in effectiveness was found by adding magnesium. A patent (EP1763591) These steels are attractive coated products was filed in 2004 for this ‘magic’ new produced to eliminate the need for painting MagiZinc ® coating. on a construction site thereby saving time and cost, and the associated risk to The value of this Research, Development personnel working at height during and Technology (RD&T) innovation is being construction of a new building. realised by reducing the cost of producing Byron Tucker, RD&T Tata Steel’s OCS products. A product with Programme Manager, said: the same corrosion performance can be produced using less zinc. “Success has many fathers. Value for our company can only be realised from technology when we work together.

“The introduction of MagiZinc ® based ocS involves commercial leadership from the building envelope sector, innovation in manufacturing to cope with the challenges of producing new MagiZinc® can be used in major construction projects MagiZinc® for construction applications products and continuing rd&T input on product integrity and corrosion performance to maintain the highest quality of our products.”

A microscopic image of MagiZinc® metallic coating

18 TherMal TechnoloGieS cenTre

Pioneering Technology

A unique collaboration and £5 million of The centre bridges the gap between the investment are behind the opening of the universities and laboratory research and full pioneering Thermal Technologies Centre at technology commercialisation. Teesside. The centre is the result of a unique The centre is an innovative open-access collaboration between the Centre for innovation and research facility with pilot- Process Innovation (CPI) and Tata Steel in scale pyrolysis and gasification equipment. Europe. It’s the first of its kind in the UK and only one of a few such facilities worldwide. CPI has expertise in the commercialisation of innovation, including gaining access to Colin Atkinson, Knowledge The centre will provide its customers with funding and consortium-building, while Group Leader for Coal and expertise and assets to turn innovations into Tata Steel brings thermal manufacturing Coke, said: new and improved products and processes capability and expertise, as well as through access to high-temperature experience in operating demonstration technologies. scale high-temperature pilot plants. “We’ll have a team of four

Customers will be able to pay a daily rate to Two Research, Development and working at the centre, which will conduct development work on their ideas Technology (RD&T) teams are working at increase as the centre grows. and innovations, so they can scale up the centre: Steelmaking and Continuous research activities and prove concepts on an Casting, and Coal and Coke Group. industrial scale. “coal and coke already has a number of close collaborations with uk universities (notably imperial college, nottingham, newcastle and Greenwich), the coal research Forum and several eu partners in collaborative projects through the european research Fund for coal and Steel.

The pioneering Thermal Technologies Centre at Teesside “The development of the Thermal Technologies centre Chris McDonald, Department Manager of Steelmaking and will also allow us to foster wider Continuous Casting, said: contact with companies seeking solutions to processing waste “one of the most important aspects of the work we’ll be doing at material and creating added the Thermal Technologies centre is working with such a wide range value for their processes. of universities and organisations.

“Similarly, the expertise cpi brings to the centre is very “running the centre also allows complementary to our skills. This kind of cross-fertilisation of ideas is rd&T to maintain and build its extremely beneficial and hard to get under normal circumstances. knowledge base by attracting investment from external (to the “Meeting the challenges of the environment and reducing co 2 are steel industry) organisations, very important for the steel industry, and bringing together research which will feed into future and development from multiple industries will help us find the programmes to benefit the solutions.” whole Tata Steel Group.”

19 20 key conTacTS research, development and Technology operates from five centres in three countries, providing a global capability for world-wide manufacturing and commercial operations.

Teesside Technology Centre Swinden Technology Centre IJmuiden Technology Centre PO Box 11 Moorgate PO Box 10.000 Eston Road 1970 CA IJmuiden Grangetown South Yorkshire S60 3AR The Netherlands Middlesbrough TS6 6US T: +44 (0)1709 820 166 T: +31 (0)251 499 000 T: +44 (0)1642 382 000 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Automotive Engineering Research & Development and Scientific Services IARC Building Warwick University Tata Steel Limited Coventry CV4 7AL Jamshedpur-831 001, India T: +44 (0)2476 241 200 T: +91-657-2345405 [email protected] r&dssoffi[email protected]

21 www.tatasteel.com

While care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is accurate, neither Tata Steel Europe Limited nor its subsidiaries accept responsibility or liability for errors or information which is found to be misleading.

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Tata Steel Europe Limited

Tata Steel Europe Limited is registered in England under number 05957565 with registered office at 30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4WY.

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