Kametstal set up a new direction in the repair of pig iron ladles

At the Kametstal steel plant, part of the Metinvest Group, the steel equipment repair shop (CERS) has mastered a new area of work: repairing iron-carrying ladles. The company notes that this decision is intended to support the smooth operation of the blast furnace shop and enable more efficient restoration of critical equipment using its own resources.

The launch of iron ladle repair was one of the first new services offered by the MREU in 2026. This is of strategic importance for the company, as the stability of blast furnace production directly depends on the number of ladles in operation. Against the backdrop of growing demand for the restoration of such equipment and limited human resources, repair workers decided to take proactive measures. The initiative of the team was supported by the management of the plant, which hoped to reduce the shortage of working equipment and ensure the stability and productivity of pig iron production.

Repair work is carried out based on the results of defect detection, which is carried out jointly with specialists from the blast furnace shop. This approach makes it possible to accurately identify problem areas and the scope of repairs required. The main operations are filling cracks in the vertical walls of the ladles and repairing through damage in the bottom part. Such defects occur due to the aggressive effect of molten iron in areas of greatest wear on the refractory lining.

Damaged areas are cut out and replaced with new steel patches. Special attention is paid to the bucket neck, where worn metal structures are replaced. In general, the process covers the entire cycle of technical work, from dismantling damaged elements to manufacturing new parts and their subsequent installation.

The new direction became a continuation of the development of Kametstal’s internal repair competencies. Last year, CERS specialists mastered the technology of repairing slag ladles with significant wear and defects. Previously, such equipment was written off for disposal and replaced with new equipment, but in 2025, after repairs, 15 ladles were returned to the blast furnace shop for further operation.

As a reminder, last year Kametstal repaired 349 units of mobile equipment. 328 of them were sintering cars for sintering production. An important part of the work was the renewal of the pallet fleet of sintering machine No. 9 during its overhaul.

Пошкоджені ділянки вирізають, після чого замінюють новими сталевими латками. Окрему увагу приділяють горловині ковша, де виконують заміну зношених металоконструкцій. Загалом процес охоплює повний цикл технічних робіт – від демонтажу пошкоджених елементів до виготовлення нових деталей та їх подальшого монтажу.

Новий напрям став продовженням розвитку внутрішніх ремонтних компетенцій «Каметсталі». Торік спеціалісти ЦРМУ опанували технологію ремонту шлаковозних чаш зі значним зносом і дефектами. Якщо раніше таке обладнання списували на утилізацію та замінювали новим, то у 2025 році після ремонту в доменний цех повернули 15 чаш для подальшої експлуатації.

Нагадаємо, торік «Каметсталь» відремонтувала 349 одиниць пересувного обладнання. 328 з них припадає на спікальні візки для агломераційного виробництва. Важливою частиною роботи стало оновлення парку палет агломашини № 9 під час її капремонту.