News: Latrobe Speciality Steel Expansion Project Wins Multiple Awards

Latrobe Specialty Steel Expansion Project Awarded Multiple Awards
Two Inductotherm Group companies worked together to supply equipment to Latrobe Specialty Steel to produce the world's largest Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnace in record time.

Consarc Corp., an Inductotherm Group company worked with Latrobe Specialty Steel and Continental Design Management Group to produce the world's largest Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnace in record time using a modified design-and-build technique.

This project was awarded the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) 2009 Project Excellence Award as well as the inaugural 2010 American Metal Market Award for Excellence for Best Operational Improvement.

Consarc, who was responsible for the manufacturing and installation of Latrobe's new Consarc VIM system, maintained an aggressive schedule starting in December 2007 that put liquid metal in the VIM system in September 2008. Consarc's VIM furnace met the increasing demand in the aerospace and defense markets for premium vacuum-melted steel according to Latrobe Specialty Steel.

The induction melting equipment was supplied by Inductotherm Corp., another Inductotherm Group company. This system included two (2) 30,000 kg and one (1) 20,000 kg interchangeable quick change induction furnace shells. These furnaces are powered by a 5000 kW VIP® induction power supply, making this one of the highest installed vacuum power density applications in the world.

Along with the induction melting furnaces, Consarc also delivered three additional vacuum arc remelting furnaces, all part of this $62M expansion project.