Abstract: To improve the service life of segment bearing of WISCO’s slab continuous caster and decrease the accident of foreign body rolled defect in slab by bearing damage, the reasons of the bearing failure were comprehensively analyzed, and the design and the process parameter optimization of the segments were studied. The results showed that the main reason for the bearing failure of the segments is abnormal overload. Then the improvement measures, such as adjusting soft reduction parameters, optimizing end slab output mode and using soft clamping function, were proposed. After caster segments process optimized, the ratio of segments failure caused by the bearing damage was decreased from 89.7% to 62.5%, the average life cycle of segments was increased from 122 days to 140 days, and the foreign body rolled defect in hot rolled coil was basically eliminated.

Key words: continuous casting, segment, bearing; failure