Taiyuan-based steel group wins top industry award nomination

A steel technical innovation project by Taiyuan Iron and Steel Co (TISCO) based in Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province, was nominated for Innovation of the Year at the Steelie Awards 2023 by the World Steel Association on Oct 20. 

The Steelie Awards, one of the top awards in the global steel industry, recognize the World Steel Association's member companies that have made outstanding contributions to the industry and had a significant impact on the sector over a one-year period. 

Fe-Ni-based alloy wide and heavy plates are primarily used in the production of key equipment in the photovoltaic renewable clean energy industry. It offers unique characteristics and challenges in manufacturing, such as multiple and high alloy element content, difficulty in controlling the cleanliness of the steel, multiple casting defects in ingots, high temperature strength, and a challenging rolling process. 

For a long time, China has relied on imports to fill demand for this product. But after nearly two years of dedicated R&D, TISCO has been able to overcome a series of key technological problems so as to domestically produce an upgraded version of these Fe-Ni-based alloy wide and heavy plates. The overall technology and product quality now reach international-leading levels, representing significant innovations in alloy production processes. 

In developing these heavy plates in the photovoltaic industry, the company has applied for four patents (with one already granted). Currently, TISCO's Fe-Ni-based alloy wide and heavy plates have been used in China's first domestically-produced photovoltaic polysilicon project.