Rourkela (Staff Correspondent): The Steel Melting Shop-I (SMS-I) of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has set a new benchmark by achieving its highest-ever sequence of 31 heats in Continuous Casting Machine-I on 30th April, 2025. This surpasses the previous record of 30 heats, set on 1st July, 2023.
This significant milestone was the result of exceptional operational efficiency demonstrated by the SMS-I team led by Mr. Nilamani Mohapatra, GM (Operation), under the active guidance of Mr. B. Sunil Kartha, CGM (SMS-I), along with seamless coordination and support from key departments including PPC, Blast Furnace, Crane Maintenance, and Traffic & Raw Materials.
The casting of 1050 mm wide × 210 mm thick steel slabs began at 6:50 a.m. on 29th April and concluded at 10:15 a.m. on 30th April, spanning a total duration of 27 hours and 20 minutes. During this period, a cast length of 1.25 kilometers was achieved, producing 2,128 tonnes of high-quality steel slabs.
Commissioned in the early 1960s, SMS-I was a pioneer in LD steelmaking in India. The unit has consistently played a vital role in producing special-grade steels, contributing to defense and other critical national projects.
