Ladle VARG

What is Ladle VARG

Ladle VARG, part of Vesuvius Advanced Robotic Gunning (VARG), is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to transform refractory maintenance in steel ladles. Traditional ladle refractory repairs are often time-consuming and inherently hazardous, exposing repair teams to high heat loads and disrupting steelmakers' production schedules.

Ladle VARG addresses these critical challenges by integrating cutting-edge mechatronics, advanced laser technology, and specialised refractory materials. It replaces manual unpredictability with a closed-loop, data-rich workflow, turning refractory repair into a repeatable digital process that ensures safer operations, smarter decisions, and stronger linings.

Key Benefits

Ladle VARG delivers significant improvements across key operational areas for steel producers.

Improved Safety

• Ladle VARG eliminates human entry into hazardous heat zones, removing personnel from direct exposure to heat, molten metal splash, and overhead crane traffic during repairs.
• It removes the need for operators to carry heavy gunning equipment or hoses, reducing physical demand and the risk of ergonomic injuries.
• By preventing premature breakouts through precise repair, it enhances overall safety.

Increased Productivity and Efficiency

• The system enables significantly reduced repair windows, cutting repair time from approximately 20 minutes manually to less than 6 minutes robotically.
• This leads to increased ladle availability and more heats per Ladle.
• Ladle VARG allows for gunning only where needed, ensuring targeted application and more controlled processes, which saves time and material.
• It reduces reliance on manual labour, freeing up operators for other tasks.

Extended Refractory Life and Cost Efficiency

• It delivers a considerable increase in brick life, extending ladle campaign life by 20% to 100%. For instance, one of our customers observed that ladle life increased from 75 heats to 90 heats.
• Ladle VARG provides precise and uniform refractory application, resulting in a 15-40% reduction in refractory consumption through pinpoint gunning and reduced material waste.
• This results in fewer relines, lower material and labour costs, and increased steel output and profitability.

Data-Driven Decisions (Industry 4.0 System)

• The integrated ANTERIS 300/360 laser system performs fast laser scans to create a 3D contour of the ladle interior, precisely identifying thin spots and areas requiring repair.
• The Gunning Map Manager software uses this data to generate automated repair sequences and provide quantifiable consumption data reports for each event.
• Every scan-gun cycle is logged into a dedicated folder, building a heat-by-heat erosion map and enabling predictive maintenance and informed decision-making.

Adaptability for Ladle Orientation

Ladle VARG is a modular and highly adaptable robotic platform that incorporates advanced technologies for optimal ladle refractory maintenance. The system is tailor-made and customised to individual ladle geometries and can be adapted to various setups, including horizontal and vertical layouts.

The robot geometry and programs are customised to the vessel shape, implying its suitability for different ladle orientations, including those typically repaired in lying or standing positions.

Core Technologies

• ANTERIS 300/360 Laser Contouring System: This laser system, mounted on the manipulator's arm, captures over 1 million data points to build a full-resolution 3D model of the Ladle's interior in under 60 seconds, with an accuracy of ±3 mm. It precisely identifies zones with low residual thickness for targeted repair.
• Telescopic Robot Arm: The gunning arm is designed with a telescopic movement ability to seamlessly reach and cover every zone of the Ladle, from the slag zone down to the porous plug, without requiring roof removal or hose changes. It ensures highly precise movements with a positional error of ≤ 5 mm.
• Water Dosing System: A proprietary system unique to Ladle VARG, it provides precise moisture control, resulting in higher durability, densification, and a stronger coating of the applied refractory material.
• Twin-Tank High-Flow System: As part of the VARG platform, it supports high material application rates, ensuring efficient and continuous gunning, including for materials suitable for ladle repair.
• Integrated Software (Gunning Map Manager & Industry 4.0 Brain): Ladle VARG utilises Vesuvius's Gunning Map Manager software for a fully controlled application process. The "Industry 4.0 Brain" logs every cycle – scan mesh, gunning path, material used (kg), and water ratio – into a dedicated folder, optionally pushing data to analytics systems for predictive maintenance.
• Material Application: Ladle VARG is designed to work with high-quality refractory products, ensuring a dense, durable, and precise application in specific areas that require repair.
• Effortless Implementation: The system is designed for rapid deployment, with site surveys, custom engineering, and installation typically completed within a planned maintenance window (often < 5 days). It features easy-start systems with minimal operator interaction, making the whole operation very user-friendly.