‘Induction furnace smelting best for steel bars’

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Nikki Coseteng pushed for the acceptance of the induction furnace smelting technology (IFST) in producing steel bars in the country because it is more energy efficient and emits less air pollution.

Coseteng, Philippine Induction Smelting Industry Association (PISIA) spokesperson, said there was a lack of appreciation of the IFST, which she described as a more advanced technology than the electric arc furnace developed some 150 years ago.

“This is the more advanced technology, which in fact, minimizes air pollution and lowers electricity cost,” Coseteng said. “This technology was developed over a decade ago in Germany and Italy, is also being used by steel smelters in the ASEAN region, India, Middle East, Africa, China, Japan, Taiwan and some European countries.”

The electric arc furnace technology, Coseteng said, “causes heavy pollution, and higher electric consumption, and is still being used by many local smelters.”

The PISIA is an organization of local steel smelters composed of Melters Steel Corp., Real Steel Corp., Wan Chiong Steel Corp., Metrodragon Steel Corp. and Davao Mighty Steel Corp.

“PISIA is also confident that induction furnace smelting is the better technology in the Philippines and in the world,” Coseteng said.

Coseteng said PISIA members are ISO-9001 certified by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Standard PS-Mark, proving that their products “are at par with internationally acceptable standards, and manufactured in an environmentally friendly setting.”

She pointed out that India, a top global producer of steel, has an estimated 1,000 steel manufacturers that use the technology. These steel companies have partially attributed the growth of their production to IFS.

A paper published in India by Dinesh Kumar Lekhi, titled “Special Steels Through Induction Melting Furnaces: Vision 2020,” cited the economic benefits of IFST as lower production cost contributed to cheaper prices of  finished products.  

IFST is used in the manufacture of aluminum, brass, cast iron and stainless steel.