Chang, In-Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, shared the POSCO decarbonization roadmap and emphasized solidarity to secure market value for low-carbon steel

POSCO honored as a ‘Sustainability Champion’ for 5 consecutive years… proving global ESG leadership

Chang, In-Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, attended the regular meeting of the World Steel Association (worldsteel) held in Berlin, Germany, to emphasize the critical importance of global cooperation in the transition to decarbonization.

On the 13th (local time), CEO Chang participated in the Executive Committee meeting, the highest decision-making body of worldsteel, representing the Korean steel industry. The meeting brought together CEOs from global steel giants—including China Baowu Steel Group, Nippon Steel, and India’s JSW—to engage in in-depth discussions on key mid-to-long-term challenges, such as responding to the energy crisis, the industrial impact of geopolitical risks, and the international standardization of carbon emission measurement.

During the session, he highlighted that the ‘decarbonization transition’ is a collective imperative for the steel industry, even amidst structural headwinds like slowing demand and rising energy costs. CEO Chang took the opportunity to share the POSCO decarbonization roadmap with global peers.

“Close cooperation and solidarity across the global steel industry are essential for a successful decarbonization transition and for ensuring that low-carbon steel products are recognized for their fair value in the market,” he stated.

Following the meeting, CEO Chang held a series of bilateral discussions with industry leaders, including Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Group (India), and Liu Jian, Chairman of HBIS Group (China). He exchanged views on core issues such as overseas steel investment, carbon reduction technology, and supply chain stabilization, exploring new business opportunities to secure future growth engines for the group.

The visit also yielded significant recognition. At the member meeting held the following day, CEO Chang accepted the ‘Sustainability Champion’ plaque on behalf of POSCO. This certification is awarded by worldsteel to companies that lead the sustainable development of the steel industry. By being selected for five consecutive years since 2022, POSCO has once again solidified its position as a global leader in ESG management.

▲ On the 14th (Berlin local time), POSCO was named a ‘Sustainability Champion’ by worldsteel. From the left: Chang, In-Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, and Uğur Dalbeler, Chairman of worldsteel and Chairman of Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş. (Türkiye).

Proposed joint carbon-neutral tech R&D, details to be finalized at December Innovation Conference

POSCO received the Sustainability award at the 2023 Steelie Awards

Chairman Jeong-woo Choi of the World Steel Association (worldsteel), led a regular meeting of the Association in Shanghai, China, starting on Oct. 15. He demonstrated global leadership by encouraging member companies in the steel industry to unite and work together to achieve carbon neutrality.

During the first day of the regular meeting on Oct. 15, Chairman Choi convened with top executives from global steel companies at the Executive Committee meeting of the World Steel Association. The agenda encompassed discussions on vital issues including advancements in self-driving vehicle body solutions, international trends in greenhouse gas emission measurement methodologies, and the global steel demand forecast.

Chairman Choi highlighted the importance of actively promoting the steel industry’s superior environmental sustainability compared to aluminum. He led discussions on various topics on advancing the sustainable steel sector, such as plans to expand the supply of green steel and the development of collaborative R&D programs for decarbonization technologies. Representatives of more than 150 steel companies and regional steel associations from around the world attended the meeting of on Oct. 16.

In his keynote speech at the general assembly following the member company meeting, Chairman Choi said that in order to achieve the grand goal of carbon neutrality, member companies must take a leap together with two wings, technology and policy, and identify common tasks among member companies through a joint R&D program on decarbonization technology and achieve overall goals.

Chairman Choi also said that we must all work together to ensure that the World Steel Association’s greenhouse gas emissions measurement standards become international standards. He added that operational plans for joint R&D programs will be discussed in detail at the Breakthrough Technology Conference scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for three days starting on December 5.

The Breakthrough Technology Conference expands on the Hydrogen Iron & Steel Making Forum and focuses on hydrogen-based steelmaking, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), and other low-carbon innovations. It provides a platform for sharing advanced technologies and discussing sustainable growth.

POSCO is honored at the 2023 Steelie Awards, hosted by the World Steel Association, for its sustainability efforts. The company was recognized for its innovative greenhouse gas reduction technology in agriculture using silicate fertilizer, made from silica (SiO2), the main component of steel slag, which helps reduce methane emissions by inhibiting methane-producing bacteria in rice paddies.

Chairman Jeong-woo Choi, in his role as the chairman of the World Steel Association, addressed a joint conference with the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) and China Baowu Group on the morning of Oct. 15 at the Shanghai Expo Center. He gave a keynote speech on the theme of “The Future of Steel in the Carbon-Neutral Era” ahead of the World Steel Association’s regular meeting.

▲ Chairman Jeong-Woo Choi delivered a keynote speech at the General Assembly of the World Steel Association on October 16th.

The answer to this question is revealed at the bottom!

The above quiz was one of the questions at the POSCO ‘Safety Golden Bell Challenge’ held in Pohang last year. Those who find it hard to answer could perhaps take this opportunity to learn about it today. Why? It’s because the more you know, the safer you become. Safety is POSCO’s core value.

l POSCO Holds the Safety Golden Bell

Around 30,000 employees of POSCO and partner companies participated in the preliminary rounds of the Golden Bell Challenge, and 400 of them qualified for the main game. The main game was held in Pohang on October 25 2019 and was attended by a total of 1,000 people, including POSCO CEO Jeong-Woo Choi and 600 others who came to cheer.

Various questions regarding the company’s safety regulations and the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Act were covered at the ‘Safety Golden Bell Challenge.’ At the event, several performances demonstrating POSCO’s safety message were carried out, along with some bonus quizzes for the audience. All participants could enjoy the events while acquiring safety education at the same time.

POSCO’s ‘Safety Golden Bell Challenge’ is not about winning or the competition itself. Of course, some questions aren’t easy, like the quiz above. But the real purpose of the challenge is this: creating a ‘safety community’ where all employees, including at partner companies, protect each other — with a little entertainment along the way.

POSCO has expanded its budget for the safety sector and has put in a lot of effort in securing the safety of employees, like investing 1.105 trillion KRW for three years from 2018 and establishing a safety control tower company-wide.

In addition, POSCO has expanded various Smart Safety devices, including Intelligent CCTV, robots, and recently gave away Smart Watches that can send rescue signals in case of hazardous accidents to 1,200 working at the steelworks to secure the safety of its employees. However, these devices cannot be all when it comes to safety. The many safety capital and infrastructure investments should be met with the employees’ self-recognition of the importance of safety and encourage each other to change. This is the reason why POSCO planned the ‘Safety Golden Bell Challenge’.

l A Recognized Safety Program Participated by 30,000 Employees Including Partner Companies

POSCO’s ‘Safety Golden Bell Challenge,’ which was participated by around 30,000 employees of POSCO and partner companies, drew the attention of worldsteel. And with this program, POSCO was selected for excellence in the ‘safety culture and leadership’ area by worldsteel this year.

▲ Safety Culture Leadership Excellent Company Certificate by worldsteel

POSCO was recognized for putting safety as the core value of employees and providing a space where employees can connect and upgrade the safety competence of individuals voluntarily while promoting the vitalization of safety activities.

POSCO acquired high regard from the evaluation carried out in the following four sectors: management support, impact on metrics, leadership maturity, and broad and deep participation.

In particular, POSCO received high praise in terms of encouragement from top executives, including the CEO, and initiative and motivation of management supervisors. The safety program yielded noticeable positive effects, such as an increase in finding potential risk & participation in safety activities and a decrease in unsafe behavior.

▲ Comparison of six months after the ‘Safety Golden Bell Challenge’

Worldsteel has designated April 28 as Steel Safety Day to raise awareness of safety through extensive on-site safety inspections of its member companies (amounting to about 170 companies). This year, however, the event was postponed to October 21 and was held online due to the influence of COVID-19.

The awardees of the Safety & Health Excellence Recognition were supposed to give a presentation session of related activities at the worldsteel’s regular meeting. However, with the meeting canceled this year due to the COVID-19, a webinar (online seminar) is to be held on November 11 instead, where POSCO will be giving a presentation on the Safety Golden Bell Challenge with a question and answer session.

* Answer: ③ Flash Over: A phenomenon in the early stages of a fire, where combustible gas gathers near the ceiling and explodes as a whole.

Dubai’s new Museum of the Future is one such experiment. Planned to be completed in 2021, the 78 m tall architecture demonstrates a unique shape and innovative design. It is expected to emerge as another Landmark of Dubai with its outstanding features and LED lighting reaching 14 km.

A steel framework was crucial in realizing the distinctive torus design since steel has both the strength to withstand the weight and also the flexibility which enables the required curvy structure. Dive deep into the story of this steel beauty as POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “Museum of the Future Pushes the Boundaries of Aesthetic Design.”

One of the most challenging and unique building projects in the world, Dubai’s Museum of the Future is a true architectural experiment.

The architectural world is littered with hyperbole. While some claims may rely on poetic license, the uniqueness of Dubai’s new Museum of the Future is factually correct, its extraordinary form made possible by its steel superstructure and façade.

The elliptical ‘torus’ design covered in Arabic calligraphy was conceived by architect Shaun Killa of Killa Design, winners of the museum’s design competition in 2015. Killa is no stranger to challenging buildings; while at Atkins Dubai he worked on Burj Al Arab, one of the world’s tallest hotels. With his six-year-old architectural practice, he’s also responsible for Dubai’s twin 77-storey Address Jumeirah Gate, another project with iconic potential.

When it is completed in 2021, the 78m-tall Museum of the Future will be a showcase for innovation and technology, so its futuristic shape is fitting. The initial inspiration for the building, “was to create a form that represents the client’s vision of the future”, explains Killa, “where the physical building with its exhibition floors represents our understanding of the ‘future’ as we know it today and for the next five to 10 years.” Meanwhile the void at the building’s centre represents everything that is as yet unknown, the future.

The architects designed the museum in three main parts: the green mound (which doubles as a landscaped three-storey podium), the building on top, and the void within. Inside, it will house six column-free exhibition floors and one floor of administration above the podium, and a food and beverage deck, along with auditorium, retail, parking and services.

“The Museum of the Future represents a radical alternative to the traditional skyscraper form.” – BuroHappold Engineering

UK firm BuroHappold Engineering was brought in to execute Killa’s ambitious vision. “Translating the design’s artistic and metaphorical concepts into a 30,000m² building clad in stainless steel was always going to be a challenge,” admit the engineers.

“But add to that the museum’s unique shape, the client’s desire to attain LEED Platinum status, and the team’s determination to embrace Building Information Modelling (BIM) at every stage of design and construction, then clearly, the building’s centre void is not the only aspect of this project that represents a step into the unknown.”

l Ahead of the Curve

BuroHappold started by fine-tuning the theoretical shape of the building to remove as many of its complicated curves as possible, which in turn would make its construction more straight-forward.

Then the steel framework and the lightweight façade were designed. The framework is a diagrid made up of 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel beams. As lead consultant on the project, BuroHappold relied heavily on parametric design as well as BIM. As the possible permutations for the diagrid were infinite, BuroHappold wrote its own growth algorithm to arrive at the most suitable arrangement for the structure.

The engineers employed parametric scripting in the design phase, utilising computer programming to define architectural form. The parametric aspects allowed the creation of dynamic links between parameters, enabling real-time, continuous modification of the design. This was a painstaking process, but as a result of this exacting computer modelling, all the steel tubes were able to be designed at exactly the same diameter.

This uniform diameter made construction significantly faster and simpler. Once the reinforced concrete ring beam and tower which support the diagrid were built, the steel work was completed in a mere 14 months.

l  Poetry in Steel

That framework maps the torus shape and supports the 890 stainless-steel-clad glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) panels “that form the seamless silvery façade”, BuroHappold adds.

The thousands of interlocking steel triangles were produced by 3D printers. Cut out of these panels are phrases of poetry written by Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. The cursive scripts also act as the museum’s windows, and will be lit up after dark by 14km of LED lighting.

Now in its final phases, the $136m MOTF is positioned above the city’s elevated, driverless metro system on the edge of the financial district. It stands in the Emirates Towers area near Sheikh Zayed Road – the road on which Killa Design has its offices.

Its opening is due to coincide with Dubai’s hosting of the World Expo in October 2021, and the museum’s founders hope to attract more than 1m visitors a year, with half of those coming from outside the UAE.

For BuroHappold, “the Museum of the Future represents a radical alternative to the traditional skyscraper form.” And because of its complexity and unusual shape, the steel framework – rather than a concrete or steel shell – was seen as the best solution.

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at : https://stories.worldsteel.org/construction-building/museum-of-the-future-aesthetic-design-torus-poetry/

The Canakkale 1915 bridge, which is under construction in North-Western Turkey, is one of these wonders. Strictly speaking, it is being constructed as the World’s longest suspension bridge with a total length of 4,608 meters, including the approach viaducts. With a record of 128,000 tons of steel deployed, the scale of the construction is immense for a single project. And amidst fierce competition for the contract, the winner who succeeded in landing the orders was POSCO. 

POSCO provided steel plates for the tower structures and the bridge deck, along with steel wire rods for the cabling system of the Canakkale 1915 bridge. See the details of this “All POSCO Steel” bridge as  POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “World’s Longest Suspension Bridge Will Connect Europe and Asia.”

Scheduled to open in 2023, the Canakkale 1915 bridge will be a steel-built infrastructure first, spanning the Dardanelles strait that separates the European and Asian continents.

As the Turkish government undertakes an ambitious infrastructure investment programme, parts of the country are being transformed by new mega tunnels and bridges. The Canakkale 1915 bridge is one such project, conceived to open as a tribute to mark 100 years of the modern Turkish republic.

The North Western region of Turkey functions as an important connection between Europe and Asia, with ground traffic currently funnelling through the narrow stretch of land surrounding Istanbul which leads on to the borders of Greece and Bulgaria.

With the span between its two towers sitting at 2,023 metres, the Canakkale 1915 is set to become the world’s longest suspension bridge

Turkey’s rising economic growth as a result of agricultural expansion, increased transit links and the country’s growing popularity as a tourist destination, has led to serious congestion around its major cities.

The growing struggle facing the existing transport system has caused the government to announce its Vision 2023 programme, which aims to boost capacity across road, rail and sea networks.

l A Towering Achievement

The suspension bridge is being constructed in the north west Turkish province of Canakkale and will service the 320km-long Kınalı-Tekirdağ-Çanakkale-Balıkesir motorway which will connect the Anatolian peninsula and East Thrace once completed. Currently, this journey requires a 30-minute ferry ride, but once the bridge is in place this will be reduced to a short drive of just 10 minutes

With the span between its two towers sitting at 2,023 metres, the Canakkale 1915 is set to become the world’s longest suspension bridge, outstripping Japan’s Akashi Kaikyō bridge by 32 metres. Its full length, including the approach viaducts, will stretch to 4,608 metres

Once completed, the Canakkale bridge will have seen 128,000 tonnes of steel deployed in its construction

Formed of a reinforced concrete deck, the bridge structure supporting the road surface will be underpinned by a pair of shear-connected longitudinal steel box beams. These will in turn be interconnected by steel crossbeams that sit on external cantilevers.

The 45-metre wide deck is expected to handle large amounts of commercial and private traffic, with three lanes moving in both directions and maintenance walkways on either side, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the region.

The towers, which sit on a pair of steel platforms each mounted just above sea level on massive 65,000-tonne submerged caissons, will make the bridge the fourth tallest in the world, with its striking design stretching 318 metres into the sky.

l A Partnership Forged in Steel

Once completed, the Canakkale bridge will have seen 128,000 tonnes of steel deployed in its construction, a mammoth undertaking for a single company.

As such, the steel elements of the bridge represent a strategic partnership between Turkish and South Korean suppliers, with Turkey’s Çimtaş steel and POSCO agreeing to supply 35,000 tonnes of heavy steel plate for the tower structures, cabling systems and road surface.

The partnership is also supplying 52,000 tonnes of steel plate for the bridge deck and 41,000 tonnes of steel wire rods for the suspension system that will support it.

Unusually, the Canakkale is being run as a ‘design-build’ project. Typically for bridge construction, the design is completed before contractors and suppliers are selected. For this project, however, construction and design take place concurrently, requiring coordination between the architect and contractors from very early on.

Representing a $3bn investment, this record-breaking, steel-built suspension bridge is set to be transformative for the region’s transport systems, with socio-economic knock-on effects for the whole of Turkey and Eastern Europe.

Images: Arup, iStock, Berkaysnklf 

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/infrastructure/worlds-longest-suspension-bridge-europe-asia-canakkale-1915/

Among them, the title of the World’s Largest Crane goes to SGC-250 — referred to as “Big Carl.” With a maximum reach of 275 meters, Big Carl was designed and built by Sarens, a Belgium-based crane rental service company. Since September 2019, this enormous ring crane has been under operation at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in the UK.

According to Sarens, high-strength steel was the key enabling the company to create this stunning example of modern engineering. See the details as POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “World’s Biggest Crane ‘Big Carl’ Is Steel-Built Behemoth.”

The largest crane in the world, the SGC-250, uses the power of high-strength steel to deliver unprecedented lifting capacity.

20 planes, 63 trains, 126 trucks, 1,408 elephants – the world’s largest crane can lift them all. This gargantuan lifting machine has a capacity of 5,000 tonnes, thanks to a whopping maximum load moment of 250,000 tonne-metres.

A tonne-metre is a measure of how much a crane can lift in relation to how far the load is positioned from the base of the central mast. Dividing the tonne-metre rating by the distance from centre gives the max capacity at that distance. A 250,000 tonne-metre rating means if the load is positioned 100 metres from the central mast the maximum lifting capacity is 2,500 tonnes. So even when extended out to a 100-metre radius, this crane is capable of lifting the weight of eight planes, or 563 elephants.

Designed and built by Belgium-based heavy lifting powerhouse Sarens, it is called the SGC-250 – or, to use its nickname, ‘Big Carl’. The ring-based crane, the first of Sarens’ third generation of ring cranes, is now being put to work in its first project at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in the UK.

More than 600 prefabricated sections of the new power station will be lifted into place, including the main sections of the steel containment liner and dome for each reactor building. It is a process that construction director Rob Jordan describes as “innovative… pre-fabrication helps us boost quality, gives better conditions for skilled workers, and saves time”.

It is only possible because of the SGC-250’s height – 0.25 km high in its tallest configuration, a little taller than One Canada Square in London’s Canary Wharf – and sheer load capacity. Such immense lifting height is the product of a 118-metre high-strength steel built main boom, which stands 160 metres high, and a 52.3 metre heavy duty jib which adds an additional 100 metres.

l A Unique Design

Why ‘Big Carl’? That’s in honour of Sarens director of technical solutions, Carl Sarens. “The SGC-250 is a game changer,” he said. “Sarens is proud to have conceived its design, designed it, and built it. We believe that this creation will serve Hinkley Point C, and other sites around the world, like no other crane can.”

The design process, he explained, involved 16,000 hours of R&D, 6,000 hours of CAD design and more than 25,000 hours of specialist design detail work. Construction commenced in August 2017, using components sourced from across Europe, and was completed in 14 months ready for the official public launch in November 2018.

Conceptually, the SGC-250 was inspired by the trend towards modularisation within construction. Increasingly, large portions are being prefabricated within a controlled environment, then transported to construction sites for lifting into their final positions. These individual models are so heavy, cranes with very high lifting capacities are required – and tall lifting heights are needed to deal with the size of major projects such as Hinckley Point C.

After construction in Belgium, Big Carl was transported to the UK in 2019, with 280 trucks taking it piece-by-piece for reconstruction on site – which required the use of five smaller cranes. After 10 weeks, the SGC-250 was boomed up in August and began its first lift in mid-September, with the first significant lifts to begin in spring 2020. It is scheduled to work on the site for four years in a £20 million contract, supported by 52 other tower cranes.

Cleverly, the crane was transported in boxes that are now being used as its counterweights. These were filled with locally sourced material on site: there are a total of 52 counterweights, each weighing 100 tonnes.

There is 6km of rail track at the site, allowing the crane to travel between three lifting locations – an industry first for a fully-rigged crane, says Sarens. Smaller models such as the SGC-120 rest on a steel ring, but due to the scale of the building operation, the SGC-250 moves on high-grade steel rails that allow it to shift between positions without the need for reassembly.

It runs on 96 individual wheels when moving between positions. But despite its tremendous weight, careful design of the four bogies that run on a double ring beam made from high-strength steel and a spreader mat means it exerts a maximum ground pressure of just 25 tonnes per square metre. It can also slew 360 degrees, thanks to an extra 128 wheels. The ring itself has a diameter of less than 50 metres.

For the actual lifting, there are more than two kilometres of thick steel cables to which the crane’s hook is attached. Similar cables are also are used to operate the pulleys that lift the boom, and these must take the enormous strain of moving the massive components.

Because of its size and status, safety was a design priority. “The hoisting and slewing control system consists of the highest quality components and meets the highest performance level (PLE),” said Carl Sarens. “The design of the crane has been reviewed completely and all functionality and overload tests witnessed by a third-party inspection company.”

The crane can be fitted with a collision avoidance system and is expected to continue operations during the night, to lessen local disturbance and allow all the other smaller cranes to operate during the day.

Whether it’s the rails, the cables or the high-strength steel that forms the boom, this record-breaking lifting machine is a steel-built engineering triumph that is set to change the face of large-scale construction.

Images: EDF Energy
Video: Sarens

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/construction-building/worlds-biggest-crane-big-carl-is-steel-built-behemoth/

Steel is strong. It’s solid and durable, which makes it an exquisite material in manufacturing automobiles and other vehicles. The sustainability of steel is another significant factor that shines a light on the future of transportation.

Worldsteel spotlights the maritime sector — among the many types of vehicles — and demonstrates how steel made a difference. See the details of how the combination of steel and latest technology is paving the future of the industry — POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “Artificial Intelligence, Steel and the Future of Shipping.”

Technology is rapidly transforming operations across all industries — from retail to healthcare to real estate — and the implications of these changes are significant. Developments in road vehicle technologies for cars and trucks seem to hit the headlines constantly. But these aren’t the only type of vehicle with an eye on the future.

Welcome to the age of autonomous shipping — made possible by the powerful combination of artificial intelligence and steel. The maritime sector, like so many others, is experiencing unprecedented disruption. Experts are now in agreement that automation is a necessity if the industry is to stay relevant in the decades ahead.

While modernisation always presents challenges, the opportunities on the horizon for the shipping industry are enormous. If shipping companies can successfully implement fresh solutions based on technologies like artificial intelligence, they will be able to streamline and enhance their operations. The result will be valuable benefits such as cost-savings, better routing, and the ability to identify new business areas.

Tomorrow’s ships will be complex hubs filled with sensors and data-capturing devices with significantly enhanced connectivity capabilities thanks to improvements to satellite technologies. When it comes to the design, building and testing of vessels and their components, cloud technologies will also have a big impact.

Perhaps the most important potential outcomes, however, relate to the environmental impact of shipping. Shipping is already the world’s most energy-efficient means of transport, but there is still work to be done in terms of energy efficiency and carbon footprint. Automation technologies are set to have a notable positive impact on sustainability outcomes for the industry.

For example, more efficient shipping routes which use less fuel or alternative energy sources have the potential to minimise or eliminate carbon emissions entirely. At the same time, making improvements to shipping practices and routes can reduce the number of polluting road vehicles needed to transport cargo once it arrives at a destination — another sustainability win for the sector.

l The Future of Shipping

An example of the future of shipping in action is Yara Birkeland, an autonomous, electric and zero-emissions container vessel from Norway, which is expected to launch in 2020. Within its initial two years, Yara Birkeland will move from manned to autonomous operations, marking a world-first for the sector. The ship will directly replace around 40,000 truck journeys per year, reducing NO_x and CO₂ emissions significantly.

In the Yara Birkeland project and others like it, steel has an important part to play, acting as a key enabler for strides forward in shipping automation and other future-facing technologies. Vessels like the Yara Birkeland make use of steel throughout their designs, including the panelling of the hull, the engines, and on-board solar panel systems.

As autonomous shipping takes off, more and more companies are entering the race and hoping to get in on the action. For example, a “future-proof” ship concept called Electric Blue was revealed by leading brand Rolls-Royce in 2017. It includes steel-built modular components that can easily be replaced or upgraded as necessary in the future, as well as featuring a clean design focused on low building and maintenance costs.

The future of shipping is fast approaching, and it will only continue to gain pace throughout 2020 and beyond. As the technologies powering the world’s most important industries change, steel remains at the heart of helping to create greater business efficiencies, positive sustainability outcomes, and sophisticated, cutting-edge design.

Images: Yara; Rolls Royce Marine, Flickr

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/innovation/artificial-intelligence-steel-and-the-future-of-shipping/

In this case, then, what could be done about the carbon that is already existent in the earth’s atmosphere? A company called ‘Climeworks’ came up with an idea that could be an answer to this question. The engineers at Climeworks developed a machine — it’s called ‘climeworks’ as well — that can capture carbon in the atmosphere and store it appropriately. The material that was perfect for building this facility was none other than steel.

How does this ‘Climeworks’ operate and how is steel is utilized here? Let’s find out as POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “Steel-built Carbon Capture Machines Are Removing CO₂ from the Air.”

The Climeworks project has set up a carbon capture and storage facility at a remote site in Iceland that is drawing CO₂  from the atmosphere and safely storing it in the ground.

While the planet is increasingly transitioning away from fossil fuels, there remains the problem of what to do about the increased levels of CO₂ already present in the earth’s atmosphere.

The search for workable decarbonisation tech has been ongoing for some time and the engineers at Climeworks have come up with a potentially workable solution. Indeed, the company is the first to operate a commercial carbon capture programme from ambient air, and steel is central to the technology’s design.

The huge machines which perform the carbon capture process resemble jet engines and use steel and stainless steel throughout their structure. The remote nature of Climeworks’ site locations and the extreme weather and natural wear from the process of carbon capture make steels perfect for the job due to their endurance and corrosion resistance.

The CO₂ collectors have been through many design stages to reach their current iteration, but the model in operation relies on massive fans to draw ambient air through the collector. This air is then filtered to remove CO₂ as the molecules adhere to a specialised material contained within.

Once the filter is saturated with carbon dioxide, the collector is sealed and heated to around 100 degrees centigrade, causing the CO₂ molecules to detach and be collected in a container. This concentrated CO₂ can then be put to use in the commercial sector or seeded deep underground, locking it away.

The gas can be employed in an array of sectors, included carbonated beverages and agriculture. Climeworks’ leading facility in Switzerland pipes CO₂ to a nearby greenhouse and the company also has a deal in place with Coca-Cola.

l Saving the planet

The central idea, however, is to inject the CO₂ into basalt rock where over the course of a few years it will mineralise, sealing it away for millennia. Climeworks plans to provide this service to industries and governments looking to lessen their climate impacts.

A site in Iceland has been operating for a couple of years, already mineralising more than 50 tonnes of CO₂, with plans to install further collectors down the line. A key aspect of success is bringing down the costs, which is difficult without a proven market for the service.

Energy companies and governments are not currently incentivised to operate emissions reversal technology and Climeworks is working hard to reduce operating costs in a bid to reach a commercially viable price per metric tonne of CO₂.

Currently it costs the company between $500-$600 to remove a tonne of CO₂ from the atmosphere, with $100 per tonne the target. As things stand, full scale operation of Climeworks’ tech is too expensive, but the company is confident it can reduce costs significantly over the next five years.

With solar energy 100 times cheaper than 50 years ago and wind energy around 50 times cheaper it is highly possible that efficiencies can be found. And, as with those renewable technologies, if this carbon capture programme is to achieve success it’s likely that steel will remain a key enabling factor.

Image: Climeworks

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/innovation/carbon-capture-machine-co2-climeworks/

The key to realizing this foldable structure was the use of high-strength steel. What is the role of high-strength steel in this innovation and what is expected to come out of it?

Discover the details — POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “Foldable Tech Revolutionises Temporary Structures.”

Using traditional lever engineering and modern steel technologies, British firm Ten Fold Engineering has developed buildings that can be transported on the back of a lorry and put up in a mere 10 minutes.

The unfolding structures, which use 19th century lever engineering but with the advantages of modern high-strength and resistant steel, work on a system of counterbalanced linkages, meaning there’s no need for a central motor. Simply pressing a button allows the building to fully assemble into around three times its transportable size, with separate ‘pods’ or rooms, and even pre-installed furniture.

Ten Fold’s founder and CEO David Martyn, says he was inspired to create these transportable buildings as a response to Britain’s housing crisis, with many younger people unable to get on the property ladder because of the price of land.

He says: “The problem we’ve got today is that the young can’t afford to buy anything and the older people can’t afford to trade down. So, the idea of taking the building away from the land – that represents a saving of about 30 percent. My argument is that there’s lots of land out there and you could be building new things.”

From brownfield sites, to car parks, Ten Fold claims that these transportable homes – which cost around £100,000 – are structurally sound enough to be put up anywhere, with no foundations required. The steel used in their construction means they are more solid, reliable and longer-lasting than caravans and other portable buildings.

To make them fully mobile, the buildings can use atmospheric moisture harvesting technology to condense water vapour in the air into drinking water. Martyn also says that the units can have internal, pre-plumbed pods or pods can be bolted onto the outside and stacked – like shipping containers – to make larger structures. “The idea is that the technology is modular so you can fit it to your needs,” he says.

Aside from housing, Ten Fold says this technology has a huge range of applications and has already developed a number of other structures, from pop-up shops and tiered seating for stadiums, to portable medical centres and emergency housing for victims of natural disasters.

Martyn says: “To have these buildings, you can respond to the challenges we have such as not enough hospital beds or not being able to house your own people when one block of flats catches fire.”

A factory-built ‘block’ currently takes around a week to construct, giving it a huge advantage over traditional housing, as they’re not beholden to the weather like traditional building processes and do not require wet trades such as plaster and paint, all of which slow the process down.

Martyn, for one, has high hopes for the technology, saying it is a huge step forward in power-free, modern construction methods that will be needed in the future. He says: “This is the first new bit of lever engineering in many hundreds of years. That is a hugely positive step. It’s the ultimate bit of Victorian engineering but with the modern advantages of steel.”

Image & video: Ten-Fold

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/innovation/foldable-tech-revolutionises-temporary-structures/

In music, that was rock and roll. Not only did steel get the ball rolling for the genre, but steel also paved the way for the beginning of rock and roll — it was also right there on center stage when the genre reached its pinnacle — and it still is.

Let’s find out what steel did for rock and roll, and for the world — POSCO Newsroom presents worldsteel, “How Steel Helped Usher in the Era of Rock and Roll.”

From its use in acoustic steel guitars in the 1930s, to modern pick-ups and guitar strings, steel has played a central role in the evolution of popular music

By providing the technological leap that made rock and roll possible, the electric steel string guitar changed music forever. The unique sound created by the magnetic pickup device at the heart of the instrument, combined with its steel strings gave rise to a new wave of musical expression.

From rock-a-billy to punk, progressive, hard and just plain rock, it is the reverberations of a steel string electric guitar that made all these variations possible and played a hand in creating iconic songs the world over.

Stainless steel strings, which entered popular use in the 1960s, are known for giving guitars a clear, bright sound with plenty of sustain

While the skills of such musical luminaries as Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Keith Richards can seem otherworldly, the true magic behind the electric guitar are the magnetic fields that make it work. Key to this is the ‘pickup’ – a permanent magnet with a wire coil wound around it that is fitted to each electric guitar.

The pickup magnet’s north pole faces outwards from the guitar body, magnetising the steel strings suspended above it. The strings in turn become magnets themselves, with their magnetic field in alignment with the permanent magnet. The steel string is absolutely integral to the workings of the electric guitar and, when plucked, the strings’ magnetic vibrations are converted into an electrical signal for the amplifier using the pickup.

l Making Rock and Roll History

The all-important pickup was created in 1931 in Los Angeles when an electrical instrument company wanted to see how they could amplify a guitar’s sound electrically. The steel guitar was already in existence and was played on the lap, but the sound produced was not loud enough to be heard by large audiences. The solution? To develop an electrified steel string guitar.

The first ‘electrical stringed musical instrument’ was patented in the US in 1937, and was the work of George Beauchamp, a musician and general manager of the National Guitar Corporation, and Adolph Rickenbacker, an electrical engineer. In the early years after the invention of the pickup, however, electric steel guitars were still played on the lap.

At the beginning of the electric steel guitar’s history it was mainly played for jazz, swing, folk, Hawaiian and country music. “It goes a long way back in popular music, the idea of the steel guitar,” says University of Surrey music lecturer Doctor John McGrath. The rock and roll sound was yet to come, but with the technology in place it was just around the corner.

l The String Is the Sound

The ‘soul’ of the electric guitar is in its magnetised steel strings, and the different combinations of shape and material massively impact on the kind of sound generated. When they were first introduced, steel-core strings were thinner in diameter than nylon or gut strings, which were typically used for acoustic guitars. Today, acoustic guitars also use a steel core string, though it has a bronze outer layer to provide a softer sound.

Like any wire, guitar strings are formed through the extrusion process. Here hot or cold steel is pushed through a die with a hole at its centre of a particular diameter depending on the size of wire, or string required. The tensile strength of steel also allows for very thin strings that can provide a particular sound for guitarists.

Back in the 1930s, string manufacturers opted for steel with a corrosion-resistant zinc coating, and this material choice of a thin steel string lasted unchanged for decades. In the 1960s, however, artists such as Eric Clapton who were interested in blues rock, wanted even thinner strings, “to bend the note to get more of a rock effect,” McGrath explains, and so they took steel strings off banjos.

Jeff Guilford, owner of the manufacturer JJGuitars, says that rock guitarists find that steel strings, “deliver the cutting tone with the high output levels that they need”. Higher output results in a stronger signal being sent to the amplifier, and this, along with the type and strength of magnet, impacts on the tone a guitar produces. Stainless steel strings, which entered popular use in the 1960s, are known for giving guitars a clear, bright sound with plenty of sustain. They also last longer as they are corrosion-resistant.

l A Steel Core

For maximum brightness, steel strings with hex cores are a popular choice. A hex core is a steel string with five sides, formed in a hexagon shape that can be wrapped in another material. The hex core produces a brighter sound while feeling stiffer to the player when compared with a normal round core string.

“The variety of electric guitar strings is now wider than ever, but the basic construction is the same as acoustic strings, with round or hexagonal core wires,” says Guilford. That variety includes steels called super-alloys which are used in the aerospace industry for high-stress applications. Known as Maraging steel, or just M-steel, strings made from this are said to offer a rich tone, beefy lows and hold their tune for longer.

From Buddy Holly, to The Rolling Stones, and modern bands like The Killers, a variety of differing musical styles all originate from a magnet and a lap-played steel guitar from the 1930s. Almost 90 years on, steel, whether in rounded or hexagon form, wrapped in nickel or made from stainless steel, continues to be at the beating heart of the instrument that changed music forever.

Images: iStock

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/innovation/steel-guitar-strings-pickup-rock-and-roll/