Submerged arc furnace smelting is a key production process in the ferrosilicon alloy, industrial silicon and other related industries. After molten metal tapping, liquid hot metal mixes with impurities including silicomanganese slag. Slag skimming treatment is indispensable before moving on to the next working procedure. Although this operation seems uncomplicated, it is one of the workstations with the harshest working conditions, highest safety hazards and greatest labor intensity throughout the whole smelting flow. In recent years, alongside the maturing of robot technology, submerged arc furnace slag skimming robots have gradually replaced manual slag skimming, emerging as an important development trend for industrial transformation and upgrading.

Manual Slag Skimming: Grueling Work in High-Risk Environments

（一）Harsh Thermal Environment

Slag skimming workers endure constant extreme heat. The ambient temperature around ladles hits over 100°C, and molten iron reaches above 1300°C. Workers suffer heat stress, flying hot metal and thick dust, often suffering heatstroke after long shifts.

（二）Critical Safety Threats

Mixed molten iron and slag easily splash during skimming, causing serious burns upon contact. Statistics prove slag skimming posts have the most frequent safety incidents in smelters. Two to three staff must work with long metal rods to clear slag, with risks hard to contain.

（三）Inefficient Manual Work

Skimming quality depends on workers’ experience, leading to inconsistent results. Unremoved slag slows casting and blocks ladle cleaning; overly long skimming cools molten iron and ruins casting quality. Manual labor cannot satisfy both fast speed and full slag clearance.

Slag Skimming Robot: Core Advantages

The submerged arc furnace slag skimming robot is an intelligent integrated device integrating machinery, hydraulics and control systems. A motor-driven mobile trolley enables the forward and backward extension of the slag skimming arm, while hydraulic cylinders drive the pitching and lifting movements of the arm to perform slag skimming at various positions and angles. It efficiently removes both hard slag adhered to the ladle wall and thin floating slag on the liquid metal surface, delivering precise positioning and superior motion flexibility.

1. Greatly Enhanced Intrinsic Safety

The greatest value of the slag skimming robot lies in realizing man-machine separation and remote operation. Operators can complete all operations remotely via high-definition displays and remote controllers inside a control room far away from the furnace front. Remote operation keeps staff safely distanced from high-temperature zones with reliable long-distance control functions. Such physical isolation completely removes workers from high-risk areas and eliminates potential safety hazards such as scalds and heatstroke at the source.

2. Remarkably Improved Operation Efficiency

Robot slag skimming is unaffected by physical fatigue, mood swings or harsh environmental conditions, enabling continuous and stable operation. The robot can operate around the clock, drastically cutting slag skimming time and accelerating the turnover rate of molten iron ladles.

3. Stable and Controllable Slag Skimming Quality

The robot performs slag removal with standardized motion trajectories and force control, independent of operators’ experience and physical condition. Precise adjustment of skimming depth reduces molten iron loss caused by improper manual operation and boosts metal yield. Meanwhile, thorough slag removal cuts the consumption of auxiliary materials in the subsequent refining process.

4. Continuously Optimized Equipment Durability