In April 2025, the Association of Steelmakers and Alliansmetallurgia Corporation LLC, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, together with JSC AEM-Spetstal, NSRO Ruslom and R A Rusmet, with the participation of the Scientific Council on Metallurgy and Metallology of the Department of Chemistry and Materials Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, held the XVIII International Congress of Steelmakers and Metal Manufacturers — ISCON 2025, which was devoted to topical issues and global challenges of our time for the metallurgical industry.
The 18th International Congress of Steelmakers and Metal Manufacturers — ISCON 2025 has become one of the largest venues where leading experts of the metallurgical industry have gathered.

The event was held to exchange experience in the field of scientific and technical achievements in metallurgical production, discussed trends in the production and consumption of raw materials for ferrous metallurgy, new opportunities for the production of high-quality metal products, the development of cooperation between metallurgists and enterprises of related industries, advanced training of ferrous metallurgy specialists.
Within the framework of this congress, our company participated in the work program and presented an article on the operation of complex sensors for measuring metal parameters.

In steel production at all metallurgical enterprises, the use of various rapid analysis tools to determine the parameters of metal melts is indispensable.

The main parameters for the production and control of metal melt are temperature, chemical analysis. Under existing conditions, it is necessary to measure parameters such as metal oxidation and hydrogen content. The choice of additional measurement methods depends on the type of steel grades produced and, accordingly, on the aggregates in the steel production chain. In addition, depending on the conditions and the range of measured parameters of metal melts, there are a huge number of products used to determine them.

At the moment, the following types of products are used to control the parameters:

• a round-shaped cast iron sampler
• a sampler for obtaining metal samples of various shapes (circle or oval)
• a sampler for sampling from a mold at a casting
• mill replaceable unit for measuring metal temperature at all processing
• plants replaceable unit for measuring temperature reusable
• probes for measuring metal oxidation of various ranges of oxygen content in metal
• probe for measuring hydrogen content in metal
• continuous measurement of metal temperature during continuous casting of metal
• combined units for measuring multiple metal parameters

Recently, combined units for measuring several metal parameters have become the most popular in use. The most common options are a combined unit for sampling metal and measuring metal temperature and a combined unit for sampling, measuring metal temperature and oxidation. The main technological areas where these blocks have proven themselves are converter areas. Table 1 below shows comparative tests of the use of combined blocks in the amount of 1000 pieces in comparison with separately used blocks for measuring metal temperature, samplers for obtaining metal samples, and metal oxidation.

It follows from the above table that the accuracy of the readings is comparable to the applicable products for determining individual parameters of metal melts, while the time spent on determining these indicators using combined blocks is three times less. This frees up the time spent on measuring and improves the working conditions of the staff. In addition, the use of combined blocks will reduce production costs. The use of combined blocks is currently underestimated, the possibility of their use is much wider, and it is possible to use them on units of an arc steelmaking furnace and a ladle furnace. At the same time, the choice of the type of combined block depends on the steel grades produced at the plant.

Conclusions:

1. The combined block is an alternative to replace the single determination of three parameters of metal melts.
2. The use of combined blocks makes it possible to reduce the time required to measure the parameters of metal melts and reduce production costs.
3. The combined unit can be used on other units, except for converter production, depending on the produced and grades of steels.