June 2026
Salzgitter Flachstahl (Germany) has awarded EBDS to convert its #1 caster (SGA#1) to Saphyr BPS-TC, replacing the existing BPS, following the excellent results obtained on SGA#4.
High-density temperature measurement on each horizontal line — to visualize stickers before they become breakouts.
Figures shown are for the optical-fiber system (Saphyr BPS-HD + FiberStrand®).
EBDS also supplies Saphyr BPS-TC for thermocouple-equipped casters.
In continuous casting, molten steel solidifies against a water-cooled copper mold. If the shell sticks to the mold wall and tears, liquid steel can break through below the mold. That is a breakout — damaged equipment, an unplanned shutdown, lost production, and a serious safety hazard.
The most common cause is a sticker: a local tear in the shell that moves downward as the strand is withdrawn. It shows up first as a moving pattern in the mold temperature.
Two things: how intelligently the system reads the sensors, and how densely the mold face is covered. A sparse grid of points leaves gaps between sensors, and an opaque "black box" is hard to trust on the floor.
EBDS develops and supplies both — the most advanced thermocouple BPS on the market, and the best optical-fiber system for the highest resolution. Same Saphyr BPS platform, different breakout-prediction logic.
The most advanced thermocouple-based breakout prediction system on the market — designed by a caster engineer, for caster engineers. Every rule and parameter is open to the engineer in charge, not hidden in a black box.
When you want the highest resolution and the fastest speed of detection: Optical fibers, with at least one sensor every 50 mm, installed with FiberStrand®. A high-precision picture of what is happening in the mold.
Two sensing technologies, installed the same way with FiberStrand®:
Saphyr BPS-HD brings the fiber temperatures into the most advanced breakout-prediction logic.
With more fibers per face, Saphyr FLOW adds a full broad-face thermal map in absolute temperatures.
Mold equipped with 3 fibers per broad face — installed by FiberStrand®.
Installing fibers into each mold plate by hand means optical connectors inside the harsh casting environment. Optical connections have to be opened and closed at every mold change. Moreover, every spare mold has to be pre-equipped with fibers and tested at the workshop before being sent to the caster.
FiberStrand® removes both problems.
The mold arrives with empty fiber channels and a guide hose. On the strand, a motorised reel cabinet slides the fibers into the copper plates; when the mold leaves, they are withdrawn and stored back on the reel.
The fibers stay permanently connected to the interrogator. The only connection at the mold is a mechanical quick coupling on a robust hydraulic hose — no optical connection to open or close.
A complete breakout-prediction strand runs on four permanently-supervised fibers — instead of pre-equipping the whole mold fleet. Far lower investment and spare-parts cost.
Nothing to prepare or test at the mold workshop — the plates carry only their empty hoses. A fiber can be changed in a few minutes, even while casting.
FiberStrand® is a registered trademark — patent pending.
Watch: installing FBG with FiberStrand® (turn the sound on).
The output is read live in the control room on the Saphyr BPS-HD screen, and afterward by engineers. The same view shows a mold running clean — and the moment a sticker begins to form.
EBDS breakout-prediction systems run on slab casters across Europe, Asia and the Americas — from full Saphyr BPS-TC installations to FBG fiber trials and FiberStrand® production conversions.
ArcelorMittal IndusteelFiberStrand® production conversion — ODS fibers, electron-beam-welded inserts, 3 fibers per broad face, over 1000 points per line. Commissioned 2025.
ArcelorMittal TubarãoThree slab casters on Saphyr BPS-TC (LCAK, peritectic), plus an FBG fiber trial with Saphyr BPS-HD.
POSCO Gwangyang WorksSlab caster — optical FBG R&D mold with EMBr, running Saphyr FLOW full broad-face thermal mapping.
ArcelorMittal Dąbrowa GórniczaTwo-strand slab caster on Saphyr BPS-TC, with an FBG optical trial on the #3 caster.
Marcegaglia Stainless SheffieldSlab caster for stainless and alloyed grades on Saphyr BPS-TC, under a service contract.
ToscelikTwo-strand slab caster (LCAK, peritectic) running Saphyr BPS-TC.
TATA Steel JamshedpurFBG optical fiber trial with Saphyr BPS-HD on prepared broad-face plates.
Salzgitter FlachstahlSGA#1 and SGA#4 casters converted to Saphyr BPS-TC after a six-month comparison trial (2026).
Also among our references
Every Saphyr system — thermocouple or fiber
The Saphyr engine catches the moving thermal signature of a sticker sooner, lowering the chance a breakout reaches the floor.
Every calculation rule and parameter is adjustable by the engineer in charge — no hidden logic.
Every casting sequence is stored in a database and kept for years, for analysis and troubleshooting.
Designed by a caster engineer, for caster engineers — and backed by maintenance and service contracts.
With optical fiber + FiberStrand®
One sensor every 50 mm gives a continuous thermal map of the whole broad face — events that fall between thermocouples become visible.
Fibers stay permanently connected to the interrogator, with permanent supervision of the measurement.
No pre-equipped mold fleet — far lower investment and spare-parts cost.
No mold preparation at the workshop; a fiber can be changed in minutes, even while casting.
EBDS Engineering — Evolutionary Breakout Detection System — is an engineering company based in Seraing, Belgium, working in continuous casting since 2006. We specialise in sticker breakout detection and prevention for steel slab and bloom casters.
We design and deliver the Saphyr BPS platform and fiber-optic measurement systems for steel casters, including the patented FiberStrand® installation method. Our work is practical: systems built to run in real plants, maintained by real teams, under real casting conditions.
Seraing, Belgium · Since 2006 · Slab & bloom continuous casting
Breakout prediction · Saphyr BPS · FBG sensing · FiberStrand®
Salzgitter Flachstahl (Germany) has awarded EBDS to convert its #1 caster (SGA#1) to Saphyr BPS-TC, replacing the existing BPS, following the excellent results obtained on SGA#4.
Salzgitter Flachstahl (Germany) has awarded EBDS to convert its #4 caster (SGA#4) to Saphyr BPS-TC, replacing the existing BPS, after a six-month trial showing a significant improvement in sticker detection and false-alarm rate. Commissioning planned for March 2026.
Successful start-up and commissioning of the ArcelorMittal Industeel conversion to FiberStrand® technology, with ODS optical fibers and electron-beam-welded (EBW) inserts.
ArcelorMittal Industeel (Belgium) has awarded EBDS to convert its caster to FiberStrand® technology, with EBW inserts and ODS optical fibers: three horizontal fibers per broad face (option for six), exceeding 1000 measuring points per horizontal line. Commissioning planned for April 2025.
CSN Carl Schreiber has been awarded to supply two new copper plates for the LC#3 caster of ArcelorMittal Tubarão (Brazil), each prepared with two electron-beam-welded inserts for fiber installation. EBDS supplies the Saphyr BPS-HD for the fiber trial.
EBDS has been awarded an FBG optical trial at TATA Steel Jamshedpur (India) — two new broad-face plates prepared by CSN Carl Schreiber with two EBW inserts each, for a six-month trial. Marcegaglia Stainless Sheffield (former Outokumpu) has awarded EBDS a maintenance and service contract. EBDS has developed FiberStrand® technology and filed a patent request.
ArcelorMittal Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland) has awarded EBDS an FBG optical trial on its #3 slab caster — four broad-face plates fitted by CSN Carl Schreiber with two horizontal EBW inserts each, for a six-month trial. Dąbrowa Górnicza has also awarded a maintenance and service contract.
Download our brochures and ECCC 2024 conference papers on FBG optical-fiber temperature measurement, breakout prediction and the FiberStrand® installation method.
Illustrated overview of the FBG-fiber sticker breakout detection system and the FiberStrand® strand-side fiber installation.
DownloadECCC 2024 conference paper — the most economical, practical way to install FBG optical fibers in a caster’s copper plates.
DownloadECCC 2024 conference paper — results of a three-month FBG optical-fiber trial: higher-resolution thermal mapping and earlier sticker detection.
DownloadECCC 2024 conference paper — FBG optical-fiber trial on the slab caster at ArcelorMittal Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland.
DownloadProduct brochure for the high-density optical-fiber breakout prediction system.
Download10th ECCC 2021 conference paper (E. Castiaux) on a simple, robust way to fit FBG optical fibers into copper plates.
DownloadMETEC & ESTAD 2019 conference paper on converting a slab casting mould to Bragg-grating optical fibers.
DownloadICS 2018 conference paper (Venice) on using FBG optical fibers in the CC mould for breakout detection and thermal-exchange supervision.
DownloadICS 2018 conference paper (with Aperam) on FBG optical fibers in the CC mould for breakout detection and thermal-exchange supervision.
DownloadEBDS Engineering company and product brochure (2017).
DownloadSeminário de Aciaria ABM, Oct 2017 — thermographic model for sticker detection (document in Portuguese).
DownloadTell us about your caster — strand format, mold type, current breakout system — and we'll send relevant technical documentation.
International agents
Mülheim a.d. Ruhr, Germany · +49 175 3446056
enno.hilgenhoener@weebotec.deRio de Janeiro, Brazil · +55 21 98891 4831
gunnar.gruenzner@ebds-engineering.comSeoul, Korea · +82 10 9117 6197
trade@gloryasia.com