2. Arc furnace melting

The arc furnace is essentially a machine for producing liquid steel from scrap, cast iron or pre-reduced ores. Although the first industrial applications date back to the turn of the century, the price of electric power and its low productivity meant that the arc furnace was unable to compete with conventional processes (blast furnace/converter or Martin furnace) for the economical production of carbon steels until the end of the Second World War.

Since then, major technological advances linked to equipment upgrades and process optimization, driven by a growing demand for high-quality steels, have enabled the electric arc furnace to enjoy extraordinary growth. Today, the proportion of steel produced by this process is around 40%, and rising.