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EP 3 271 491 A1

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(43) Date of publication: 24.01.2018 Bulletin 2018/04 (21) Application number: 16711190.5 (22) Date of filing: 14.03.2016

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C23C 2/06(2006.01) C22C 38/02(2006.01) C22C 38/18(2006.01) C23C 2/02(2006.01) C21D 9/46(2006.01) C23C 2/12(2006.01) C22C 38/04(2006.01) C22C 38/38(2006.01) C23C 2/28(2006.01) C21D 8/00(2006.01) (86) International application number: PCT/EP2016/055449 (87) International publication number: WO 2016/146581 (22.09.2016 Gazette 2016/38)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR Designated Extension States: BA ME Designated Validation States: MA MD (30) Priority: 16.03.2015 WO PCT/EP2015/020034 (71) Applicant: Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. 1951 JZ Velsen-Noord (NL)	(72) Inventors: HANLON, David, Neal 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) HENSEN, Guido, Cornelis 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) VAN BOHEMEN, Stefanus, Matheus, Cornelis 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) (74) Representative: Kruit, Jan  Tata Steel Nederland Technology B.V. Group Intellectual Property Services - 3G37 P.O. Box 10000 1970 CA Ijmuiden 1970 CA Ijmuiden (NL)