TPT January 2016

Technology News

Continuous casting technology UPCAST OY is a supplier of Upcast ® - SGTube production lines for upward casting of thin-walled Cu-DHP tubes ready for further processing into various tube products.

Upcast-SGTube continuous casting technology offers a shortcut in copper tube production process, with one step compared to the traditional multi-step tube production. It is an extension of the Upcast system used for casting Cu and Cu-alloy rod, sharing the same benefits of the standard system, with specific construction of the casting machine, coilers and casting machine tooling. The Upcast-SG cast tube has a fine grain structure, allowing for its straight breakdown drawing followed by inductive in-line annealing. To ensure complete softening, a total area reduction of minimum 50 per cent is required before intermediate annealing. Upcast rod and Upcast-SGTube lines are both of modular design, offering solutions for small and medium capacities. With a double-furnace configuration (separate melting and casting furnaces) it is possible to reach 12,000 tpa. Sizes of tube with outer diameters from 38 to 60mm have been cast, with wall thicknesses of 2mm and 3mm respectively. Different tube sizes can be cast simultaneously when the casting machine is equipped with more than

Casting equipment

SG cast tube in a coil

Oxygen-free copper and copper nickel alloys have all been successfully cast. Having the Upcast-SGTube process as the first step of tube production is claimed to reduce energy consumption. It is also possible to use clean and dry scrap in the process with the double- furnace configuration.

one servo-drive system. The smaller the final tube size, the smaller the cast tube size. With respect to coil weight, Upcast- SGTube is flexible, with an upper limit of around 1.5 tons. The final weight limit is more likely to be determined by the downstream process equipment. The main use of Upcast-SGTube is in the casting of phosphor deoxidised (DHP) copper tube for the production of sanitary, industrial and ACR tubing. The process is not limited to DHP copper, and is also suitable for other copper grades/copper alloys.

Upcast OY – Finland Fax: +358 207 577 401 Email: upcast@upcast.com Website: www.upcast.com

Double-furnace configuration

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J anuary 2016