TECHNOLOGY NEWS:
A new UPCAST® from Outokumpu
Outokumpu has enhanced its single-furnace concept and further developed its range of small-size one-furnace systems for the continuous casting of copper wire rod with the introduction of the new UPCAST 10K. The system is capable of producing rods at an hourly rate of up to 1,200kg.
Based on furnace technology which combines the melting of copper cathodes and the casting of rods in one single, low-cost furnace configuration, the new single-furnace UPCAST 10K offers a low-cost route to producing high-quality copper rods.
One specific design criteria has been the flexible lay-out configuration to enable the plant to fit easily into existing wire and cable plants.
The new system is based on a 10 tonne combined melting and holding furnace and an inductor rated at 500kW. Originally the UPCAST ‘single-furnace’ concept was designed for capacities of up to 6,000 TPA, and a considerable number of orders were placed for this type of plant between 1999-2003 (for example, Eletrocal, Ibrame, Caraiba Metais in Brazil and SACOM, Tran Pu in Vietnam).
In 2003 Outokumpu introduced the expanded version of this system for production rates of up to 7,500 TPA. Since then, four such units have been ordered (three of which were ordered between November 2004 and February 2005).
The new UPCAST 10K system can be built with provisions for further expansion
of up to 20,000 TPA. A fully automated cathode feed and a sophisticated servo drive based casting machine enable the flexible and compact production of a variety of
rod diameters (from 8mm up to 30mm) and there is a choice of either orbital-shaped
or layered coils.
Company: |
Outokumpu Castform Oy |
Country: |
Finland |
Fax: |
+358 9 421 4200 |
Email: |
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Website: |
www.outokumpu.com/castform |