TPT January 2016

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Technology News
32 January 2016
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
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.
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.
Upcast OY – Finland
Fax: +358 207 577 401
Email:
Website:
Double-furnace configuration
Casting equipment SG cast tube in a coil