WCA November 2016

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Wire & Cable ASIA – November/December 2016
Industrynews
UPCAST Oy has always been very research and
development focused and active in seeking to improve
existing processes, but at the same time looking at the
market needs of the future.
What kind of end products will the customers need and what
kind of Upcast® casting process they need in order to produce
the perfect cast rod, tube or flat profile for their needs?
Last year was very important for R&D when the second
casting line saw its start up at the Pilot Plant. Now in
addition to traditional Cu rod and tube, the development
engineers in Markku Koivisto’s team got their hands on
various Cu alloys to develop completely new upwards
casting processes with alloys and further develop the ones
which were already familiar from the past.
One of the interesting alloys is copper magnesium (CuMg).
The requirements for end products are changing and at the
same time they become very demanding. All the time the
design engineers, for example in the automotive, train or
aeroplane industries – where copper products are used for
multiple purposes due to their properties, especially for the
excellent electrical conductivity – are looking for lighter
weight, more durable solutions and stronger raw materials.
CuMg seems very attractive for many reasons. It has good
electrical conductivity; excellent formability at medium
strength; and with the right composition very high strengths
can be achieved. These characteristics are important when
further developing the end products where CuMg is used –
such as automotive, electrical and electronic connectors,
conductor and connector wires, wire harnesses, pins,
telecommunication cables, catenary cables and contact wire
for high speed trains.
The first challenge was to be able to cast continuously high
quality CuMg0.5 cast rod suitable for further processing.
Casting copper magnesium is more complicated than that of
pure copper.
By tuning equipment, software and other parameters for the
new raw material, the company reached its first target before
the end of the year and got a full coil of the new alloy, of which
the mechanical values as well as the surface quality and gain
structure were acceptable. Since then, several good quality
coils have been cast with various rod diameters.
The CuMg rod is being further processed and refined into
grooved contact wire for high-speed rails and into thin wire
dimensions for other industrial applications.
Upcast OY – Finland
Website:
Exploring the future with copper magnesium
❍ Copper magnesium seems very attractive for many reasons
Jiangsu Qunye Electrical Co., Ltd. is a specialized spools
manufacturer. We have highlevel workshops and offices, first
class equipment lines and complete inspection facilities, advanced
management and quality control systems to fulfill all customers’
requirements. We manufacture all kinds of
metal and plastic spools and gain a good
market share both at home and abroad.