WIRE MATERIALS

Copper-magnesium is becoming the preferred alloyed copper for high-speed rail applications in many countries, as it provides a combination of good electrical conductivity, high tensile strength and good creep resistance. As well as meeting these physical property requirements, copper-magnesium is also an environmentally benign material with no toxicity hazard.
From a manufacturing point-of-view, however, copper-magnesium is not an easily alloyed copper to produce. This is due to the light and volatile nature of magnesium and its propensity to form slag when molten.
Magnesium is a highly reactive element and is particularly vulnerable to loss when in its liquid state. This places unique demands on the manufacturing equipment design selected to melt, alloy and cast the copper-magnesium alloy. To achieve quality results during melting and casting, the composition of the Cu-Mg alloy must be maintained within a very tight tolerance.
The liquid copper should be maintained in a reducing environment to minimise reaction between the magnesium alloying element and any residual oxygen in the copper. There should be minimum agitation and stirring of the liquid copper and the metal requires a protective layer of high quality graphite flake on the surface of the melt.
At the same time, the design of the casting die/cooler assembly and the setting of the linear casting parameters must facilitate the control of the solidification process in order to achieve the desired grain structure required for subsequent downstream rolling/drawing operations.
As specialist providers of continuous casting technology for non-ferrous alloys, Rautomead Limited, of Scotland, offers a choice of equipment with the necessary core design features that are particularly suited to providing the desired production parameters for copper-magnesium alloy. These design features include:

Naturally “Oxygen-Free” environment

In the Rautomead process, a graphite melting and casting crucible provides the reducing containment environment for the liquid copper. The unique graphite process eliminates the oxidation problem by providing a naturally reducing oxygen-free environment in which oxygen present in the copper reacts with the graphite containment system.
Electric resistance heating provides accurate furnace temperature control without any induced movement or agitation of the melt. It offers sophisticated levels of power and temperature control, allowing the furnace to be operated with a minimum 'superheat' metal temperature. The low-voltage system is also safe to use and easy to maintain. Thirty years of die/cooler and withdrawal control technology design and experience enables Rautomead to provide the correct parameters for the solidification and casting of the copper-magnesium alloys.
Rautomead provides complete systems, including an integrated primary cooling water circuit with twin pumps and twin water-to-water heat exchangers and fluidics controls. All key operating parameters are monitored and alarmed. A remote plant monitoring system is available as an optional item. All machines are fully assembled and tested prior to despatch, thus minimising assembly work on site after delivery.
Rautomead offers training to customers’ staff on the machine itself prior to shipment. Training is then continued by the Rautomead commissioning engineer on site.
Strong emphasis is placed by Rautomead on technical support and after-sales service for the whole life-time of the machine. Customers are regularly made aware of latest developments and have opportunities to ensure that advantage is taken of advances in the technology as these are introduced

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