Process continuously casts high quality copper rod

Comprising separate melting and casting furnaces, a continuous casting process produces highly drawable oxygen-free copper rod for fine wire and multiwire drawing operations.

The Upcast is a continuous casting process originally developed and marketed by Outokumpu - the world's second largest copper semis producer and a leading metals company.

Ever since the first delivery to an overseas customer in 1971, over 140 Upcast units have been installed to over 100 customers around the world.

Typical users of Upcast technology are wire and cable producers, who produce the rod for their own in-house use.

Upcast rod is an ideal choice for all wire and cable applications, and the highly drawable oxygen-free copper is especially suited for fine wire and multiwire drawing operations.

The capacity range is usually between 5,000 to 25,000 tons/year.

Typical cast rod diameter is 8mm, which matches the rod breakdown machine inlet dimension.

Melting power is provided by means of induction and the casting machine is based on sophisticated servo drive technology.

The system is highly automated and, depending on production capacity, requires 1-2 full or part time operators for running.

Upcast is typically a two-furnace system incorporating separate melting and casting furnaces.

The molten copper is intermittently transferred via launder from the melting to the casting furnace.

This arrangement ensures most efficient oxygen removal from the copper and optimal temperature control - both key elements in achieving the highest-quality, oxygen-free, copper wire rod.

A few years ago Outokumpu developed a single-furnace system capable of producing smaller quantities, whilst maintaining the high quality of Upcast-produced rod.

This system combines the melting and casting processes in one compact furnace and was originally rated at up to 6,000 tons/year oxygen-free copper rod.

A special feature of this single-furnace system is the possibility to expand it into a two-furnace system at a later stage, thereby increasing capacity from (for example) 6,000 to 12,000 tons/year by addition of a separate melting furnace and related equipment.

Following the success of its' single-furnace system, Outokumpu has made several design improvements and modifications, and has now launched a new version with increased melt holding capacity and an optimum production capacity of up to 8,000 tons/year (950kg/h).

In addition to increased capacity, special attention has been paid to the flexibility and easy expansion of the system into a larger capacity two-furnace unit.

The demand for small-scale rod production units has increased significantly during the recent years.

Almost half of all Upcast units delivered after year 2000 have been single-furnace systems, but equipped with provisions for future expansion.

In fact, several customers have already ordered an upgrade to their production capacity and Outokumpu has retrofitted melting furnaces to these customers' units.

Two such projects have been successfully commissioned in 2003 and the quick lead times to restart production with these expanded units has shown the Outokumpu 'modular' concept to work extremely well.

Compared to installing a second single-furnace unit of similar capacity and size, the savings in time, effort and money are significant.

The market response to the above development has been very good and the first contract to deliver a new version of the single-furnace unit based on the improvements outlined, has been signed with Cecil S/A, Brazil.

Delivery of this unit will took place at the end of 2003.

A contract for the delivery of a similar high-capacity single-furnace unit was signed in August 2003, to another customer.

Back to top