MONDAY | TUESDAY MONDAY, APRIL 27 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. | Welcome Reception
All Global Continuous Casting Forum registrants are invited to a Welcome Reception at Ventanas restaurant in the Hilton Garden Inn. The venue is a short walk from the Georgia World Congress Center.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28 - GENERAL TRACK 8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome & Introductory Remarks Gary L. Spence, Encore Wire Corp., USA
casting technologies
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. “Properzi Casting Technology,” by Giuseppe Marcantoni, Properzi International Inc., USA
Though considered mature, nonferrous technologies are still subject to development aimed at improving safety and the index of repeatability of quality while reducing transformation costs. Using Properzi lines in the production of ETP copper rod, the transformation of copper cathodes into wire rod passes on a continuous basis through melting, casting, rolling, and coiling. The most recent developments in Properzi technology, particularly the introduction of “big blocks” refractory in casting and the combination of roughing and finishing mills with new size rolling rolls, is reviewed.
9:30 a.m. -10:00 a.m. “SCR Casting Technology,” by James D. Cooper, Southwire Co., USA
This presentation discusses the Southwire Continuous Rod (SCR®) process for continuously producing copper and aluminum wire rod. The company operates four SCR® systems— one copper and three aluminum systems—in its own manufacturing facilities. This paper presents a brief history of the SCR® process, a description, and recent process developments.
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Break 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Interwire Exhibits Open | Hall A
Forum registrants have access to the Interwire 2015 exposition where more than 400 companies are exhibiting. See suppliers to the industry and manufacturers of wire; cable; and fastener, formed and fabricated wire products.
10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. “Contirod Casting Technology,” by Michael Schwarze, SMS Meer GmbH, Germany, and Timm Lux, Andritz Maerz GmbH, Germany
During the more than 40 years of Contirod® history, many innovations have been made along the entire process line. These include a new charging device; an improved shaft furnace combustion control system; a modular-designed Hazelett caster; and individually driven, frequency-controlled drives for the rolling stands. The result of these constant improvements is today’s state-of-the-art Contirod® process which delivers the cost-effective production of high-quality wire rod. This presentation covers important new developments and the resulting influence on process cost reduction.
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. “Upcast® GREENerCAST and Beyond,” by Juan Carlos Bodington, Upcast Oy, Finland
Based on the combination of the GREENerCAST technique and new developments in metallurgical processes and thermal mechanics, Upcast® inherently clean technology has broken into areas that were considered off-limits, such as obtaining small grain as-cast structure (without grain refiners), casting 100% ETP scrap or magnet wire scrap into high-quality HCOF copper rod without harmful environmental emissions, casting new metals and alloys (including aluminum), and casting faster than ever.
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. “Rautomead technology for production of oxygen-free copper wire rod and graphite furnace technology for production of dilute copper conductor alloys,” by Michael Nairn, Rautomead Ltd., UK
Graphite furnace technology introduced for oxygen-free copper rod production in the mid-nineties has now been adapted to production of a series of dilute copper conductor alloys where tight control of volatile alloying elements is of critical importance in achieving a consistent balance between electrical conductivity and physical strength in the finished product. The Rautomead oxygen-free process is described together with its adaptations and the challenges of manufacturing consistent quality dilute copper conductor alloys.
The Contirod® Process is a registered trademark of Aurubis Belgium Properzi continuously cast and rolled (CCR) copper rod lines are a registered trademark of Continuus-Properzi Southwire Continuous Rod (SCR) is a registered trademark of Southwire Company UPCAST® system is a registered trademark of UPCAST OY
66 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL