UPCAST® Technology The original upward casting method

UPCAST® Process

The UPCAST® system produces top quality rod and tube for various applications. It is a simple process with easy operation through an advanced control system. UPCAST® lines are customized to meet each customers diverse needs, the core components being a furnace system and casting machine. A cathode and/or recycled copper charging system and rod/tube coilers are individually designed to match each lines requirements.

Raw material

In order to produce high-quality oxygen free (Cu-OF) rod, the best choice for raw material is copper cathodes. Cathodes are the most used material for our process – however it is possible to use recycled copper scrap as raw material as well. Recycled copper must be as pure as possible and it requires a longer dwell time in a melting furnace before the casting process itself. Therefore it is recommended to use a separate melting furnace for copper scrap. A video of an UPCAST® casting line using 100% recycled copper can be seen here.

Furnaces

Depending on output requirements there are several furnace types to choose from. All the furnaces are electrically heated with channel inductors – either with single or double-loop types. A stepless power supply and control system is used as standard. The resulting smooth power adjustment reduces energy consumption, extends inductor service life and eliminates harmonic resonances from the inductor circuit.

Single-furnace configuration is recommended for casting capacity up to 12,000 TPA. It is an open-top compact unit built around a combined melting/casting furnace.
A double-furnace line is applicable for an output of up to 40,000 TPA. The double-furnace system has separate melting and casting furnaces.
A triple-furnace arrangement with two melting furnaces (separate ones for cathodes and recycled copper) and one casting furnace is the most applicable solution when both cathodes and recycled copper are used as raw material.

Casting machine

UPCAST® casting machines are multi-strand systems with individual coolers for each strand. The higher the output of the casting line the more strands are used. The coolers are fixed to the casting machine frame located above either a combined furnace (single-furnace lines) or a casting furnace (double- and triple-furnace lines). The servomotor-driven withdrawal system pulls the cast products upwards through coolers. From there the rods/tubes are guided to coilers, which are typically double coilers with two separate coilers for rod or individual, more robust ones for tube.

It is possible to cast different rod/tube sizes simultaneously. Changing from one cast product to another is as simple as changing coolers and running a different casting program in the computer controlling the servomotor drive system. Naturally there can be more than one drive system in the same frame, enabling simultaneous casting of different rod/tube sizes. Removing or adding coolers will not disturb ongoing casting of other strands thus providing high availability for the process. Daily adjustment of production output is easy by simply varying the number of operative strands.

GREENerCAST. No environmentally harmful emissions.

UPCAST® technology in itself has always been an environmentally friendly process. Just electricity, compressed air and cooling water are needed to keep the process running.