Continuous Casting
In the factory there exists a melting furnace with an approximate output rate of 5 MT/hour. This furnace feeds another two tilting furnaces, which provide the stability of flow of liquid aluminium, having a capacity of 15 MT each. Cooling the liquid aluminium on the casting wheel, aluminium bar is forced into fourteen stands rolling machine.
Aluminium rod having a diameter of 9.5 Mm, 12 mm or 15 mm is coiled on pallets. In this stage, some parameters are constantly kept under control. Quality controllers check the diameter, resistivity, strength and shape of rod and feedback to the casting operation. Aluminium rod is manufactured according to related standards with a minimum equivalent copper conductivity as % IACS of 61.4%.
Annual output rate of continuous casting operation in the factory is about 50,000 MT.
Hard-Drawing
In the second stage aluminium rod is cold-drawn to decrease the diameter. As a result of cold drawing, the strength of the wire is increased, and it has a better surface finish. After this process, quality controllers check dimensions, tensile strength and conductivity of wires, and feedback to the cold-drawing operation. The minimum requirements for the wires are specified according to related standards including any other specification required by the customer. Although tensile requirements differ for every section, the average of the equivalent copper conductivity is always above 61.2% as IACS with a perfect surface finish.
For drawing process, there are five machines. Wires are coiled on iron reels with dimensions according to DIN 46395 which have flange diameter of 630 mm.
Although it grows as the section of the wire increases, annual capacity of colddrawing operation is approximately 50,000 MT.
Manufacturing Process of AAAC
Production of AAAC is almost same with the other conductors. The main difference is that heat or solution treatment may be required. In addition, alloying after melting is required to have the desired characteristics of the conductor.
Alloying elements, Mg, Si and Fe, are added to liquid aluminium after melting process. Chemical analyses are done to control the chemical composition of liquid alloyed aluminium. Before casting, undesired gaseous are removed from the liquid. Casting process is continuous casting process of which product is aluminium alloyed bar. There is induction heater after casting and before rolling to increase the temperature of aluminium alloyed bar for a better rolling operation.
The product of rolling is alloyed aluminium rod with a diameter of 9.50 mm. Rods are sometimes treated in a solution to meet the requirements of alloyed rod or to improve the technical values. Before and after solution treatment, surface finish, diameter, resistance and tensile strength of rods are controlled.
Alloyed rods are hard drawn to required diameters. Quality controls of alloyed wires are done to check the surface finish, diameter, tensile properties and resistance. These controls are also done after artificial ageing process, which is the successor of hard drawing. Alloyed aluminium wires, coiled on steel reels, are loaded stranding machines. After stranding, AAAC conductors are controlled to check the surface finish, diameter, lay length, lay ratio, resistance and strength and drums are packed and stored on the storage area.
Stranding
Depending on the construction of the conductor, reels of aluminium wire is loaded on the stranding machines. There are two types of stranding machines in the factory. Rigid frame and tubular-type stranding machines are used to manufacture 6+1, all aluminium conductors (AAC), aluminium conductors steel reinforced (ACSR) or compact round concentric-lay-stranded aluminium conductors.
Conductor is coiled on non-returnable wooden drums having different dimensions for each type of conductor.
Main standards for AAC, ACSR and compact round concentric-lay-stranded aluminium conductors production are EN, IEC, ASTM, CSA and GOST. After stranding process, conductor is tested as a whole to check the conformity, and also individual wires are tested to confirm the appropriateness.
Depending on whether the conductor is steel reinforced or not, the annual output rate of this process is about 65,000 MT.
Packaging
All drums are weighed, labeled and laid on storage area. Packaging standards are in accordance with international overseas transportation.
Specific customer requirements for packaging are also available upon request.