Casting of Thin Aluminum Alloy Wire Using a Single Wheel Caster

Abstract

Thin aluminum alloy (Al-4.7%Mg) wire was cast using a single-wheel caster. The target cross-sectional area of the thin wire was less than 20 mm2. Use of a copper wheel with a groove and a molten metal ejection nozzle was proposed to cast thin wire. The molten metal ejection nozzle was used to eject a small cross-sectional area of the melt into the narrow groove on the wheel. The relationship among wheel speed, nozzle size, melt ejection speed, stability of the melt on the wheel, and cross-sectional area of the wire was investigated. When the diameter of the nozzle hole was 1.5 or 2 mm, the target was attained. When the nozzle diameter was larger than 3 mm, the cross-sectional area was greater than 20 mm2. When the diameter of the nozzle hole was smaller than 1 mm, the melt flow was unstable. A round wire could be cast at wheel speeds ranging from 9 m/min to 14 m/min. The smallest wire cross-sectional area was 4.7 mm2.