Semi-solid roll casting of aluminum alloy strip by melt drag twin roll caster

• Published in: Journal of materials processing technology Vol. 111; no. 1; pp. 64 - 68
• Main Author: Haga, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25-04-2001
• Subjects: Melt drag belt-roll caster; Melt drag twin roll caster; Roll casting; Semi-solid; Strip casting; Roll casting; Strip casting; Semi-solid; Melt drag twin roll caster; Melt drag belt-roll caster
• ISSN: 0924-0136
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-0136(01)00498-8

A melt drag twin roll caster (MDTRC) and a melt drag twin roll caster equipped with a cooling slope (MDTRC+CS) was devised in order to increase the casting speed of a strip. These casters are semi-solid strip casters. In the MDTRC, the upper side of the strip is formed by the upper roll at the semi-solid condition. In the MDTRC+CS, the CS cools the melt, which is consequently transformed into semi-solid slurry. The strip is then cast from the semi-solid slurry. The MDTRC and the MDTRC+CS enable Al–6
mass% Si strip to be cast at maximum speed of 60 and 90
m/min, respectively, by applying very small separating forces. The MDTRC and the MDTRC+CS are useful for mushy solidification-type aluminum alloys. A melt drag belt-roll caster (MDBRC) and a melt drag belt-roll caster equipped with a cooling slope (MDBRC+CS) were developed based on the MDRTC in order to cast skin formation solidification-type aluminum alloys at the semi-solid condition into a strip having a sound surface. The MDBRC+CS enables A1050 strip having sound surfaces and a globular microstructure to be cast at a speed of 20
m/min by applying a small separating force.