Continuous casting industry

Continuous casting industry In recent years, the advanced production methods such as direct continuous (or semi-continuous) manufacturing of rod or pipe by molten metal state are being promoted at home and abroad. Artificial graphite is considered as a suitable material for continuous casting or semi-continuous casting. Production practice has proved that the continuous casting industry using graphite mold, because of its good thermal conductivity (thermal conductivity determines the solidification speed of metal or alloy), mold since the lubrication performance factors, not only make the casting speed increase, and because the size of the ingot precision is high, smooth surface, uniform crystal tissue, can be directly for the next process of processing. This has not only greatly improved the rate of finished products, reduce the loss of waste products, but also the product quality has been greatly improved. There are two continuous casting methods: vertical continuous casting method and horizontal continuous casting.

Continuous casting of graphite molds is also applied in the metal smelting industry, and melted metal can be cast with graphite molds. Graphite molds are reusable, but some designs are only disposable. Using graphite molds allows direct casting of creative small grain casts.

The thermal expansion coefficient is an important factor in determining the use of graphite as a mold material. A cast mold is a medium having a very heterogeneous temperature that goes from the internal heat due to the molten material to the cooling in the outer heat due to the cooling process applied on it. The low thermal expansion coefficient exhibited by the graphite allows the mold to function without deformation or cracking. Another very important factor is the self-lubrication. Graphite is a solid lubricant that causes low friction between the mold and the casting material. Subsequently, the graphite can extract the casting smoothly.

There are many factors that determine the life of continuous casting graphite die. From the composition of the casting material, to the casting temperature, to the cooling rate, it affects the life of the graphite mold. The specific graphite grade used is also determined by a variety of factors. The main factor is what kind of material technology field is to be applied to. For example, for grey cast iron or high nickel alloy, high temperature resistant graphite is required, while for brass, relatively dense graphite with sufficient hole opening rate to allow zinc evaporation would be a good choice.