Horizontal continuous casting of aluminum strips

Abstract

Casting factors in horizontal intermittent continuous casting of commercial pure aluminum such as drawing speed and draw-and-stop cycle were examined. A prolonged cycle of draw-and-stop is required with increases in pitch-length and drawing speed. The casting rate is accelerated with an increase in pitch-length up to 40mm and keeps constant at pitch-length above 40mm. Solidification proceeds both in stopping and drawing periods. Coarse columnar grains in the strip cast at 10mm of a pitch incline toward the reverse direction of casting. The strip cast at 80mm of a pitch has coarse columnar grains which incline toward the reverse direction of casting and needle-like columnar grains periodically.