Technological Jump in Aluminium Ingot Production

Abstract Usual production of modern cast houses includes semi products and re-melt products. Billets, slabs and rod belong to the family of semi products, while T-bars, sows and ingots are incorporated in the category of re-melt products. Re-melt forms have been developed to be easily transported and easily processed in locations even far away from the cast house where these have been produced. Unlike sow and T-bars, ingots need to be stacked in bundles and securely strapped to allow safe and easier handling and transportation. Yet, the ingots can be processed one-by-one by small users or can be loaded into the melting furnace bundle-by-bundle. The shape and weight of pure aluminium ingots of the old prior art were determined with two aims: maximization of the production rate and minimization of the production costs: for many years heavy ingots have been produced by pouring molten aluminium into a chain of open top moulds. The traditional complex shape of the ingots was intended to facilitate de-moulding operations and bundle piling. For the above reasons, the most common ingot weight worldwide has ranged, until now, from 22.5 to 23.5kg. Now a new technology launched by Continuus-Properzi offers bigger hourly production rates and handy, safe and sound ingots of 30 pounds (13.6kg) as well as more compact and stable bundles. These advantages are paralleled by low maintenance costs and a very high yield near to 90%. With similar investment and production costs the new technology can give a 30% yearly production increase and winning ingot characteristics.