To the Question of the Manufacturing Ability a Contact Wire by Continuous Casting Rod

Abstract

The article presents the results of pilot-industrial experiments in the field of manufacturing technology of contact wire made of Cu-Sn alloys. Cast rods with a diameter of 20 mm, made of CuSn0.04, CuSn0.1, CuSn0.2, CuSn0.3, CuSn0.4 alloys, were obtained in a continuous casting plant on an Upcast system. Cast rods were deformed using a Conform technology, and extruded billets with a diameter of 18 and 20 mm were produced, which were subsequently drawn on a shaped contact wire with a cross section of 100 mm2. Cast rods macrostructure and microstructure were studied. The macrostructure quantitative assessment of samples was studied in a cross and longitudinal section. A plot of the effect of the tin content in the alloy on the average grain area in cross section is obtained. An increase in the tin content in the alloy leads to a decrease in the average grain area. An analysis of the rod microstructure in a cross section showed that the structure is a grain of an α-solid solution of tin in copper, and the grain boundaries are thin and clean. After deformation by Conform technology a uniform fine-grained structure is ensured. The effect of the tin content in the alloy on the Brinell hardness of cast billets, made by Conform technology, is determined. An increase in the tin content in the alloy leads to an increase in the hardness of both cast and deformed billets. The microstructure analysis of the contact wire in the cross section is carried out. The mechanical and electrical properties of the contact wire with a cross section of 100 mm2 are determined. An analysis of the results showed when the tin content in the alloy is up to 0.4 wt. %, the required level of mechanical and electrical properties of the contact wire is not provided. It may be necessary to change the size of the initial billet before drawing or to increase the tin content in the alloy more than 0.4 wt. %.

Identifying the influence of technological factors on the structure and properties of contact wire from secondary copper

“…8-12. Mathematical processing of experimental data made it possible to represent them as (8) to (12). As a result of the research, it was established that only the addition of silver, Fig.…”

“…Various technological aspects of the contact copper wire and the effect of some chemical elements on its properties are considered in works [6][7][8][9][10]. For example, paper [6] presents the features of obtaining long blanks from technical copper by processing welding seams, which very often lead to breakage.…”

“…The authors of work [7] investigated the regularities of solidification of blanks during continuous casting from top to bottom and the features of the design of the crystallizer for such a process. As for works [8][9][10], they report the results of the influence of tin and magnesium on the properties of copper. It was established in [8] that the content of Sn in the alloy of about 0.4 at% often does not provide an opportunity to obtain the required level of physical, mechanical, and electrical properties.…”

“…As for works [8][9][10], they report the results of the influence of tin and magnesium on the properties of copper. It was established in [8] that the content of Sn in the alloy of about 0.4 at% often does not provide an opportunity to obtain the required level of physical, mechanical, and electrical properties. The influence of Mg on the properties of copper is given in the following papers.…”