| The applications of a heated mold continuous casting process were expanded with the generation of net-shape cored rods, 4 mm in diameter, consisting of clad materials of pure Al or Al-Cu alloy and core wires, 1.62 mm in diameter of Ni and Cu, or Al (10 vol% Al{dollar}sb2{dollar} O{dollar}sb3{dollar})P MMC, respectively. The experiments were performed employing the horizontal Ohno continuous casting configuration, featured with a modified mold design for producing cored rods, and a developed bath cooling device for redirecting back-splash steam during cooling that otherwise discontinues the process. However, in order to produce ductile rods, dissolution of the Cu-core wire in the molten Al-clad during casting, was minimized by two ways; coating the Cu wire with nickel prior to casting, or reducing core-clad exposure temperature and contact time. The latter was accomplished via restraining mold temperature, casting speed, guide tube location within the mold, in addition to proper cooling. |
