Oxygen-free copper rod and wire, and oxygen-free silver-bearing copper wire production processes are implemented at "Cedynia" Copper Smelter. They combine state of the art technological solutions of the world's leading companies with automation and continuous quality control of the product. Feedstock for the rod and oxygen-free copper wire production processes, i.e. Contirod and Upcast, respectively, are Cu cathodes. They are mainly supplied by metallurgical departments of KGHM Polish Copper SA (Copper Smelters „Głogów” and „Legnica”).
Contirod process
In the first phase of the Contirod production process the cathodes are fed to an Asarco melting furnace, which melts 45 tons of copper per hour at 1 120°C. The molten copper is then transported through a gutter system to a settling furnace with ca. 20 tons capacity. The liquid copper, dispensed into a Hazelett casting machine, crystallizes into a strand with 60 x 122 mm intersection. The copper strand, cast at the rate of 12 m/min and in 850°C, is then subjected to plastic forming in 16 roll stands. The final product is wire rod with 8 mm diameter, wound into coils weighing 5 tons and protected with a synthetic wax layer against secondary oxidation.
Upcast process
In the Upcast line, consisting of a cathode loading system, melting furnace, settling furnace, casting machine with crystallizers for vertical casting, and a coiler, oxygen-free copper wire is manufactured.
