Applications

For over a century, AMPCO METAL has pioneered and produced the best metal solutions for the world’s products, applications and industries.

Applications

Advanced Solutions

Blast Furnace
Tuyere

In the world of metallurgy, the Tuyere plays a pivotal role, especially in the Copper Tuyere & Tuyere Cooler systems. Custom-crafted from high-quality copper, they are specifically molded based on unique drawings and requirements. Strategically positioned at the pinnacle of the crucible, the Tuyere’s primary role is to channel hot air into the furnace. This ensures even and optimized coal combustion, which is pivotal for maintaining furnace temperatures. With an impressive purity level reaching up to 99.9%, its conductivity can be tailored to range from 77.6% to a staggering 99% IACS, all based on the client’s specific demands. Each Tuyere undergoes rigorous pressure testing between 7 to 20 bar, and it’s meticulously examined under a sustained 7BAR pressure for an hour to ensure absolute leak-proofing. The finale is a flow test, executed at 4m³/h, that scrutinizes the flow at the outlet, ensuring unobstructed performance.

Stave Cooler

Precision-engineered to the client’s exact specifications, the Stave Cooler is a marvel of metallurgical engineering. With a composition boasting up to 99.9% pure electrolytic copper, its design ensures optimal furnace temperature management. Installed vertically relative to the furnace housing, its primary function is to circulate demineralized water. This process facilitates a heat exchange with the furnace’s inner environment, effectively halting excessive temperature spread to the metal housing, thereby enhancing furnace longevity and efficiency. Importantly, it inherits the same stringent pressure and conductivity standards as the Tuyere, testifying to its superior performance metrics.

Bushings

Harnessing the power and durability of AMPCO® 18 & 18.23 alloys, our bushings stand as guardians against friction, ensuring smooth operations for sliding components, particularly shafts. With a diverse array of types and alloy variants available, clients can opt for innovative features such as lubrication slots. Some bushings are even embedded with solid graphite or self-lubricating graphite, offering an enhanced lifespan and reduced maintenance hassles.

Torpedo Ladle Car Center Plate

Crafted for robustness and longevity, our AMPCO® 18 Aluminum Bronze plates are not just any ordinary plates. They come embedded with self-lubricating graphite plugs, ensuring seamless operations and reduced wear and tear. Available in an assortment of sizes—large, medium, and small—they cater to a spectrum of industrial needs.

Clay Gun Piston Rings (front & back)

A testament to durability and precision, the AMPCO® 18 Aluminum Bronze bushings and rings serve as critical components in clay gun systems. Designed for optimal performance and wear resistance, these components exemplify the synergy of advanced metallurgy and engineering.

Electric Arc Furnace / Steel Melting Shop
Contact Plates

Serving as the nexus of energy transference, Contact Plates play a crucial role in the efficient melting of the charge. Their primary function is to convey electric currents to graphite electrodes, amplifying the energy output to levels capable of melting the charge seamlessly. Crafted meticulously from 99.9% pure copper alloys, and complemented with robust materials like aluminum bronze (ASTM B148 C 95400) and Tombak (85Cu15Zn), these plates are the epitome of durability and precision. Beyond their manufacturing prowess, each plate undergoes rigorous pressure and flow assessments, ensuring zero leaks, obstruction-free performance, and outstanding mechanical resistance, thereby enhancing furnace efficiency.

Pressure Rings and Clamping Rings

Designed to complement the Contact Plates, these rings serve the pivotal role of pressing the plates firmly against the graphite electrodes. This ensures consistent and optimal current transference. Available in an assortment of resilient alloys, their durability and performance are never left to chance. Mirroring the high standards set by the Contact Plates, these rings also endure stringent testing processes, confirming their longevity and reliability.

Oxygen Lance Tip

The precision and customization of the Oxygen Lance Tip are what make it indispensable in various metallurgical operations. Every tip is tailored to meet the unique demands and specifications of the client, ensuring that it delivers optimal performance and fits seamlessly within its intended system.

Electrode Holder

Often referred to as Clamps, these copper-forged devices serve a dual function. Not only do they securely suspend electrodes, ensuring stable operations, but they also adeptly transmit current to these electrodes. With such crucial responsibilities, ensuring their top-notch performance is imperative. To this end, each holder undergoes comprehensive pressure and flow evaluations, guaranteeing their operational excellence and reliability.

Bushings, Wear Plate, and Liners

Expertly crafted from premium materials like Copper-based alloys and Aluminum Bronze, these components epitomize resilience. Some variants even come enhanced with graphite plugs, like the renowned AMPCO® 18. Their primary role is to drastically reduce friction between interacting components. By doing so, they not only ensure smoother operations but also significantly extend the lifespan of the machinery. Each component is designed keeping in mind the innate mechanical properties of their respective alloys, ensuring a harmonious balance between performance and longevity.

Hot Strip Mill, Hot Rolling Mill, Continuous Strip Plant, and Compact Strip Production
Bending Cylinder Bushings, Shifting Sleeves Bushings, Work Roll Bending, Shifting Device Bushings, and Split Bushings

The dynamic environment of metal rolling subjects machinery to both intense pressure and fluctuating temperatures. In such conditions, component choice is vital to maintain peak operational performance. Cue the AMPCO® 18.23 bushings. Engineered for superior strength, these bushings are hailed for their unmatched reliability. They are meticulously designed to function optimally in the harshest conditions, particularly where high temperatures threaten the integrity of lesser materials. In this challenging milieu, AMPCO® 18.23 bushings stand as a beacon of resilience and dependability.

Down Coiler Mandrel Spares

The coiling process in metal production is a dance of precision under extreme temperatures. As metal spirals down, the components grapple with temperatures soaring from 550 to a searing 850 degrees Celsius. Ordinary materials might falter under this thermal onslaught. However, AMPCO® 18 alloy emerges as the undisputed champion. Tailored for endurance, this alloy is the top pick for pivotal components such as wear plates, liners, spreaders, wedges, and bushings. Its innate thermal resistance ensures that these components don’t just survive but thrive, offering consistent performance throughout their lifecycle.

Work Roll Chock Rocker Plate / Pressure Plate / Pressure Plate

In the realm of metal rolling, where immense compressive forces are the norm, there’s little room for error. The AMPCO® M4 alloy, fortified with graphite plugs, is a testament to engineering excellence designed for this very purpose. Boasting a formidable compressive strength, this alloy ensures that plates remain indomitable even under the heaviest loads. Their robust construction, combined with the friction-reducing properties of the embedded graphite, means that the machinery experiences minimal wear, ensuring prolonged operational efficiency and longevity.

Cold Rolling Mill
Mandrel T-Ledge, Coiler Wedge, Taper Wedge, Wedge Liner, Guide Plate

Central to the operations of any mill, these components are the unsung heroes, ensuring seamless operation and precision. Crafted with meticulousness, they predominantly employ the metallurgical marvels AMPCO® 18 and AMPCO® 18.23. Continuously cast for uniformity, their structural integrity ensures they stand tall under rigorous operational demands, providing longevity and consistent performance.

Welder Centering Ledge

Precision is paramount when it comes to welding. The Welder Centering Ledge, constructed from the robust AMPCO® 18 alloy in a continuous casting process, champions this cause. With superior mechanical properties, it guarantees optimal alignment for every weld, resulting in consistent and high-quality joints that stand the test of time.

Welding Wheel, Welding Beam/Bar/Electrode for Coil Joint Welder Machine

Every welding challenge requires a unique solution. Recognizing this, we proffer a diverse portfolio of Resistance Welding Electrodes, meticulously crafted to cater to a plethora of welding recipes, coil types, and materials. With options ranging from Beryllium, Beryllium-free, to CuCrZr materials spanning class 2, 3, and 4, there’s a solution for every need. The AMPCOLOY® series, including the 83, 88, 940, 95, and 972 variants, further accentuate our commitment to providing the best in class for welding needs.

Bushings, Shear Bushings, Shear Liners, Wear Plates, Gliding Bars, Scrapers, and Scraper and Pressure Nuts

In the demanding world of metal processing, friction and wear are inevitable adversaries. Combatting them are our range of copper-based alloy components, predominantly recommended in the resilient AMPCO® 18 & AMPCO® 18.23 alloys. Cast using the centrifugal method for uniform structure and enhanced strength, these components can be precisely machined to your specifications. Whether you require grooves for lubrication or graphite embedding for reduced friction, we cater to every unique requirement, ensuring your machinery performs optimally and lasts longer.

Wringer Rolls, Squeeze Rolls, Wiping Rolls

Stainless steel plants, with their distinct operational demands, require components that can withstand their unique challenges. Addressing this are our specialty rolls, crafted from AMPCO® alloys 21, 25, and 22. Engineered for endurance and performance, they ensure that the stainless steel production process is smooth, efficient, and delivers premium quality output.

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