Method and Production Line for Manufacturing Metal Strips Made of Copper or Copper Alloys

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and a production line for manufacturing metal strips made of copper or copper alloys by means of casting and rolling. In order to lower the investment cost and operating expenses therefor, the melt ( 2 ) is cast into a copper strip ( 4 ) in a vertical and/or horizontal continuous strip casting process ( 3 ), and the hot copper strip ( 4 ) is cleaned by milling ( 5 ) the top and bottom face ( 5 a , 5 b ) thereof, is subjected to a cold rolling process ( 6 ) and is prepared for shipping, or is subjected to an inspection ( 12 ) and then prepared for shipping after being annealed ( 7 ), pickled ( 8 ), washed ( 9 ), dried ( 10 ), and optionally temper rolled ( 11 ).

1 . A method for producing metal strip ( 1 ) from copper or copper alloys by casting and rolling, wherein the melt ( 2 ) is cast into copper strip ( 4 ) in a vertical and/or horizontal continuous strip casting process ( 3 ) and that the copper strip ( 4 ) is cleaned by milling ( 5 ) its upper side ( 5   a ) and underside ( 5   b ), subjected to a cold rolling process ( 6 ), and prepared for shipment, or the copper strip ( 4 ) is first annealed ( 7 ), pickled ( 8 ), washed ( 9 ), and dried ( 10 ), possibly subjected to a temper rolling step ( 11 ), and then inspected and prepared for shipment. 
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein stacks of sheets ( 14 ) are produced from inspected coils ( 13 ) by cutting ( 15 ) the copper strip ( 4 ) to length. 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein coilable narrow copper strips ( 17 ) are produced from inspected coils ( 13 ) by slitting ( 16 ) the copper strip ( 4 ). 
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein during cold rolling ( 6 ), the copper strip ( 4 ) is lubricated with oil on the run-in side and cooled with cold or cryogenic inert gases on the runout side. 
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the set-point assignment for the rolling parameters is set to a maximum strip temperature of 120° C. 
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the coils ( 13 ) of copper strip that have been cold rolled under temperature control to final strip thickness ( 18 ) are refined in their microstructure either in a box annealing installation ( 31 ) in the form of a coil ( 13 ) or in a continuous annealing operation ( 7 ) and then pickled, washed and dried, subjected to a surface inspection, and then further processed in coil form ( 13 ). 
     
     
         7 . A production line for producing metal strip ( 1 ) from copper or copper alloy with at least a melting installation ( 20 ), a casting installation ( 21 ), and a rolling installation ( 22 ), preferably for cold forming from 23 mm to 0.2 mm copper strip thickness ( 18 ), wherein the melting installation ( 20 ) is followed in succession in the direction of production ( 23 ) by at least one vertical continuous strip casting installation ( 24   a ) and/or one horizontal continuous strip casting installation ( 24   b ), a milling installation ( 25 ) immediately downstream, a strip uncoiler ( 26 ), a cold rolling installation ( 22 ), a strip coiler ( 27 ), and an annealing installation ( 28 ). 
     
     
         8 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the cold rolling installation ( 22 ) consists of a reversing mill ( 29 ). 
     
     
         9 . A production line in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the milling installation ( 25 ) is located immediately downstream of the vertical continuous strip casting installation ( 24   a ). 
     
     
         10 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the vertical continuous strip casting installation ( 24   a ), the milling installation ( 25 ), and the reversing mill ( 29 ) follow one another in immediate succession. 
     
     
         11 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the cold rolling installation ( 22 ) consists of a tandem mill ( 30 ). 
     
     
         12 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the vertical continuous strip casting installation ( 24   a ), the milling installation ( 25 ), and the tandem mill ( 30 ) follow one another in immediate succession. 
     
     
         13 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein two parallel upstream vertical continuous strip casting installations ( 24   a ;  24   a ) and milling installations ( 25 ) are assigned to the tandem mill ( 30 ). 
     
     
         14 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein one vertical and one horizontal continuous strip casting installation ( 24   a ;  24   b ), each with a milling installation ( 25 ) installed immediately downstream of it, are installed upstream of the tandem mill ( 30 ). 
     
     
         15 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein with two parallel-casting vertical continuous strip casting installations ( 24   a ;  24   a ), a reversing mill ( 29 ) follows each milling installation ( 25 ). 
     
     
         16 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein parallel-producing vertical and horizontal continuous strip casting installations ( 24   a ;  24   b ) are each followed by a reversing mill ( 29 ). 
     
     
         17 . A production line in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the annealing installation ( 28 ) consists either of a box annealing installation ( 31 ) for coils ( 13 ) or of a continuous annealing installation ( 32 ) in the form of a strip floating furnace ( 32   a ).