New Adaptable, Extendable Ingot Mold Technology

APEX™ CASTING TECHNOLOGY DELIVERS HIGHEST LEVELS OF FLEXIBILITY IN MOLD SIZES

Wagstaff® APEX™ Rolling Ingot Casting Technology incorporates a fully automated, fully adjustable mold that all but eliminates ingot butt swell. Butt swell is increased thickness in the ingot’s butt region caused by casting with fixed molds. When casting speeds are outside of the mold’s specifications, the ingot’s finished shape isn’t as flat as expected. Butt swell is waste, which needs to be removed by scalping prior to rolling. Pit recoveries improve though minimal butt swell scalp when casting with APEX Ingot Casting Technology.

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Using Wagstaff’s sophisticated, patented, recipe-controlled mold bore flexing throughout the cast will tightly control the ingot shape, but can also adjust shapes to you or your customer’s exact specifications. APEX allows for ingot shape optimization for nearly all alloy and speed combinations while also casting flatter ingots. The APEX mold bore shape is configured to meet optimum cast speed and alloy requirements, whereas most mold bores are designed to meet slower cast speeds to reduce butt swell.

With APEX the operator can adjust the casting recipe to any speed the alloy will allow, and still create butt swell-free ingots. For an operation currently casting at 2.4 ipm (60 mm/min) the APEX system may allow for an increase to 3 ipm (75 mm/min). For a 200 inch (5 meter) ingot, the casting time would be reduced by 16 minutes a cast. At five casts a day, 365 days a year, the APEX system could provide an additional 20 days a year of casting capability!

OPTIMIZE, DON'T COMPROMISE

APEX technology allows for quick mold size changes. Move the end faces farther apart for a wider ingot, and swap in new end faces for a thinner ingot. The APEX casting system also allows for changes to thicknesses, widths, and mold bore flex recipes in minutes, as opposed to the several weeks it takes for a new mold to be designed and delivered. APEX also accommodates for size, alloy, and speed changes while still producing a flatter ingot than those created in a fixed mold. New ingot size orders can begin in hours, as opposed to several months.

Flat as a pancake
4M 3104 ingot cast at 120mm view from head