Improving Performance - Billet Casting Improving ... - Pyrotek

Improving Performance - Billet Casting 


pyrotek 

supplement 

pyrotek 

supplement 

Page 2 

• Latest Billet Casting Technology in 

the Modern Casthouse - Improving 

Performance for the Customer 

Page 3 

• History of Billet Casting 

Page 4 

• Vertical Direct Chill Casting 

Page 5 

• Billet Melt Quality 

Page 6 

• Casting Temperature 

Page 8 

• Metal Transfer 

• Mould Lubrication 

Page 9 

• Cooling Water Quality 

• Billet Casting Coatings 

Page 10 

• Conclusion 

Page 11 

• Pyrotek Locations


Jonathan Prebble, 

Manager of 

Aluminium Process 

Technology 

Pyrotek has 

the expertise, 

technology, 

experience 

and the 

global 

resources to 

maximize the 

performance 

of your 

billet casting 

systems. 

Page 2 

LATEST BiLLET CASTing 

TECHnOLOgY in THE MODERn 

CASTHOUSE 

improving Performance For The 

Customer 

This year, Aluminium international 

Today (AiT) published a series of Pyrotek 

articles on the processes, techniques and 

equipment used in Furnace Building and 

Repair, Furnace Melt Treatment, Degassing, 

Filtration, Slab and Continuous Sheet 

Casting. 

We have detailed the metal process path from 

the furnace to the casting process in order to 

demonstrate clearly why each of the various 

stages is necessary to achieve a final, desired 

metal quality designed to meet or exceed 

the end-customer’s expectations. This article 

is the last one in the series, addressing the 

casting of Billet in a Vertical Direct Chill 

(VDC) Pit. 

The in-line processing work which has 

been already undertaken (please refer to the 

previous articles in this AIT series) upstream 

of the casting pit has been required to 

provide the billet with the correct levels of 

metal cleanliness, chemistry and hydrogen 

content. Billet casting covers a range of 

alloys in many diameters for extrusion or 

forging applications. 1xxx, 3xxx, 6xxx, and 

7xxx alloys are all cast into billet form for 

applications that require them to be either 

extruded to shape or cut to blanks and 

forged. It is worth remembering at this point 

that the 6xxx series alloys are capable of 

being solution heat-treated as well as being 

quenched and aged to different tempers after 

extrusion. This necessitates homogenising 

furnaces in the casthouse area and aging 

ovens in the extrusion plant. Furthermore, 

ultrasonic non-destructive testing is usually 

carried out on all cast billet to ensure 

that there are no internal cracks or major 

defects present. Billet casting needs to be 

done correctly, requiring high investment 

in equipment and skill, in order to earn the 

premium it commands in the market. 

pyrotek 

supplement 

iMPROVing PERFORMAnCE in THE BiLLET 

CASTing PROCESS 

In general, most aluminium casthouses 

would deal with casting 6xxx series.The other 

alloy series are used for more specialised or 

exotic products for aerospace, automotive, 

transportation, etc. However, all billet 

casting requires the same basic approach 

to metal distribution and solidification, 

best performed in a VDC Pit. These pits are 

becoming larger and deeper to allow for 

more, longer cast billets because this reduces 

process scrap and production downtime 

between casts. The new casting challenges 

are due to operating VDC billet tables on a 

vast scale: more than 100 strands of billet per 

cast is increasingly commonplace! 

The upstream metal treatment, which we have 

focused on previously, has been designed to 

reduce inclusions, alkali metals and hydrogen 

– all or some of which can cause problems 

during the subsequent extrusion or forging 

processes. The conditions in the actual 

billet casting mould, however, can prove to 

be just as troublesome during downstream 

processing if the casting parameters are 

not well inside the “envelope”, which will 

produce acceptable finished quality. Here 

we are talking about effects such as grain-size, 

segregation, shell zone, cracking, surface 

defects including drag marks, tears, bleeds, 

etc., and diameter tolerances. These factors 

generally result from the conditions inside 

the actual billet casting mould - where no 

amount of upstream processing can assist. 

A good understanding of the billet casting 

technology being used is vitally important 

as this permits the right methods to be 

selected for the best possible productivity 

and performance. Most casting recipes 

are a compromise: a balance between the 

best repeatable quality achievable for a 

particular casting technology and practical, 

safe, dependable casting which can be relied 

upon to produce good product consistently. 

In this article, we will first review the 

various types of billet casting technology in 

general use today. We will also mention the 

importance of casting lubricant selection 

and how this can both improve cast surface


Figure 1a - Horizontal Direct Chill Casting 

Figure 1b - Verticle Direct Chill Casting (picture courtesy of Wagstaff) 

overall consumption and greatly reduce the 

need for expensive chemical treatment of 

closed cooling water systems for the casting 

pits. 

Several aluminium casthouses, for a variety 

of reasons, are still confidently casting billet 

using the traditional conventional mould 

set-up, requiring a distributor basin, spouts, 

floats and pins. As I have mentioned before, 

billet casting needs to produce a product that 

meets or exceeds the customer’s expectations. 

This does not mean that the latest casting 

technology is either essential or even 

applicable to all billet casting operations. For 

these customers, Pyrotek supplies a variety 

of machined parts for spouts, pins and floats. 

Usually each of these is designed to fit the 

customer’s particular billet diameters and 

metal pouring conditions. 

Please refer to Pyrotek’s web-site for further 

details of our entire range of billet casting 

products and technical support staff who are 

available to assist – www.pyrotek.info. 

HiSTORY OF BiLLET CASTing 

Aluminium VDC billet casting is the process 

whereby molten aluminium is 

converted into a round ingot 

or billet. Although the process 

itself is rather straightforward, 

there are many variables during 

casting affecting the quality of 

the billet. Today there are two 

basic processes for converting 

molten aluminium into billet: 

Horizontal Direct Chill (HDC) 

and Vertical Direct Chill (VDC) 

(see Figures 1a, 1b). Each of 

these processes has it’s own 

distinct advantages. Since the 

output of the VDC process is 

by far the most widely utilised, 

it is therefore the focus of this 

article. 

Before the VDC process was 

developed, aluminium wrought 

billets were cast using the 

tilt mould ingot process. The 

molten aluminium was poured 

from a crucible into a watercooled 

book-mould tilted at an 

anglefromthehorizontal.When 

the aluminium in the mould 

reached the 

upper lip, it was tilted at 

a controlled rate until it 

was vertical. The tilt mould 

ingot was not suitable, 

however, for large diameter 

production and was limited 

to non heat-treatable alloys 

such as 1100 and 3003 

pyrotek 

supplement 

Alan Sale 

global Billet Casting 

Specialist 

Billet casting 

needs to 

produce a 

product that 

meets or 

exceeds the 

customer’s 

expectations. 

For these 

customers, 

Pyrotek supplies 

a variety of 

machined parts 

for spouts, pins 

and floats. 

(see Figure 2). As demand Figure 2 - Casting Aluminium in a Tilt Mould 

for higher productivity 

coupled with the need for larger billets and 

high strength alloys increased, the VDC 

casting process replaced tilt mould casting in 

the 1930’s. 

Page 3


Figure 3 - Multiple 

VDC Billets 

Page 4 

VERTiCAL DiRECT CHiLL 

CASTing 

The VDC casting process is the method 

most used today for production of 

commercial aluminium billets for further 

fabrication by either extrusion or forging. 

This process produces fine-grained 

billets with a minimum amount of 

segregation and at high production rates 

(see Figure 3). In DC billet casting, the 

aluminium is fed into a shallow mould, 

which is the same diameter as that of the 

planned finished billet. When the metal 

begins to freeze in the mould, the platen 

assembly is lowered at a controlled rate 

and cooling water is sprayed onto the 

surface of the solidified metal as it exits 

Figure 4 - Conventional Pour vs. Hot Top Mould 

Figure 5 - Direct Chill Casting Unit (Side View) 

pyrotek 

supplement 

the bottom of the mould. There are two 

basic designs of the VDC billet casting 

process today: Conventional (spout, 

float and control pin) and Hot Top 

(see Figure 4). 

The early conventional designs featured 

a ceramic downspout to allow the 

metal to flow under gravity from the 

pan or distributor into the mould. In the 

early days, a Marinite (Trademark of 

Manville Corp.) float (later replaced by 

modern-day calcium silicate) controlled 

the flow of aluminium into each mould. 

These systems typically suffered from 

oxide inclusions in the billet, slow 

casting speeds, lubrication problems 

and temperature losses (see Figure 5). 

The hot top system features a 

distribution pan that does not require 

floats and downspouts to deliver the 

molten metal to the mould. It is a true 

underpour system from furnace tap hole 

to billet solidification inside the mould. 

This “underpour” (molten metal below 

the surface skin on top of the molten 

metal) eliminates the oxides formed by 

cascading metal between the downspout 

and the float, as well as reducing heat 

loss. The early hot top systems featured 

either a monolithic refractory-lined 

distribution pan, usually formed of 

ceramic mouldable, or segmented 

water-cooled fused silica pans. As the 

mouldable or mastic holding the parts 

together in the pan cracked, spalled 

and degraded, ceramic inclusions in the 

billet increased (see Figure 6). 

Figure 6 - Degraded Distribution Pan


Wagstaff, Inc. further improved the hot top 

process in the 1970’s when they introduced 

their Maxicast Hot Top Billet Casting 

system (see Figure 7). This system featured a 

Figure 7 - Maxicast System 

relatively short mould bore which allowed 

improved casting speeds, a porous graphite 

casting surface providing continuous 

lubrication through the graphite, a modular 

refractory mold table for molten metal 

distribution, and a self-aligning stool cap or 

bottom block. Furthermore, the Maxicast 

system was designed to “maximize” the 

number of billets in the casting pit so as to 

better utilize the full furnace and DC pit 

cross-sectional area capacity. Later,Wagstaff 

introduced the Airslip Air Casting Process 

mould which featured an even shorter 

mold bore for even faster casting speeds 

(see Figure 8). This technology features a 

Figure 8 - Airslip T-Plate 

porous graphite ring through which both 

casting gas and lubrication are introduced 

simultaneously, thereby producing a very 

smooth billet surface featuring a very thin 

liquation zone (see Figure 9). Today there 

are several variations of this technology 

produced by Showa, Hydro, Almex, and 

others, but the Wagstaff Maxicast system 

equipped with Airslip moulds continues 

to set the standard in VDC billet casting. 

Figure 9 - Smooth Surface with Thin Liquation Zone 

In general, VDC casting allows a wide 

spectrum of alloys to be cast with a minimum 

of ingot segregation because the liquid 

metal freezing front is almost horizontal 

and the metal freezes from the bottom to 

the top of a billet. However, regardless of 

the type of casting equipment in use, the 

actual quality of the cast billet is dependant 

upon many variables. Repeatable success 

in casting good billet quality requires 

constant monitoring of the actual casting 

parameters, such as mould fill and hold 

times, metal temperature, metal head 

height, start and run casting speeds, and 

cooling water consumption and quality. 

In addition there are many factors that can 

adversely affect the operating parameters, 

which, in turn, determine the finished cast 

billet quality. 

BiLLET MELT QUALiTY 

Melt quality is by far the most important factor 

in making a good quality billet. Even the best 

casting equipment, with all the operating 

parameters maximized, can only produce the 

quality of what is put into it. Previous articles 

in this AIT series have included technical 

discussions on furnace melt treatment, 

filtration, and in-line degassing. These will 

not be discussed further here; however, a few 

highlights are worthwhile mentioning. 

Alkali metals such as sodium, calcium, 

and lithium, are often overlooked in the 

process. These can be found in both primary 

and secondary casthouses. These elements 

often affect the quality of the extrusion and 

extrusion die life. Refining agents such as 

Pyrotek’s Promag, when used in conjunction 

with good furnace treatment principals, can 

keep these elements to a minimum (see Figure 

pyrotek 

supplement 

Robert Bridi, global 

Product Manager, 

Fluxes, Refining 

Agents & Lubricants 

The quality of 

the cast billet 

is dependant 

upon many 

variables. 

Repeatable 

success in 

casting good 

billet quality 

requires 

constant 

monitoring 

of the casting 

parameters. 

Page 5

Page 6 


10). Another common source of calcium is 

introduced through the use of bone ash. 

In addition, it is a major contaminator of 

cooling water. Pyrotek offers a complete line 

of effective boron nitride coatings to help 

facilitate scull removal and 

eliminate bone ash (see Figure 

11). In addition, an effective 

degassing system with a heated 

tub will deliver the first shot of 

metal at the desired casting 

temperature while removing 

hydrogen along with some 

of these alkali metals. SNIF ® 

Figure 10 - Promag Refining Agents systems are ideal in allowing 

clean initial metal at the right 

temperature for successful cast 

starts and with minimum scrap 

generation due to butt crop. 

This degassing system also 

eliminates the need to dump 

the first 1-1.5 tons into a drain 

sow mould, as is the practice 

Figure 11 - ZYP Bn Coatings with some in-line trough 

degassing systems, in order to 

ensure that the metal is at the 

right casting temperature (see 

Figure 12). 

CASTing 

TEMPERATURE 

Casting temperature is 

critical in order to achieve 

good segregation and grain 

distribution inside the 

finished billet. Not only must 

the molten metal be delivered 

to the mould at the correct 

Figure 12 - SniF P180UHB temperature, but the molten 

metal inside the mould must 

also be within designed parameters in 

order to produce good quality billet. There 

are usually three zones where temperature 

is lost. The first is between the tap-hole 

in the furnace and the in-line degassing 

process. Many casthouses are forced to 

compromise by using long launder runs 

so as to best accommodate their melting 

and holding furnace layout. Raising the 

metal temperature in the furnace is risky 

because the higher the temperature is, the 

higher the hydrogen and oxide generation 

tends to be. Temperature loss can be 

significantly reduced by an effective 

combination of refractory, insulation and 

launder covers (see Figure 13). Pyrotek 

supplies a wide range 

of refractories ranging 

from Insural 140 up 

to Pyrocast AR Plus. 

When combined 

with Pyrotek’s 

Wollite as the backup 

insulation, the 

launder systems offer 

a long service life 

as well as reduced 

temperature loss (see 

Figure 14). 

Figure 14 - Pyrotek Heated Trough System 

pyrotek 

supplement 

Figure 13 - Launder 

Cover 

The next zone where temperature is lost 

is between the in-line degassing box and 

Ceramic Foam Filter (CFF) box, and the entry 

to the casting tabletop. As stated previously, 

a heated degassing box, such as a SNIF ® 

system, ensures temperatures stay within 

a specified range. Correct heating of the 

CFF before the furnace is tapped will also 

help to eliminate temperature loss as well 

as ensuring that the CFF functions properly, 


Figure 15 - Sivex ® Ceramic Foam Filter Box


The third zone of 

temperature loss occurs 

across the casting table 

itself - from the metal 

entry point to the furthest 

end of the table. On 

larger tables, or even on 

tables with a very long 

metal flow distance, this 

can be critical because 

the first mould positions 

start to solidify or freeze 

even though the last 

positions are still filling. 

This can result in either 

hot butt separation or 

cold butt separation (or 

sometimes both). It is 

essential that the selected 

tabletop refractory 

allow the molten metal 

to stay at the correct 

casting temperature (insulates) as well as 

protecting the steelwork in the tabletop 

structure from warping due to heat. A good 

refractory should not lose its retained heat 

too rapidly between casts, nor continue to 

store heat after the cast. Over the past few 

years, Pyrotek has developed a refractory 

system that addresses both of these 

issues. The attached graph (see Figure 16) 

displays actual temperature measured 

with thermocouples. Insural 140, when 

used with Wollite as a back-up insulation, 

provides a longer life refractory with good 

insulation (see Figure 17). 

Personal safety and health of casthouse 

personel, and the sensitivity to our 

environment continue to be major 

concerns. The industry continually 

searches for ways to reduce emissions, 

environmental waste, and harmful 

substances. Pyrotek’s refractory materials 

Figure 17 - Filling a Wagstaff table with Wollite 30ST 

Figure 16 - insural 140 vs. Pyrofoam PC / HP 

pyrotek 

supplement 

for hot top billet casting contain no 

ceramic fibre. This reduces any exposure 

of plant personnel to 

potentially harmful RCF 

(Refractory Ceramic 

Fibre) particles during 

refractory maintenance 

and repair activities. 

To complement these 

refractories, Pyrotek has 

now introduced a nonrespirable 

RCF moldable/ 

mastic which is both easy 

to use and very effective. 

Figure 18 - Wagstaff Mould with n-17 

With hot top systems, it 

is important to regulate 

metal temperature inside 

the mould. A header 

plate, or transition 

plate, helps to insulate 

the molten metal so as 

to maintain a uniform 

temperature throughout 

the cast (up to 7.5 metres 

in length). Dense silica Figure 19 - Wagstaff Mould 

cast plates can be used (courtesy of Wagstaff) 

in some systems, but 

usually at the sacrifice of start defects and 

temperature build-up in the mould during 

the length of the cast. Pyrotek’s N-17, a 

premium calcium silicate, is the standard 

in the industry for transition and header 

plate application (see Figure 18 and 19). 

Page 7

Page 8 


Pyrotek’s 

range of 

Perlube 

lubricants 

offer superior 

lubrication 

matched to 

each specific 

process. 

Most billet 

casters will 

consume up 

to ten times 

less Perlube 

than other 

vegetable 

or synthetic 

lubricants 

while not 

contaminating 

the cooling 

water system 

as much. 

METAL TRAnSFER 

Getting metal from the metal distributor 

into the mould usually happens in three 

ways. Certain hot top technologies 

simply flood an orifice through a narrow 

channel between the metal distributor 

and the mould. Hydro and Showa are 

examples of this type of system. In 

conventional tables, a downspout, or dip 

tube, is commonly used in conjunction 

with a float to control the metal flow 

into the mould. As stated earlier, these 

systems usually generate more oxides. 

Controlling the metal temperature 

is critical to prevent the spouts from 

freezing. Pyrotek continues to offer a 

wide range of float and spout designs 

manufactured from calcium silicate 

to accommodate this process. These 

materials insulate and offer long service 

life for maximum operating economy 


Figure 20 - Pyrotek Floats and Pins 

Wagstaff hot top systems (see Figure 

21), however, utilize a thimble, located 

between the metal distribution refractory 

and the mould. The thimble directs the 

molten metal into the mould so it must 

have a very smooth internal diameter, as 

well as being capable of withstanding 

metal erosion, thermal shock, and any 

damage associated with maintenance 

and cleaning between casts. Since the 

outer diameter of the thimble mates with 

the internal diameter of the T-plate with 

a soft seal gasket made from ceramic 

paper between them, the machined 

tolerances of both parts are critical. 

Pyrotek’s unique mould process during 

thimble manufacture allows the bottom 

outer diameter of the thimble to have 

very tightly controlled concentricity, 

thereby ensuring a perfect fit between 

the thimble and the T-plate. In addition, 

pyrotek 

supplement 

each production batch of thimbles is 

produced to a very strict manufacturing 

standard utilising electronic and 

physical inspection techniques. The 

techniques identify basic porosity and 

dimentional tolerances, which are 

directly related to the strength and life 

of the thimble. 

Figure 21 - Pyrotek Hot Top Systems for Wagstaff 

MOULD LUBRiCATiOn 

Lubrication inside the mould plays a 

very important part in casting product with 

good surface quality. Most conventional 

systems utilise a mould bore grease or brushon 

lubricant. During the length of the cast, 

however, this lubricant is dissipated which 

results in billet surface defects. Most hot top 

systems employ some type of continuous 

lubrication system. These systems can 

range from a simple serrated copper plate 

between the mould bore and header plate, 

where lubricant oozes down the mold 

bore, to a sophisticated pressurized, timed 

injection system. There is a tendency to use 

too much oil when trying to correct surface 

defects usually caused by other variables. 

This in turn contaminates casting machines 

and cooling water, causing more chemicals 

to have to be added to the cooling water 

to maintain its quality, which often affects 

the water’s ability to adequately quench the 

metal in the mould. In many casthouses, 

the billet cooling water system is a common 

one shared with other pits where sheet ingot 

is cast, which is a very big oil contaminator 

of the water. Pyrotek’s range of Perlube 

lubricants offer every type of billet caster a 

superior lubricant matched to his specific 

process. The advantage is that most billet 

casters will consume up to ten times less 

Perlube than other vegetable or synthetic 

lubricants whilst the Perlube oils do not 

contaminate the cooling water system 

anywhere near as much because they


Figure 22 - Cooling Water 

Figure 23 - Mould and Hoses 

are >95% biodegradable (Figure 22). This 

solution can also save considerable chemical 

treatment costs. 

COOLing WATER QUALiTY 

Cooling water quality plays a critical role 

in good billet casting. Some conventional 

systems today still use a mould table, which 

has external cooling hoses to each of the 

moulds (see Figure 23). Most hot top systems 

use a Wagstaff-type mould table with integral 

water headers that feed cooling water directly 

from inside the tabletop to the moulds. A baffle 

system, with water screens, is usually used to 

prevent large pieces of debris from plugging 

the water slots or holes in the mould bore. This 

again becomes critical because, if the cooling 

water system becomes oil contaminated, then 

the water screens quickly become clogged, 

with debris from algae and bacteria, thereby 

causing hot tears and bleed-outs during the 

cast. Many cooling systems are at or near 

maximum capacity during casting, and when 

more chemicals are added to the cooling water, 

the effect of cooling is diminished. As discussed 

above, the biodegradable and economical 

Pyrotek Perlube product range can greatly 

reduce oil contamination in the cooling water 

and the consequent chemical treatment costs. 

BiLLET CASTing COATingS 

Coatings also play an important role in 

producing good quality billet: in particular 

the application of boron nitride and graphite 

coatings for T-plates. A good non-wetting 

coating will minimize oxide adhesion at cast 

start, allowing the billet to get into steady-state 

casting mode quickly. This can help to reduce 

bottom butt scrap. Pyrotek has developed a 

premium, proprietary coating for this purpose. 

This boron nitride based coating, applied at the 

Pyrotek factory, withstands 30–40 casts before 

recoating of the T-plate becomes necessary. 

It also has superior lubricity for good oxide 

mobility. T-Kote, an “easy-to-use” companion 

coating was developed to enhance protection 

of the T-plate. T-Kote comes premixed and 

has a slight tint, allowing the operator to 

see visually where any spots may have been 

missed. Combined, these two products also 

offer superior life to the surface of the transition 

plate. 

Graphite coating is used in 

some transition plate and 

header coating applications. 

It does not offer the lubricity 

of boron nitride, but provides 

more penetration of the hot 

face of the transition plate and 

resistance to some metal alloy 

constituents less compatible 

with boron nitride. Pyrotek 

offers a Naphtha-based graphite coating 

called Pyroslip 325/350 (see Figure 24). 

Since molten aluminium is very aggressive, a 

release agent should be applied to protect the 

launder and table surfaces coming into contact 

with the metal. Boron nitride coatings and 

bone ash are utilised in such applications. In 

contrast the binders utilised for the BN coatings 

adhere strongly to the various refractory 

materials and assist in reducing metal erosion 

of the refractory shapes, reducing the damage 

associated with maintenance and cleaning 

between casts, and with the addition of a blue 

colorant, provides an additional assistance 

in helping to monitor the effectiveness of 

the coating practice. Traditionally, bone ash 

was used because of its release properties. 

However, due to its poor adhesion, bone 

ash must be repeatedly replenished and may 

become entrained by the flowing of molten 

aluminium. Customers report that in contrast 

to bone ash, major reductions in residues and 

quicker turn around of casting tables helped 

Figure 24 - Pyroslip Products 

pyrotek 

supplement 

John Blasen 

global Market 

Development Manager, 

ZYP - Pyrotek Coatings 

PYROTEK’S 

MiSSiOn 

“Providing 

innovative 

solutions 

to customer 

needs 

utilizing 

our global 

resources.” 

Page 9

Page 10 


improve their profitability. Pyrotek is the 

exclusive distributor for the world’s largest 

supplier of the highest quality BN coatings, 

ZYP ® Coatings Inc. and stand ready to assist 

Figure 25 - Wise Chem Safety Coating with conversion techniques 

and practices to maximize 

the performance of their 

release coatings. 

Pyrotek 

has several 

integrated 

materials to 

ensure its 

customer’s 

billet casting 

process is 

optimized to 

its maximum 

potential. 

Joe Roberts 

global Market 

Development 

Manager, 

Safety Coatings 

Safety is at the forefront of 

practically all aluminium 

casthouses in the world. 

Whenever rust, moisture, 

lime (leached from concrete 

in the pit) and molten 

aluminium come into 

close contact, then all the 

hazardous conditions exist 

for a destructive molten 

metal explosion. It is 

imperative to monitor the 

steel casting equipment and 

casting machines for signs of 

rust and exposure. Casting 

pits should be inspected periodically and 

recoated as needed. Pyrotek offers Wise Chem 

pyrotek 

supplement 

safety coatings, which have been tested and is 

recognised by the Aluminium Association as 

an effective safety coating (see Figure 25). 

COnCLUSiOn 

To summarize, in addition to maximizing 

casting parameters, the selection of the right 

system of consumables can have a major 

impact on a plants ability to consistently cast 

good quality billet. Pyrotek does not offer 

one single product, but has several integrated 

materials to ensure its customer’s billet 

casting process is optimized to its maximum 

potential. Pyrotek also provides a unique level 

of worldwide, in-the-plant technical support 

and process expertise. This combination of 

technical support/expertise and consistent 

local service enables Pyrotek customers to 

make the correct material selections and 

employ them properly, thereby deriving the 

best potential performances from whichever 

casting technology they choose to employ. 

For additional information on billet casting 

go to www.pyrotek.info/billet.


PYROTEK’S MAJOR LOCATiOnS 

ASiA 

CHINA, Shenzhen 

Phone: (86) 755-26632324 

e-mail: shenzhen@pyrotek.info 

INDIA, Pune 

Phone: (91) 21-375-6800 

e-mail: pune@pyrotek.info 

INDONESIA, Jakarta 

Phone: (62) 21-563-8507 

e-mail: jakarta@pyrotek.info 

JAPAN, Kobe 

Phone: (81) (0)78-265-5590 

e-mail: kobe@pyrotek.info 

KOREA, Daegu 

Phone: 82 (0)53-523-5202 

e-mail: korea@pyrotek.info 

MALAYSIA, Kuala-Lumpur 

Phone: (603) 5631-3096 

e-mail: kualalumpur@pyrotek.info 

TAIWAN, Kaohsiung City 

Phone: (886) 7-224-8222 

e-mail: taiwan@pyrotek.info 

THAILAND, Bangkok 

Phone: (66) (0) 2 361-4870 

e-mail: bangkok@pyrotek.info 

AUSTRALiA 

AUSTRALIA (ANZ HEADQUARTERS) 

Phone: (61) (0)2 9631-1333 

e-mail: sydney@pyrotek.info 

CAnADA 

QUEBEC, Drummondville 

Phone: (819) 477-0734 

e-mail: drummondville@pyrotek.info 

EUROPE 

CZECH REPUBLIC, Blansko 

Phone: (420) (0) 516-527-111 

e-mail: blansko@pyrotek.info 

GERMANY, Grevenbroich 

Phone: (49) (0)2182-8-10-20 

e-mail: grevenbroich@pyrotek.info 

SWEDEN, Ed 

Phone: (46) (0) 534-62000 

e-mail: ed@pyrotek.info 

SWITZERLAND, Sierre 

Phone: (41) (0)27-455-82-64 

e-mail: sierre@pyrotek.info 

UNITED KINGDOM, Milton 

Keynes 

Phone: (44) (0)1 908-561155 

e-mail: miltonkeynes@pyrotek.info 

MEXiCO 

MEXICO, Santa Catarina 

Phone: (52) 81-8336-9117 

e-mail: mexico@pyrotek.info 

MiDDLE EAST 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, Dubai 

Phone: (971) (0)4-883-77-00 

e-mail: dubai@pyrotek.info 

nEW ZEALAnD 

NEW ZEALAND, Auckland 

Phone: (64) (0)9 272-2056 

e-mail: auckland@pyrotek.info 

RUSSiA/CiS 

RUSSIA/CIS, Moscow 

Phone: (7) 095-230-71-63 

e-mail: moscow@pyrotek.info 

SOUTH AFRiCA 

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, 

Richards Bay 

Phone: (27) (0)35 7974039 

e-mail: richardsbay@pyrotek.info 

View this suppliement online at www.pyrotek.info/billet_casting 

Read other supplements in this series: 

SOUTH AMERiCA 

BRASIL, São Paulo 

Phone: (55) (0)11-4786-5233 

e-mail: saopaulo@pyrotek.info 

VENEZUELA, Puerto Ordaz 

Phone: (58) 286-994 1894 

e-mail: puertoordaz@pyrotek.info 

U.S.A. 

CALIFORNIA, Cerritos 

Phone: (562) 623-0085 

e-mail: cerritos@pyrotek.info 

INDIANA, Columbia City 

Phone: (260) 248-4141 

e-mail: columbiacity@pyrotek.info 

INDIANA, Evansville 

Phone: (812) 867-6343 

e-mail: evansville@pyrotek.info 

NEW YORK, Canastota 

Phone: (315) 697-8410 

e-mail: canastota@pyrotek.info 

NEW YORK, Elmsford 

Phone: (914) 345-4740 

e-mail: elmsford@pyrotek.info 

NORTH CAROLINA, Salisbury 

Phone: (704) 642-1993 

e-mail: salisbury@pyrotek.info 

OHIO, Solon 

Phone: (440) 349-8800 

e-mail: solon@pyrotek.info 

PENNSYLVANIA, Carlisle 

Phone: (717) 249-2075 

e-mail: carlisle@pyrotek.info 

WASHINGTON, Spokane Valley 

Phone: (509) 926-6211 

e-mail: spokane@pyrotek.info 

Explore the many filtration solutions to improve your melt quality at www.pyrotek.info/filtration 

Learn more about improving performance in your furnace operations at www.pyrotek.info/furnace_operations 

Improve your furnace melt treatment process with information at www.pyrotek.info/melt_treatment 

Find out about solutions for the degassing process at www.pyrotek.info/degassing 

Investigate how to improve your slab casting processes at www.pyrotek.info/slab_casting 

Read more about continuous casting solutions at www.pyrotek.info/continuous_casting 

pyrotek 

supplement 

Pyrotek is 

unique in 

its ability to 

provide the 

integration 

of innovative 

technologies, 

process 

expertise 

and a global 

perspective. 

CORPORATE 

OFFICE 

9503 East Montgomery Avenue 

Spokane Valley, WA 99206 

Phone: (509) 926-6212 

Fax: (509) 927-2408 

e-mail: info@pyrotek.info 

Visit 

Pyrotek 

online 

at 

www.pyrotek.info 

Page 11


pyrotek 

supplement

Improving Performance - Billet Casting Improving ... - Pyrotek

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