the
tech
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3
MARCH • 2009
w w w. i p g . n o v e l i s . c o m
Aluminum Coil
Manufacturing:
Direct Chill
Casting versus
Continuous
Casting
Background of the Aluminum Sheet
Ingot Casting Process
Manufacturing of coiled Aluminum
products begins with the casting of
ingots or strips that are fabricated into
coils of various widths and thicknesses.
There are two principle methods of
sheet casting. The first and more
traditional method is called DC or Direct
Chilled casting, and the second is CC
or Continuous Casting. Both casting
processes require mechanically rolling
the ingot or strip down to a thin gauge.
The final product characteristics are a
result of specific process recipes. Each
product recipe includes critical process
factors such as the chemistry of the alloy,
thermal processing/annealing, and the
amount of work hardening resident in the
finished coil. Modifications to these critical
factors will create the variety of alloys and
tempers that are commercially available.
DC Casting (Direct Chill)
DC casting is a semi-continuous
process involving the pouring of molten
Aluminum into a short mould. The
mould assembly for casting ingots has
two principle components, an open
rectangular chill block and a bottom
block. The chill block is located in a
fixed position around the mould and is
internally water cooled. The chill block
is the actual mould surface that makes
contact with and freezes the molten
spot
Aluminum. The height of the chill block
is very short, usually less than 5 inches
deep. The second component, the bottom
block is a pan attached to a hydraulic
cylinder that moves down into a deep
casting pit during casting.
Example of a DC mould assembly with the bottom
block retracted down in the casting pit. The mould
face or chill block can be seen in this photo along
the perimeter of the open rectangular cavity.
The bottom block is positioned snug
within the chill block. At the start of
casting the molten Aluminum is allowed
to fill the bottom block. The water cooling
along the perimeter of the chill block
causes the molten Aluminum to form a
thin solid shell, while retaining a molten
center. When the shell solidifies to a
Photo of a DC ingot being removed from a casting
pit. The standard manufacturing sequence for DC
ingots includes: scalping to remove the surface
layer, thermal processing to homogenize the ingot
and to bring it to hot rolling temperature, hot rolling
to reduce the ingot down to reroll thickness, cold
rolling to reduce to final gauge, annealing to bring
coil to required mechanical properties, and finishing
to meet the customers requirements for shipment.
1
predetermined thickness, the bottom
block along with the semisolid ingot is
lowered hydraulically into the casting pit.
During this process no molten Aluminum
is allowed to make direct contact with
water. Additional quenching of the ingot
surface is provided by a water curtain
positioned beneath the mould. The water
curtain sprays the hot surface of the
newly formed ingot while it is lowered
into the casting pit, causing the ingot to
solidify completely through thickness
within a short time period. When the cast
ingot reaches its required length, the flow
of molten Aluminum and the descent of the
ingot are stopped.
Typical dimensions of DC cast
ingots vary between 18 to 30 inches in
thickness, 40 to 100 inches in width, and
160 to 320 inches in length. Individual
ingots can weigh between 15,000 and
50,000 lbs. To minimize manufacturing
costs up to eight ingots can be cast
simultaneously.
CC Casting (Continuous Casting)
The continuous casting process
creates a continuous strip of Aluminum
that can be coiled or fed directly into
an in-line rolling process to reduce
the strip’s thickness. There are three
types of continuous casting processes
commercially available. These include
Block casters, Roll casters and Hazelett
Belt casters. Each process applies a thin
layer of molten Aluminum onto a water
cooled metal belt, blocks or roller that
allows the metal to quickly solidify. The
solid cast strip is then immediately hot
rolled to gauge and coiled. This is a near
continuous process where interruptions
usually occur only during maintenance.
The typical finished gauge directly off
of the continuous caster is between
0.060” and 0.30”. Traditional cold rolling
in a separate operation can reduce
the thickness further. In fact many cold
rolling mills will run both Direct Cast
and Continuous Cast products.
(continued)

Hazelett Belt Caster
Comparison between the two
Casting Methods
Capital and Manufacturing Cost:
Manufacturing processes using
traditional Direct Chill cast ingots are
capital intensive. Capital requirements
not only include the costs for the casting
center, but also require manufacturing
equipment for ingot scalping, ingot thermal
treatment, and hot rolling. Processing of
Direct Chill ingots also requires a high
thermal input to reheat ingots for hot
rolling. In comparison, the Continuous
cast process only requires a casting unit
with an in-line hot rolling facility. Energy
costs are minimized by avoiding the
scalping and ingot reheating process
required for the Direct Chill cast product.
Another distinct advantage of the
Continuous cast process is that large
coil sizes can be made available, which
in turn also helps the overall efficiency
of the manufacturing process.
Metallurgical Characteristics:
The Direct Chill cast process allows
a high level of flexibility in establishing
a variety of different metallurgical
characteristics in the final coiled product.
For this reason, a wide variety of alloy
chemistries and tempers are commercially
available for DC cast ingots. There is also
a relatively large overlap in performance
between the various alloy series and
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 2
MARCH • 2009
w w w. i p g . n o v e l i s . c o m
tempers. This situation allows a high This opportunity does not exist for
level of flexibility for the product and Continuous cast products. The as-cast
design engineers to apply Direct Chill surface from the Continuous cast slab
cast Aluminum as a solution for their is immediately rolled following casting.
needs. Direct Chill cast Aluminum is the The end result is that the Continuous
commercial standard for most industrial cast product will have rolled in surface
and commercial applications. defects that are unacceptable for surface
The performance and physical critical applications.
properties of the final Aluminum sheet
Summary
product is defined by its microstructure.
The selection criteria for determining
The microstructure of the Continuous
the suitability of a product for a given
cast product is distinctly different than
application is dependent on a number
that of a Direct Chill cast product. This
of factors. If pricing is the only issue
difference is created during the rapid rate
and a suitable product is commercially
of solidification inherent in the Continuous
available, then Continuous cast products
cast process. Typically, the microstructure
would be an ideal solution. If other
in Continuous cast products is composed
product characteristics such as product
of fine particles that are not uniform in
performance and consistency are
composition, size and distribution. This
required, then costs become irrelevant.
non-uniformity represents a challenge that,
The comparative advantages and
in many cases cannot be rectified. This is
disadvantages of Direct Chill cast and
the reason why special alloys are allocated
Continuous cast products are defined
to Continuous cast products and why
as follows:
there remain only a small number of ideal
applications for this product. Continuous
Product Attribute Continuous Cast
cast products are generally not suitable
for high magnesium bearing alloys, heat Cost.......................................lower cost
treatable alloys, high strength or high Max Coil OD Size..................larger coils
formability applications. Some exceptions
to this rule do exist. In nearly all cases, Product Attribute DC Cast
however, products produced from
Direct Chill cast products outperform Max Coil Width......................wider coils
Continuous cast products. Product Consistency.............superior
High Formability....................wide variety
Surface Cosmetics Characteristics:
High Strength........................wide variety
The solidification of Aluminum creates
Alloy Selection.......................wide variety
an oxide layer on the surface of the cast
Temper Selection...................wide variety
ingot or strip. Product applications that
Surface Appearance..............superior
require a uniform or cosmetically appealing
surface will be seriously affected by the Chem Treat Surfaces............superior
presence of these oxides. Oxides will Heat Treatable.......................exclusive
create a variety of deleterious defects Design Flexibility...................superior
on the surface of the final rolled product.
Formability.............................superior
Additional manufacturing problems
Anti-galling.............................superior
can occur if the surface of the final
High Magnesium...................wide variety
product is chemically treated, etched
or anodized. In some cases, the oxides
can be so severe that defects can show
through thick coatings of paint. For all
product applications where surface is
critical, Continuous cast products are
to be avoided. Oxides are present on
both Direct Chill and Continuous cast ©2008, Novelis Corporation
products. Direct Chill cast products can Authored by: Barney Costello,
be scalped where the surface layer of Product Development & Applications Mgr.
the ingot which contains the oxides are Specialty Products Business Unit
physically machined off prior to rolling. 3/09 Ver. 3