JP7535777B2 - Casting material manufacturing method and manufacturing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and manufacturing device for casting material used in processing metal wire.

Metal wire rods are generally manufactured by subjecting rod-shaped cast material to multiple stages of rolling to produce thin wire. Conventional methods for manufacturing such metal wire rods include producing cast material in a casting device using the Properti process or the like, and then rolling this cast material in multiple stages of rolling devices to obtain wire rod. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a casting device using the Properti process.

As described in Patent Document 1, for example, a casting device using the Properti method is configured to include a casting wheel with a groove on its outer periphery and a steel belt that is an endless steel belt. This casting device rotates the casting wheel together with the steel belt, pours a metal having fluidity into one end of a mold formed by the steel belt and the groove, covers the poured metal from above with the steel belt, and cools it from the groove of the casting wheel and the outside of the steel belt, solidifying it inside and removing the casting material. Such a casting device using the Properti method is configured as a huge device that includes a casting wheel with a diameter of about 2000 mm that has a groove recessed in the center of its outer periphery, a tension wheel, and a steel belt that is wound between the casting wheel and the tension wheel.

On the other hand, Patent Document 2, Non-Patent Document 1, and Non-Patent Document 2 disclose a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method that can produce small casting materials without using the Properti method.

Patent Document 2 discloses a manufacturing apparatus including a chill roll onto whose outer circumferential surface metal is poured, and first and second side members rotatably provided on both sides of the chill roll, and a manufacturing method using the manufacturing apparatus. The first and second side members are provided with a layer having thermal insulation properties, and are configured to form a side dam that holds back the metal poured onto the chill roll.

Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a manufacturing apparatus including a lower roll having a groove on its outer circumferential surface into which metal is poured, and an upper roll arranged so that their outer circumferential surfaces face the lower roll, and a manufacturing method using the manufacturing apparatus. In the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, the upper roll is arranged so that their outer circumferential surfaces face the lower roll across a gap, or so that the outer circumferential surface of the upper roll is embedded inside the groove of the lower roll.

Non-Patent Document 2 discloses a manufacturing apparatus including a lower roll having a groove on its outer circumferential surface into which metal is poured, and an upper roll arranged so that their outer circumferential surfaces face the lower roll with a gap between them, and a manufacturing method using the manufacturing apparatus. In the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, the surface of the metal poured into the groove of the lower roll and brought into a semi-solidified state is cooled by contacting the upper roll.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55-57360 JP 2019-136743 A

Toshio Haga and 1 other person, "Study on Wire Casting", The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Proceedings of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, No. 154-1 (Lecture at the 90th Annual General Meeting of the Kansai Branch), March 2015 Toshio Haga, "Development of Casting Wheel Caster for Wire Rods", Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, FY2017 Private University Research Branding Project, Osaka Institute of Technology, February 2020, pp. 59-62

The casting device using the Properti process disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a device for mass production, and the diameter of the casting material cast by this device is generally large, about 10 cm. Therefore, in order to roll this casting material into wire, a process of thinning it by three-way roll rolling with about 15 stages is required, and a large-scale device including a huge rolling facility is required. On the other hand, in recent years, there has been a demand for small-lot, multi-item production in view of diversifying needs for metal wire and reducing inventory. However, casting devices using the Properti process are not suitable for multi-item, small-lot production because the cost of the equipment is not worth it in the case of small-lot production. In addition, casting devices using the Properti process have a slow cooling rate during casting of about 50°C/sec, making it difficult to densify the material structure, and therefore cannot produce casting materials for obtaining wires with high functions such as high conductivity and high strength.

On the other hand, the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Patent Document 2, Non-Patent Document 1, and Non-Patent Document 2 do not require the Properti method, and small cast materials can be manufactured without large-scale equipment. This allows the number of steps required to obtain wire rod to be reduced, resulting in a manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method suitable for small-lot production. However, after extensive research, the inventors of the present application have found that the above manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method have the following problems.

The apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 can achieve a cooling rate of about 300°C/sec during casting, which is a higher cooling rate than the Properti method. However, the manufacturing apparatus and method disclosed in Patent Document 2 have difficulty in achieving a higher cooling rate because the flow of metal from the chill roll is blocked by a rotating side member with thermal insulation properties.

According to the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, metal can be efficiently cooled between an upper roll and a lower roll, whose outer peripheral surfaces are arranged opposite each other. However, in the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, when the upper roll and the lower roll are arranged opposite each other with a gap between them, there is a problem that burrs are generated as unnecessary protruding parts in the part of the metal between the upper and lower rolls during casting. In addition, when the outer peripheral surface of the upper roll is arranged in a state where it is embedded inside the groove of the lower roll, there is a problem that the cross-sectional area of the cast material varies when the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change.

According to the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, metal can be efficiently cooled between an upper roll and a lower roll whose outer peripheral surfaces are arranged opposite each other. However, in the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, the surface of the metal poured into the groove of the lower roll and in a semi-solidified state is cooled by contacting the upper roll, so there is a problem that the cross-sectional area of the cast material varies when the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the chill roll change. In addition, in the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, the upper roll and the lower roll are arranged opposite each other with a gap between them, so there is also a problem that burrs are easily generated when the peripheral speed of the chill roll is increased.

The present invention aims to provide a manufacturing method and manufacturing device for casting material that does not require large-scale equipment, can reduce the number of processes required to obtain wire rod, is suitable for small-lot production, can produce casting material for obtaining high-performance wire rod that can be cooled efficiently during casting, can suppress the occurrence of burrs, and can easily maintain a constant cross-sectional area of the casting material even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change.

(1) In order to solve the above problem, a manufacturing method for a casting material relating to a certain aspect of this invention is a manufacturing method for a casting material to be used for processing metal wire, and includes a first cooling step in which a metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solid state is poured into a first cooling roll having a groove on its outer peripheral surface while the first cooling roll is rotating and the metal is cooled by the first cooling roll, and a second cooling step in which the metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solid state is cooled by a second cooling roll that rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll downstream in the rotation direction of the first cooling roll from the position where the metal is poured, and the amount of the metal poured into the groove is adjusted and the metal is poured into the groove so that the metal fills a portion of the cross section of the groove at the position where the metal is poured on the first cooling roll and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the position where the second cooling roll contacts the first cooling roll. Examples of metals include aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, copper, and copper alloys such as brass.

According to the above configuration, metal is poured into the grooves on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating first cooling roll, and the metal is cooled by the bottom and both side walls of the groove. Furthermore, the metal inside the groove that moves downstream in the rotation direction together with the groove is also cooled by the outer peripheral surface of the second cooling roll, which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll, downstream in the rotation direction of the first cooling roll. As a result, the metal poured into the grooves of the first cooling roll is cooled and cast by the first cooling roll and the second cooling roll, and a small casting material corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the groove is produced. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is not necessary to use the Properti method, and small casting materials can be produced without requiring large-scale equipment. Therefore, the process for obtaining wire can be reduced, and a manufacturing method suitable for small-lot production can be obtained.

In addition, according to the above configuration, the metal poured into the groove of the rotating first cooling roll is quenched by the bottom surface and both side walls of the groove of the first cooling roll. The metal poured into the groove of the first cooling roll is poured into the groove so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the first cooling roll. Therefore, the poured metal is efficiently cooled by efficiently extracting heat from both side walls of the groove. Furthermore, in addition to being efficiently quenched by the bottom surface and both side walls of the groove, the metal poured into the groove of the first cooling roll is also efficiently quenched by the outer circumferential surface of the second cooling roll, which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll. Therefore, according to the above configuration, a high cooling rate of about 500°C/sec can be easily achieved, and the material structure can be densified, so that a casting material for obtaining a wire having high functions such as high conductivity and high strength can be easily manufactured.

In addition, according to the above configuration, the amount of metal poured into the groove is adjusted so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the first cooling roll, and fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position of the second cooling roll with the first cooling roll. Therefore, even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change, the cross-sectional shape of the metal cast after passing through the contact position between the first cooling roll and the second cooling roll will be a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the groove. This makes it easy to keep the cross-sectional area of the casting material constant even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change. In addition, the metal poured into the first cooling roll is cast and formed in a state where it fills the cross section defined by the groove of the first cooling roll and the outer peripheral surface of the second cooling roll, so the occurrence of burrs is suppressed.

Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to provide a manufacturing method for a casting material that does not require large-scale equipment, can reduce the number of processes required to obtain wire rod, is suitable for small-lot production, can produce a casting material for obtaining a highly functional wire rod that can be efficiently cooled during casting, can suppress the occurrence of burrs, and can easily maintain a constant cross-sectional area of the casting material even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change.

(2) The cross-sectional area of the groove is set to be larger than the opening area of the metal pouring port in the pouring section through which the metal is poured into the first cooling roll, and in the first cooling process, the passing speed of the metal passing through the pouring port may be adjusted to be faster than the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll, thereby adjusting the amount of the metal poured into the groove.

According to the above configuration, the cross-sectional area of the groove is set to be larger than the opening area of the metal pouring port in the pouring section. Then, the amount of metal poured into the groove can be easily adjusted simply by adjusting the circumferential speed of the first cooling roll so that the passing speed of the metal pouring port is relatively faster than the circumferential speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll. In other words, according to the above configuration, the amount of metal poured into the groove can be easily adjusted so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position simply by adjusting the circumferential speed of the first cooling roll relative to the passing speed of the metal pouring port.

( 3 ) In any of the above-mentioned methods for manufacturing a casting material, in the first cooling step, the amount of the metal poured into the groove may be adjusted so that the metal fills a portion of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position, and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position in a state in which the metal is raised higher than the edge of the groove in a region upstream of the contact position in the rotation direction of the first cooling roll and between the outer periphery of the first cooling roll and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll.

According to the above configuration, by forming a portion where the metal is raised above the edge of the groove between the first and second cooling rolls upstream of the contact position, the amount of metal poured into the groove can be easily adjusted while visually checking the state of the metal flowing into the contact position. In other words, according to the above configuration, the amount of metal poured into the groove can be easily adjusted so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position by pouring the metal so that the metal forms a portion where the metal is raised above the edge of the groove between the first and second cooling rolls upstream of the contact position.

( 4 ) In order to solve the above problem, a manufacturing apparatus for casting material according to a certain aspect of the present invention is a manufacturing apparatus for casting material used in processing metal wire, comprising: a first cooling roll having a groove on its outer peripheral surface, into which metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state is poured while rotating to cool the metal; a second cooling roll which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll downstream in the rotational direction of the first cooling roll of a position where the metal is poured, and which cools the metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state; and a pouring section which pours the metal into the groove of the first cooling roll, wherein the pouring section pours the metal into the groove with the amount of the metal poured into the groove adjusted so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the metal on the first cooling roll, and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position of the second cooling roll with the first cooling roll. Examples of metals include aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, copper, and copper alloys such as brass.

According to the above configuration, metal is poured into the grooves on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating first cooling roll, and the metal is cooled by the bottom and both side walls of the groove. Furthermore, the metal inside the groove that moves downstream in the rotation direction together with the groove is also cooled by the outer peripheral surface of the second cooling roll, which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll, downstream in the rotation direction of the first cooling roll. As a result, the metal poured into the grooves of the first cooling roll is cooled and cast by the first cooling roll and the second cooling roll, and a small casting material corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the groove is produced. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is not necessary to use the Properti method, and small casting materials can be produced without requiring large-scale equipment. As a result, the process for obtaining wire can be reduced, and a manufacturing device suitable for small-lot production can be obtained.

In addition, according to the above configuration, the metal poured into the groove of the rotating first cooling roll is quenched by the bottom surface and both side walls of the groove of the first cooling roll. The metal poured into the groove of the first cooling roll is poured into the groove so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the first cooling roll. Therefore, the poured metal is efficiently cooled by efficiently extracting heat from both side walls of the groove. Furthermore, in addition to being efficiently quenched by the bottom surface and both side walls of the groove, the metal poured into the groove of the first cooling roll is also efficiently quenched by the outer circumferential surface of the second cooling roll, which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll. Therefore, according to the above configuration, a high cooling rate of about 500°C/sec can be easily achieved, and the material structure can be densified, so that a casting material for obtaining a wire having high functions such as high conductivity and high strength can be easily manufactured.

In addition, according to the above configuration, the amount of metal poured into the groove is adjusted so that the metal fills a part of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the first cooling roll, and fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position of the second cooling roll with the first cooling roll. Therefore, even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change, the cross-sectional shape of the metal cast after passing through the contact position between the first cooling roll and the second cooling roll will be a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the groove. This makes it easy to keep the cross-sectional area of the casting material constant even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change. In addition, the metal poured into the first cooling roll is cast and formed in a state where it fills the cross section defined by the groove of the first cooling roll and the outer peripheral surface of the second cooling roll, so the occurrence of burrs is suppressed.

Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to provide a manufacturing device for casting material that does not require large-scale equipment, can reduce the number of processes required to obtain wire rod, is suitable for small-lot production, can produce casting material for obtaining high-performance wire rod that can be cooled efficiently during casting, can suppress the occurrence of burrs, and can easily maintain the cross-sectional area of the casting material constant even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a manufacturing method and manufacturing device for cast material that does not require large-scale equipment, can reduce the number of processes required to obtain wire rod, is suitable for small-lot production, can produce cast material for obtaining high-performance wire rod that can be efficiently cooled during casting, can suppress the occurrence of burrs, and can easily maintain the cross-sectional area of the cast material constant even if the temperature of the poured metal and the temperature of the cooling roll change.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus for a casting material used in processing a metal wire. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the casting material manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a first cooling roll in the apparatus for producing a casting material, as viewed in a direction parallel to the radial direction of the first cooling roll. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a portion of the casting material manufacturing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views each showing a schematic cross section of a portion of the casting material manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 4, where (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4, (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 4, (C) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 4, and (D) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 4. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for manufacturing a casting material to be used for processing a metal wire. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a casting material produced by the casting material production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a casting material produced by the casting material production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a portion of a casting material produced by the casting material production apparatus shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the casting material produced by the casting material production apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in a state wound into a single coil.

The following describes the embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[1. Casting material manufacturing equipment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a casting material used in processing a metal wire, and is a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a casting material according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, the "manufacturing apparatus 1 for a casting material" will also be simply referred to as the "manufacturing apparatus 1"). FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a first cooling roll 10 in the manufacturing apparatus 1, as viewed from a direction parallel to the radial direction of the first cooling roll 10. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged schematic view of a part of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic cross section of a part of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4, where (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4, (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 4, (C) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 4, and (D) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 4. 1, 2, 4 and 5 show a state in which a metal 100 is cast by the manufacturing apparatus 1 to produce a casting material 110.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the manufacturing device 1 for the casting material used in processing metal wire is configured to include at least a first cooling roll 10, a second cooling roll 11, and a molten metal pouring section 12. In the manufacturing device 1, the metal 100 poured from the molten metal pouring section 12 onto the outer peripheral surface of the first cooling roll 10 is cooled and solidified by the first cooling roll 10 while moving smoothly along the rotation direction of the first cooling roll 10 without clogging, and is further cooled by the second cooling roll 11 to produce the casting material 110 used in processing metal wire.

[1-1. First cooling roll]
The first cooling roll 10 has grooves 20 on its outer circumferential surface, and is configured as a roll in which metal 100 in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state is poured into the grooves 20 while rotating to cool the metal 100. The rotation shaft of the first cooling roll 10 is installed so as to extend along the horizontal direction. That is, the first cooling roll 10 is provided so as to rotate about a horizontal axis. In addition, the rotation shaft of the first cooling roll 10 is configured so as to be rotated by an electric motor whose rotation speed (number of rotations) can be arbitrarily set within a predetermined speed range.

The first cooling roll 10 is not a large roll (roll diameter of about 2000 mm, roll width of about 100 mm) like the cooling roll used in the conventional Properti method, but a small roll with a roll diameter of about 600 mm and a roll width (i.e., the dimension in the width direction parallel to the rotation axis) of 40 mm or less, preferably a roll width of 20 mm or less, and more preferably a roll width of 10 mm or less. The first cooling roll 10 is made of a material suitable for cooling the poured molten or semi-solidified metal 100, such as copper or a copper alloy, or mild steel. The first cooling roll 10 is preferably made of copper in order to increase the cooling efficiency of the molten or semi-solidified metal 100, and may be configured to be cooled more efficiently by a cooling device such as a water-cooling type.

A groove 20 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first cooling roll 10. The groove 20 is formed so as to extend in the circumferential direction around the entire circumference of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10. The cross-sectional shape of the groove 20 is formed in a trapezoidal shape. That is, the line where the outer peripheral surface of the first cooling roll 10 intersects with the plane including the rotation axis of the first cooling roll 10 includes a line segment that is one of the upper and lower bases of the trapezoid and a line segment that is a pair of legs of the trapezoid. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 20 is formed in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. With reference to FIG. 3, the surface of the groove 20 is defined by a bottom surface portion 20a that defines one of the upper and lower bases in the cross-sectional shape of the trapezoid, and a side wall portion 20b that defines each of a pair of legs in the cross-sectional shape of the trapezoid. In addition, on both sides of the width direction of the groove 20 on the outer peripheral surface of the first cooling roll 10, edge portions 20c of the groove 20 are provided. The outer peripheral surface of the first cooling roll 10 is composed of the surface of the bottom portion 20a, the surface of the side wall portion 20b, and the surface of the edge portion 20c.

Metal 100 in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state is poured into the first cooling roll 10 from the pouring section 12 described later in the groove 20. The pouring position P1, which is the position where the metal 100 is poured into the first cooling roll 10, is set upstream in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 with respect to the apex position P0, which is the highest position on the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 rotating around a horizontal axis. Note that in Figures 1 and 3, the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 is indicated by an arrow X1. Also, in Figure 1, the pouring position P1 on the first cooling roll 10 is set at a position that is a distance L1 away from the apex position P0 of the first cooling roll 10 along the circumferential direction toward the upstream side of the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10. The distance L1 along the outer circumference of the first cooling roll 10 from the apex position P0 to the pouring position P1 is set to, for example, 60 mm if the roll diameter dimension of the first cooling roll 10 is 600 mm and the roll width dimension is 10 mm.

[1-2. Second cooling roll]
The second cooling roll 11 rotates with its outer periphery in contact with the first cooling roll 10 downstream of the metal pouring position P1 in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10, and is configured as a roll for cooling the metal 100 in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state. The rotation axis of the second cooling roll 11 is installed above the first cooling roll 10 and is installed so as to extend along the horizontal direction. That is, the second cooling roll 11 is provided so as to rotate around a horizontal axis above the first cooling roll 10. In addition, the rotation axis of the second cooling roll 11 is configured to be rotated and driven by an electric motor whose rotation speed (number of rotations) can be arbitrarily set within a predetermined speed range.

The second cooling roll 11 is provided as a roll having a smaller roll diameter than the first cooling roll 10, and is configured as a roll having a roll diameter of, for example, about 300 mm. The second cooling roll 11 is set, for example, so that the roll width dimension is the same as the roll width dimension of the first cooling roll 10. The second cooling roll 11 is made of a material suitable for cooling the metal 100 in a molten state or a semi-solidified state, and is made of, for example, copper or a copper alloy, mild steel, etc. The second cooling roll 11 is preferably made of copper in order to increase the cooling efficiency of the metal 100 in a molten state or a semi-solidified state, and may be configured to be cooled more efficiently by, for example, a water-cooled cooling device.

The outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11 is formed in the shape of the outer periphery of a low cylinder. The outer periphery surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11 is formed as the surface of a low cylinder, and is a surface that extends flat in the circumferential direction without grooves. Therefore, the line where the outer periphery surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11 and the plane including the rotation axis of the second cooling roll 11 intersect is a straight line. The second cooling roll 11 is also installed so that the outer periphery rotates while contacting the first cooling roll 10. More specifically, the second cooling roll 11 is installed so that the outer periphery rotates while the outer periphery surface 21 abuts and contacts the edge portion 20c of the outer periphery surface of the first cooling roll 10. Therefore, the rotation axis of the second cooling roll 11 and the rotation axis of the first cooling roll 10 are installed so as to extend parallel to each other, and are installed in a state where the distance between them is equal to the sum of the roll radius dimension of the second cooling roll 11 and the roll radius dimension of the first cooling roll 10. In addition, the second cooling roll 11 and the first cooling roll 10 rotate with their outer circumferences in contact with each other, and the roll width dimensions are set to be the same. Therefore, the second cooling roll 11 is arranged along the same plane that spreads along the vertical direction with respect to the first cooling roll 10. In this embodiment, the roll width dimension of the second cooling roll 11 is set to be the same as the roll width dimension of the first cooling roll 10, but this is not necessary. The roll width dimension of the second cooling roll 11 may be set to be larger than the roll width dimension of the first cooling roll 10. Alternatively, even if the roll width dimension of the second cooling roll 11 is set to be smaller than the roll width dimension of the first cooling roll 10, it is sufficient that the roll width dimension of the second cooling roll 11 is set to be larger than the width of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 so as to abut against the edge portion 20c of the groove 20.

The outer peripheral surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11 contacts the first cooling roll 10 at a position downstream of the pouring position P1 in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10. The contact position P2, where the second cooling roll 11 contacts the first cooling roll 10, is set downstream of the apex position P0 of the first cooling roll 10 in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10. In FIG. 1, the contact position P2 of the second cooling roll 11 with the first cooling roll 10 is set at a position away from the apex position P0 of the first cooling roll 10 by a distance L2 along the circumferential direction toward the downstream side of the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10. The distance L2 along the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 from the apex position P0 to the contact position P2 is set to be the same as the distance L1, for example, and is set to be 60 mm, for example, when the roll diameter dimension of the first cooling roll 10 is 600 mm and the roll width dimension is 10 mm.

The second cooling roll 11 rotates in a rotation direction X2 while in contact with the first cooling roll 10 at a contact position P2. In addition, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the rotation direction X2 of the second cooling roll 11 is indicated by an arrow X2. The rotation direction X2 of the second cooling roll 11 is set in the opposite direction to the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10. For example, when viewed from a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the first cooling roll 10 and the rotation axis of the second cooling roll 11, if the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 is counterclockwise, the rotation direction X2 of the second cooling roll 11 is set in the clockwise direction. At the contact position P2 of the second cooling roll 11 with the first cooling roll 10, the metal 100 that has been poured into the groove 20 and moved with the rotation of the first cooling roll 10 while being cooled by the first cooling roll 10 also comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11. The metal 100 comes into contact with the second cooling roll 11 and is also cooled by the second cooling roll 11, completing the casting and forming the casting material 110. The formed casting material 110 is sent downstream in the rotation direction (X1, X2) by the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11, which rotate in opposite directions. Then, the casting material 110 sent downstream in the rotation direction (X1, X2) of the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11 from the contact position P2 is separated (released) from the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10.

[1-3. Pouring section]
The pouring section 12 is configured as a mechanism for pouring metal 100 into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10. The pouring section 12 is configured to include at least a tundish 22a that stores molten metal 100 melted in a melting furnace (not shown), and a nozzle 22b that is provided at the bottom of the tundish 22a and communicates with the inside of the tundish 22a.

In the pouring section 12, the metal 100 stored in the tundish 22a in a molten state is poured from the nozzle 22b and poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10. In this embodiment, a gutter 13 through which the metal 100 poured from the nozzle 22b flows is installed between the nozzle 22b and the first cooling roll 10. In this embodiment, the pouring section 12 is configured to pour the metal 100 from the nozzle 22b and pour it into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 through the gutter 13. The gutter 13 is provided below the nozzle 22b so as to extend diagonally downward toward the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10. The gutter 13 has a V-shaped cross section that crosses the direction in which the metal 100 pours from the nozzle 22b and flows diagonally downward along the gutter 13, and near the outlet of the lower end of the gutter 13, the width of the flowing metal 100 is smaller than the width of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10. In this embodiment, a gutter 13 is provided between the nozzle 22b and the first cooling roll 10, and the pouring section 12 is configured to pour the metal 100 discharged from the nozzle 22b into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 through the gutter 13, but this is not limited to the example. For example, a form in which the gutter 13 is not provided and the nozzle 22b is disposed closer to the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 may be implemented. In this case, there is no gutter 13 between the nozzle 22b and the first cooling roll 10, and the pouring section 12 is configured to pour the metal 100 discharged from the nozzle 22b directly from the nozzle 22b into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10.

The nozzle 22b is provided with a pouring port 22c that communicates with the inside of the tundish 22a and opens to the outside to pour the metal 100 (see FIG. 2). The opening area of the pouring port 22c is set to an area required for the viscous molten metal 100 to be smoothly extruded, for example, set to ⁶ mm2 or more. In this embodiment, when the opening area of the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b is set, the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 into which the metal 100 poured from the pouring port 22c is poured is set so that the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 is larger than the opening area of the pouring port 22c.

In addition, in the pouring section 12, the amount of metal 100 poured from the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b to the first cooling roll 10 during pouring by the pouring section 12 (the amount of metal 100 poured per unit time) is adjusted to be a constant amount. More specifically, the liquid level of the molten metal 100 inside the tundish 22a (i.e., the liquid level height of the molten metal 100 from the position of the nozzle 22b inside the tundish 22a) is controlled to be constant. This makes the pressure acting on the nozzle 22b from the metal 100 stored in the tundish 22a constant, and the amount of metal 100 poured from the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b is adjusted to be constant.

In addition, in the pouring section 12, the passing speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b is adjusted to be faster than the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10, thereby adjusting the amount of metal poured into the groove 20. In this adjustment, it is sufficient that the passing speed of the pouring port 22c of the metal 100 is relatively faster than the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10. For this reason, the passing speed of the pouring port 22c of the metal 100 may be set and then the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 may be set slower than the passing speed, or the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 may be set and then the passing speed of the pouring port 22c of the metal 100 may be set faster than the peripheral speed. The outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 is a part that defines the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 and is configured as a part that forms the groove 20 in the first cooling roll 10. The peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10, which is determined in relation to the passing speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b, can be the peripheral speed of any part of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10. For example, the peripheral speed of the bottom surface portion 20a of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 may be used. Alternatively, the peripheral speed of the edge portion 20c of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 may be used. Alternatively, the peripheral speed of a predetermined position on the side wall portion 20b of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 may be used.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1, as described above, the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 is set to be larger than the opening area of the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b of the pouring section 12, and the amount of the metal 100 poured is adjusted so that the passing speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring port 22c is faster than the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10. Therefore, the area of the cross section perpendicular to the moving direction of the metal 100 poured from the pouring port 22c of the pouring section 12 into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 and moving downstream in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 together with the groove 20 inside the groove 20 gradually increases. That is, the proportion of the area of the cross section of the groove 20 occupied by the metal 100 moving downstream in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 together with the groove 20 inside the groove 20 increases as it moves downstream in the rotation direction X1. Therefore, as the metal 100 approaches the contact position P2 from the pouring position P1, the ratio of the area occupied by the metal 100 in the cross section of the groove 20 gradually increases as shown in Figures 5(A) to (C). Therefore, by adjusting the relationship between the passing speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring gate 22c and the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10, the amount of metal 100 poured from the pouring section 12 can be easily adjusted so that the entire cross section of the groove 20 is filled at the contact position P2. Then, in the pouring section 12, the metal 100 is poured into the groove 20 with the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 adjusted so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 as shown in Figure 5(A), and the metal 100 fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2 as shown in Figure 5(D).

The amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 can be easily adjusted by adjusting one of the passing speed of the metal 100 at the pouring gate 22c and the peripheral speed of the first cooling roll 10 relative to the other while visually checking the flow state of the metal 100 at the pouring position P1 and the contact position P2. This adjusts the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 and fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2. The passing speed of the metal 100 at the pouring gate 22c is adjusted by changing the liquid level of the metal 100 in the tundish 22a. The peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 is adjusted by changing the rotation speed of the electric motor that drives the first cooling roll 10.

The amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 can be adjusted not only by the above-mentioned adjustment method in which the flow state of the metal 100 at the pouring position P1 and the contact position P2 is visually checked, but also by other adjustment methods. As another adjustment method, a method can be selected in which the passing speed of the metal 100 through the pouring gate 22c and the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 are preset so that the passing volume speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring gate 22c and the passing volume speed of the metal 100 passing through the contact position P2 are matched.

In the case of the other adjustment method described above, specifically, the passing speed of the metal 100 through the pouring gate 22c and the peripheral speed of the first cooling roll 10 are set so that the product of the opening area of the pouring gate 22c and the passing speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring gate 22c is the same as the product of the cross-sectional area of the area surrounded by the groove 20 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11 at the contact position P2 and the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10. As a result, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so that the passing volume speed of the metal 100 at the pouring gate 22c and the contact position P2 is the same. Note that the area surrounded by the groove 20 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11 at the contact position P2 is the area surrounded by the bottom surface portion 20a and both side wall portions 20b of the groove 20 and the outer periphery 21 of the second cooling roll 11 at the contact position P2.

[2. Manufacturing method of casting material]
Next, a method for manufacturing a cast material according to the present embodiment, which is carried out using the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, will be described. Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of a method for manufacturing a cast material to be used for processing a metal wire, and is a flow chart of a method for manufacturing a cast material according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, the "method for manufacturing a cast material" will also be simply referred to as the "manufacturing method"). In the following description, the flow chart will be used together with other figures as appropriate.

Metals used in the manufacturing method of this embodiment for producing the casting material include, for example, Al (aluminum)-based metals, Mg (magnesium)-based metals, Cu (copper)-based metals, and Zn (zinc)-based metals, but the application of the manufacturing method of this embodiment is not limited to specific metals. For example, when producing a casting material by melting an Al-based metal in a melting furnace, aluminum-based metal 100 melted at about 700°C is stored in the tundish 22a of the pouring section 12. Then, while continuing to store the molten metal 100 in the tundish 22a, continuous casting is performed by the manufacturing method of this embodiment to produce the casting material 110.

In the production of the casting material 110, first, metal is poured from the pouring section 12 to the rotating first cooling roll 10 (step S101). At this time, the molten metal 100 is poured from the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b connected to the tundish 22a in the pouring section 12. Then, the metal 100 poured from the pouring port 22c flows on the trough 13 and is poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 at the pouring position P1. The metal 100 poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 is cooled by the first cooling roll 10 while moving downstream in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 together with the groove 20 inside the groove 20 (step S102). More specifically, the metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is cooled by the bottom surface portion 20a and both side wall portions 20b of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10.

The process of step S101 of pouring metal 100 onto the first cooling roll 10 and the process of step S102 of cooling the metal 100 by the first cooling roll 10 constitute the first cooling step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment. That is, the first cooling step of this embodiment is configured to pour metal 100 in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state into the groove 20 while the first cooling roll 10 having a groove 20 on its outer circumferential surface is rotating, and to cool the metal 100 by the first cooling roll 10.

The metal 100 poured into the groove 20 moves downstream of the first cooling roll 10 in the rotation direction X1 together with the groove 20 while being cooled inside the groove 20, and reaches the contact position P2. Then, when the metal 100 reaches the contact position P2, it is cooled by the second cooling roll 11 which rotates while contacting the first cooling roll 10 at its outer periphery (step S103). That is, when the metal 100 reaches the contact position P2, it is rapidly cooled not only by the surface of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10, but also by cooling from the outer periphery 21 of the second cooling roll 11.

The process of step S103 in which the metal 100 is cooled by the second cooling roll 11 constitutes the second cooling step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment. That is, the second cooling step of this embodiment is configured to cool the metal 100 in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state by the second cooling roll 11, which rotates with its outer periphery in contact with the first cooling roll 10 downstream of the pouring position of the metal 100 in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10.

When the metal 100 passes through the contact position P2, the process of step S103 in which the metal 100 is cooled by the second cooling roll 11 is completed, and the metal 100 is formed as the cast material 110. The formed cast material 110 is sent downstream in the rotation direction (X1, X2) by the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11, which rotate in opposite directions. Then, the cast material 110 sent downstream in the rotation direction (X1, X2) of the first and second cooling rolls (10, 11) from the contact position P2 is separated (released) from the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 (step S104). By releasing from the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10, the production of the cast material 110 is completed. The produced cast material 110 is then used for processing metal wire.

Here, the first cooling step (steps S101 and S102) of the manufacturing method of this embodiment will be further described. In the first cooling step, in which metal 100 is poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 and cooled by the first cooling roll 10, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so that, as shown in FIG. 5(A), the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1, and, as shown in FIG. 5(D), the metal 100 fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2.

In addition, in the first cooling step, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 and fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2, and the metal 100 is poured into the groove 20. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the cross-sectional area of the metal 100 inside the groove 20 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 between the pouring position P1 and the contact position P2. Therefore, in the first cooling step, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so that the cross-sectional area of the metal 100 inside the groove 20 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 between the pouring position P1 and the contact position P2, and the metal 100 fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2.

In the first cooling step, the metal 100 fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2, so that a paddle 120 is formed as a portion of the metal 100 that is raised above the edge 20c of the groove 20 due to surface tension just before the metal 100 flows into the contact position P2, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 (C). That is, a paddle 120 is formed as a portion of the metal 100 that is raised above the edge 20c of the groove 20 in a region upstream of the contact position P2 in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 and between the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11.

Therefore, in the first cooling step, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1, and fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2 in a state where the metal 100 is raised above the edge 20c of the groove 20 in the region upstream of the contact position P2 in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10 and between the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11.

The amount of metal 100 poured into groove 20 in the first cooling step can be adjusted by a method in which the flow state of metal 100 at pouring position P1 and contact position P2 is visually checked, as described above. In this case, by visually checking the flow state of metal 100 into contact position P2 and visually confirming that a paddle 120 has been formed, it is easy to confirm that the entire cross section of groove 20 is filled at contact position P2.

The amount of metal 100 poured into groove 20 in the first cooling step can also be adjusted by the adjustment method of adjusting the amount of metal 100 poured into groove 20 so that the passing volumetric speed of metal 100 at pouring gate 22c and contact position P2 is the same, as described above. In the case of this adjustment method, in the first cooling step, the amount of metal 100 poured into groove 20 is adjusted so that the product of the opening area of pouring gate 22c of pouring section 12 and the passing speed of metal 100 passing through pouring gate 22c is the same as the product of the cross-sectional area of the region surrounded by groove 20 and the outer periphery of second cooling roll 11 at contact position P2 and the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of first cooling roll 10, and metal 100 is poured into groove 20. In addition, if the opening area of the pouring gate 22c is Sp, the passing speed of the metal 100 passing through the pouring gate 22c is Vp, the cross-sectional area of the region surrounded by the groove 20 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11 at contact position P2 is Sr, and the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 is Vr, then in the first cooling process, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so as to satisfy the following formula (1).
Sp×Vp=Sr×Vr...(1)
That is, in the first cooling process, when the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted using an adjustment method for matching the passing volumetric speed, the opening area Sp of the pouring gate 22c, the passing speed Vp of the metal 100 at the pouring gate 22c, the cross-sectional area Sr of the area surrounded by the groove 20 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11 at the contact position P2, and the peripheral speed Vr of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 are each set so as to satisfy the above formula (1).

3. Examples
The present embodiment was verified by an example in which the manufacturing apparatus 1 was used to manufacture a casting material.

In this embodiment, the first cooling roll 10 was a disc-shaped copper roll having a roll width dimension W1 of 10 mm (see FIG. 3) and a roll diameter dimension of 600 mm. The shape of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 was set to 8 mm for the distance dimension W2 between both edge portions 20c, 20c of the groove 20, 4 mm for the width direction dimension W3 of the bottom surface portion 20a of the groove 20, and 5 mm for the depth dimension Dp of the groove 20 in the roll radial direction, with reference to FIG. 3. As a result, the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 was set to 30 ^mm2 . By setting the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 to ^{30 mm2} , the cross-sectional area Sr of the region surrounded by the groove 20 at the contact position P2 and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll 11 was also set to ³⁰ mm2. The first cooling roll 10 was not forcedly cooled using a refrigerant.

The second cooling roll 11 was a copper disk with a roll width of 10 mm and a roll diameter of 300 mm. The outer peripheral surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11 was a surface that had no grooves and extended flat in the circumferential direction. The second cooling roll 11 was not subjected to forced cooling using a refrigerant.

The opening area Sp of the pouring port 22c of the nozzle 22b of the pouring section 12 was set to ⁶ mm2. The passing speed Vp of the metal 100 passing through the pouring port 22c when pouring the metal 100 from the pouring section 12 was set to 5 m/min. As a result, the amount of metal 100 poured from the pouring section 12 onto the first cooling roll 10 (the amount of metal 100 poured per unit time) was set to 2500 ^mm3 /sec.

The peripheral speed Vr of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 was set as the peripheral speed Vr of the bottom surface portion 20a, and was set to 1 m/min. As a result, the product of the cross-sectional area Sr of the region surrounded by the groove 20 and the outer periphery 21 of the first cooling roll 10 at the contact position P2 and the peripheral speed Vr of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 was set to 2500 ^mm3 /sec, which is the same as the amount of metal 100 poured from the pouring portion 12 onto the first cooling roll 10.

The pouring position P1 was set at a position where the distance L1 along the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 from the apex position P0 to the pouring position P1 was 60 mm. The contact position P2 was set at a position where the distance L2 along the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10 from the apex position P0 to the contact position P2 was 60 mm.

In the embodiment, aluminum-based metal AC7A was used as the metal 100, and the casting material was manufactured using the manufacturing device 1 set under the above-mentioned conditions. As a result, the metal 100 poured from the pouring section 12 was rapidly cooled by the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11, and a cooling rate of 500°C/sec or more was achieved from the time the metal was poured from the pouring section 12 until it passed through the contact position P2.

In the examples, the casting material was produced using the production apparatus 1, and the casting material shown in Figs. 7 to 10 was obtained. Figs. 7 to 10 are diagrams showing the casting material according to the examples produced by the production apparatus 1. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the casting material according to the examples, Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the casting material according to the examples, Fig. 9 is a bottom view of a portion of the casting material according to the examples, and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the casting material according to the examples wound into a single coil.

As shown in Figures 7 to 10, the casting material obtained in the examples was a small casting material with no burrs and a constant cross-sectional shape in the circumferential direction. The casting material obtained in the examples had a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the groove 20, and had a constant cross-sectional area. In the examples, even if the temperature of the poured metal 100 and the temperatures of the first and second cooling rolls (10, 11) changed during the production of the casting material by the production device 1, no special adjustment of these temperatures was performed. Therefore, in the examples, it was confirmed that the cross-sectional area of the casting material can be easily made constant even if the temperature of the poured metal 100 and the temperature of the cooling rolls (10, 11) changed.

4. Effects of this embodiment
As described above, according to this embodiment, the metal 100 is poured into the groove 20 on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating first cooling roll 10, and the metal 100 is cooled by the bottom surface portion 20a and both side wall portions 20b of the groove 20. Furthermore, the metal 100 moving downstream in the rotation direction X1 together with the groove 20 inside the groove 20 is also cooled by the outer circumferential surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11, which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll 10, downstream in the rotation direction X1 of the first cooling roll 10. As a result, the metal 100 poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 is cooled and cast by the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11, and a small casting material 110 corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 is produced. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is not necessary to use the Properti method, and a small casting material 110 can be produced without requiring a large-scale device. Therefore, the process for obtaining a wire can be reduced, and a manufacturing method and manufacturing device 1 suitable for small-lot production can be obtained.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the metal 100 poured into the groove 20 of the rotating first cooling roll 10 is quenched by the bottom surface 20a and both side walls 20b of the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10. The metal 100 poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 is poured into the groove 20 so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 into the first cooling roll 10. Therefore, the poured metal 100 is efficiently cooled by efficiently extracting heat from the both side walls 20b of the groove 20. Furthermore, the metal 100 poured into the groove 20 of the first cooling roll 10 is efficiently quenched by the bottom surface 20a and both side walls 20b of the groove 20, and is also efficiently quenched by the outer circumferential surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11, which rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll 10. Therefore, according to this embodiment, a high cooling rate of about 500°C/sec can be easily achieved, and the material structure can be densified, so that the casting material 110 for obtaining wire with high functionality such as high conductivity and high strength can be easily manufactured.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 is adjusted so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 of the metal 100 onto the first cooling roll 10, and fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2 of the second cooling roll 11 with the first cooling roll 10. Therefore, even if the temperature of the poured metal 100 and the temperature of the cooling rolls (10, 11) change, the cross-sectional shape of the metal 100 cast after passing through the contact position P2 between the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the groove 20. As a result, the cross-sectional area of the casting material 110 can be easily kept constant even if the temperature of the poured metal 100 and the temperature of the cooling rolls (10, 11) change. In addition, the metal poured into the first cooling roll 10 is cast and shaped in a state that fills the cross section defined by the grooves 20 of the first cooling roll 10 and the outer peripheral surface 21 of the second cooling roll 11, thereby suppressing the occurrence of burrs.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus 1 for a casting material that does not require large-scale equipment, can reduce the number of processes required to obtain wire rod, is suitable for small-lot production, can produce a casting material 110 for obtaining a highly functional wire rod that can be efficiently cooled during casting, can suppress the occurrence of burrs, and can easily maintain the cross-sectional area of the casting material 110 constant even if the temperature of the poured metal 100 and the temperature of the cooling rolls (10, 11) change.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the groove 20 is set to be larger than the opening area of the pouring port 22c of the metal 100 in the pouring section 12. Then, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 can be easily adjusted by simply adjusting the peripheral speed of the first cooling roll 10 so that the passing speed of the pouring port 22c of the metal 100 is relatively faster than the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll 10. That is, according to this embodiment, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 can be easily adjusted so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 and the metal 100 fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2 by simply adjusting the peripheral speed of the first cooling roll 10 relative to the passing speed of the metal 100 through the pouring port 22c.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the metal 100 forms a paddle 120 between the first cooling roll 10 and the second cooling roll 11 upstream of the contact position P2, which is a portion that is raised above the edge portion 20c of the groove 20. This makes it possible to easily adjust the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 while visually checking the flow state of the metal 100 into the contact position P2. That is, according to this embodiment, the amount of metal 100 poured into the groove 20 can be easily adjusted so that the metal 100 fills a part of the cross section of the groove 20 at the pouring position P1 and fills the entire cross section of the groove 20 at the contact position P2 by pouring the metal 100 so that the metal 100 forms a paddle 120, which is a portion that is raised above the edge portion 20c of the groove 20, between the first and second cooling rolls (10, 11) upstream of the contact position P2.

The present invention makes it possible to produce a casting material that can produce high-performance wire without the need for large-scale equipment and by reducing the number of steps required to obtain wire. It also makes it possible to easily produce casting material with a constant cross-sectional area that suppresses the generation of burrs.

Reference Signs List 1 Casting material manufacturing apparatus 10 First cooling roll 11 Second cooling roll 12 Pouring section 20 Groove 100 Metal 110 Casting material 120 Paddle

Claims (4)

A method for producing a casting material to be used for processing a metal wire, comprising the steps of:
a first cooling step of pouring a metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state into a first cooling roll having a groove on an outer circumferential surface thereof while the first cooling roll is rotating, and cooling the metal by the first cooling roll;
a second cooling step of cooling the metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state by a second cooling roll that rotates while contacting the outer periphery of the first cooling roll downstream of a pouring position of the metal in a rotation direction of the first cooling roll,
A method for manufacturing a casting material, characterized in that in the first cooling process, the amount of metal poured into the groove is adjusted so that the metal fills a portion of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the metal on the first cooling roll, and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position of the second cooling roll with the first cooling roll. A method for producing the casting material according to claim 1,
a cross-sectional area of the groove is set to be larger than an opening area of a metal pouring port in a pouring section through which the metal is poured onto the first cooling roll,
A method for manufacturing a casting material, characterized in that in the first cooling process, the passing speed of the metal passing through the pouring port is adjusted to be faster than the peripheral speed of the outer periphery of the first cooling roll, thereby adjusting the amount of the metal poured into the groove. A method for producing a casting material according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the steps of :
a first cooling step for controlling the amount of the metal poured into the groove so that the metal fills a portion of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position, and the metal fills the entire cross section of the groove at the contact position in a state in which the metal is raised higher than the edge of the groove in a region upstream of the contact position in the rotation direction of the first cooling roll and between the outer periphery of the first cooling roll and the outer periphery of the second cooling roll, the amount of the metal poured into the groove being adjusted, and the metal is poured into the groove. A manufacturing apparatus for a casting material used in processing a metal wire, comprising:
a first cooling roll having grooves on its outer circumferential surface, into which metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state is poured while rotating to cool the metal;
a second cooling roll that rotates while its outer periphery is in contact with the first cooling roll downstream of the position where the metal is poured in the rotation direction of the first cooling roll, and cools the metal in at least one of a molten state and a semi-solidified state;
a pouring section that pours the metal into the groove of the first cooling roll,
The pouring section pours the metal into the groove while adjusting the amount of the metal poured into the groove so that the metal fills a portion of the cross section of the groove at the pouring position of the metal on the first cooling roll, and fills an entire cross section of the groove at the contact position of the second cooling roll with the first cooling roll.