Development and use of a new composite material for aluminium contact applications Edited by
TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society), 2004
DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF A NEW COMPOSITE MATERIAL
FOR ALUMINIUM CONTACT APPLICATIONS
Sylvain P. Tremblay , Pyrotek High-Temperature Industrial Products Inc., Chicoutimi (Québec), Canada
Mark Vincent, Pyrotek Engineering Materials Ltd, Garamond Drive, Wymbush, Milton Keynes, Buks MK8 8LN, United Kingdom
Abstract
A new composite material consisting mainly of fiberglass fabric
embedded in a calcium silicate CaSiO3 slurry will be described.
Its properties as well as its behavior in contact with molten
aluminium will also be presented.
Many plant case studies using this composite material, known as
“RFM” will be detailed. Using its outstanding properties, RFM
has improved molten metal quality in many applications.
Applications such as control pin, AutoPour ladle, continuous rod
casting launder and ReMAD will be detailed. Actual plant results
in terms of metal quality improvement, leading to a lower cost/ton
usage, will be shown in these applications.
Introduction
Molten aluminium is a very aggressive material, and especially
high magnesium alloys (Mg > 3%) when in contact with other
materials. There are a lot of good refractory materials available on
the market. However, these materials are quite dense and fragile
by nature. Pyrotek has developed a new composite material that is
chemically inert from molten aluminium attack. It is mechanically
stronger than a typical refractory castable due to the incorporation
of fiberglass fabric into the matrix. This material called RFM, an
acronym for Reinforced Fiberglass Material, is suitable for
complex shapes and thin wall parts.
In many aluminium contact applications, due to the limited
properties of existing refractories, it is difficult to solve
engineering and design problems. The use of RFM has opened a
new avenue in component designs that come in contact with
molten aluminium. This paper will present some of the most
significant RFM improvements over materials currently in use.
These improvements have led to better metal quality and to lower
costs/ton.
Four (4) different applications will be described in detail:
ReMAD (Reusable Molten Aluminum Distributor)
AutoPour ladle
Continuous rod casting launder
Control pin
Direct comparison with the actual material, cost savings and metal
quality improvement for each application will also be addressed.
1
RFM Material Description
RFM was developed in response to a desire for a new refractory
material having the following properties:
Light, thin, strong and crack resistant material
Low mass and thermal conductivity
Excellent aluminium chemical resistance
No preheating required
Suitable for complex shapes
Easy to clean
To meet the required properties detailed above a special slurry
based on calcium silicate (CaSiO3) had to be developed. The
slurry has special non-wetting agents designed for molten
aluminium contact. The slurry was engineered with coupling
agents to enhance an intimate contact between the refractory
slurry and the fiberglass fabric reinforcing material. The fiberglass
fabrics used in the construction process depend on the final
product requirements. The fabrics can vary from a very open
matrix to very closed. The number of strands in the fabric
construction can also be varied to increase the final material
strength. Finally, the number of fabric layers embedded within the
slurry can also be varied. The fiberglass fabric prevents crack
propagation when the material is under mechanical and thermal
loads. The RFM material can be produced with a thickness range
between 2 mm to 25 mm, but typically the thickness is around
5 mm to 10 mm. The typical properties of RFM are shown in
Table I.
The RFM material can be produced in flat sheets or molded into
complex parts. It is a flexible and versatile material. The
following plant examples will illustrate the unique nature and
properties of the RFM material.
Table I: Typical Properties of RFM Material
RFM refractory material
Density 1600 Kg/m3
M.O.R. 21.5 MPa
Maximum Service Temperature 1100 °C
Thermal Conductivity
0.43 W/(m 0K)
@ 500 °C
Thermal Expansion
0.9
(mm/mm/ °C) x 10E-6
The RFM material and related products manufactured from RFM
are covered by various patents and patent applications in major
aluminium producing countries.
 1. ReMAD Case Study
The ReMAD was presented at TMS 2002 [1]. ReMAD is an
acronym for Reusable Molten Aluminium Distributor. The
ReMAD is a molten aluminium distributor system comprised of a
refractory frame coupled with an inner fiberglass bag as illustrated
in Figure 1. The inner bag is rigidified using a special heated mold
to the exact internal dimensions of the RFM frame.
skull. Minor cracks usually appear in the ReMAD after the first
cast, but these cracks do not propagate with time
Depending on alloys cast and casting conditions, it has been
possible to get an RFM frame life of up to 30 casts. Figure 2
shows the RFM frame after a cast while Figure 3 illustrates the
RFM frame after 25 casts.

Figure 1. Inner bag & RFM rigid frame

Figure 2. RFM frame after a typical cast
The ReMAD distributor was developed to distribute molten
aluminium inside sheet ingot molds. This is in conjunction with
the major mold ingot casting technologies. Typically, the RFM
wall thickness used within the ReMAD application is 6 mm. The
desired properties of a reusable frame material are as follows:

Light, thin & mechanically strong

Aluminium resistant
No preheating required
Thermal shock resistant
To be used with the current bag set-up
Easy to clean

The list of desired properties above have been met by the RFM
material. Without discussing the RFM frame design in detail, it
should be noted that a substantial amount of the fine-tuning design
was achieved by the use of Pyrotek's water modeling capability.
This paper will concentrate on the performance of the RFM Figure 3. RFM frame after 25 casts
frame.
In conclusion, the RFM material demonstrated the following
The ReMAD has been tested in excess of five different plants characteristics:
casting sheet ingot. In order to ease the cleaning of the frame at
the end of the cast, all surfaces were coated with a special boron It is thin and mechanically strong
nitride coating. Depending on the metal flow and alloy type, the It is thermal shock resistant
coating can last between 15 and 20 drops before reapplication. It does not require preheating
Typically, the casting duration is approximately 2 hours for It has been used up to 30 casts
double length ingots. The ReMAD was not preheated prior to It is not wetted by molten aluminium alloys
casting. The ReMAD was installed under the spout/pin system It is easy to clean
and the metal flowed directly into the RFM frame. Different
alloys such as AA-3003, AA-3004, AA-5182 and AA-7000 have 2. AutoPour Ladle Case Study
been cast using the RFM frame. Some of these alloys such as the
AA-5182 and the AA-7000 series are very chemically aggressive. The AutoPour ladle is typically employed within an aluminium
foundry. Its purpose is to transport an exact quantity of liquid
The RFM frame has excellent non-wetting properties, further aluminium from a holding furnace to the point of casting.
enhanced by the use of the special boron nitride coating. The Typically the processes served are gravity-feed or high-pressure
boron nitride coating ensures the ReMAD is easy to clean and de- die-casting.

2
The process is demanding on the AutoPour ladle, as it has to
operate under a number of dynamic and fixed parameters. Table II
describes the operating parameters and their technical demands.
Table II. AutoPour ladle operating parameters
No. Parameter Technical Demand
Tolerant of rapid temperature
1 Thermal Shock
increase
Thermal Tolerant of temperature
2
Cycling fluctuation
3 Torque / Tolerant of stress loading during
Tension rotation
Mechanical
4 Tolerant of mechanical impact
Impact
5 None Wetting Resistance to molten aluminum
Minimal cooling effect of molten
6 Thermal Mass
metal
7 Contamination Inert
Traditional Technology Employed
Traditionally cast iron has been used for this application as it
meets most of the operating parameters required. However, cast
iron does not fully fulfill the requirements of numbers, 5, 6 and 7
of Table II. Cast iron is wetted by liquid aluminium and as such
needs to be coated on regular intervals. Cast iron has a much
higher density than RFM at ~7000 Kg/m3 versus 1600 Kg/m3 for
RFM. This higher density has a direct chilling effect on the
collected and static metal inside the ladle. Because cast iron is
wetted by molten aluminum, it is also inevitable that iron
contamination will occur due to iron erosion during service.
RFM AutoPour Ladle Properties
Thermal Shock and Cycling Performance Because RFM is a
composite body, constructed of CaSiO3 slurry embedding
interwoven layers of fiberglass fabric, the resultant composite
structure provides excellent thermal shock and cycling properties.
These are essential properties as the operational life of an
AutoPour ladle places such demands on the material body over
long operational time periods.
Torque / Tension AutoPour ladles are usually mounted onto an
automated collection and delivery system such as a robot arm.
During a complete collection, travel and delivery cycle, the
AutoPour ladle is subjected to a number of axis rotations around a
fixed location point. The fixed location point is usually singular,
but on larger ladles can be multiple. To accommodate the
operational stresses of this particular discipline the RFM
AutoPour ladle has been engineered to accept a steel peripheral
support ring and attachment point. The steel support ring is built
into the composite body during the fabrication process. Special
processes enable the RFM and steel support ring to operate in
concert. Utilizing this system is advantageous as it offers a high
degree of security and support to the RFM body and aluminium
payload. The technique also allows the traditional cast iron fixing
position and design to be retained. This is a key feature as it
allows straightforward integration of the RFM AutoPour ladle into
the current working technology.
3
Figure 4shows an RFM AutoPour ladle collecting its molten
aluminium payload. It is equipped with an embedded peripheral
support ring and robot location and fixing point.
Figure 4. RFM AutoPour ladle in action
Mechanical Impact It is an operational fact of life that an
AutoPour ladle will from time-to-time be subjected to some form
of mechanical abuse. This can be from impacting a misplaced
mold, a programming error of the robot, or human handling.
RFM AutoPour ladles are well equipped to tolerate mild
mechanical abuse. The composite nature of the body allows
impact to be absorbed without catastrophic failure of the ladle.
Monolithic refractory ladles often fail catastrophically due to
mechanical impact because there is no built-in mechanism to
prevent crack propagation. The RFM body, being built of multiple
layers of interconnected and fiberglass, is able to absorb such
impacts. This ability within a thin wall section of typically 12 mm
offers a safe operational product.
Non-Wetting The ability to resist molten aluminium reaction is
advantageous in many applications and especially in a semi-
automated process where the AutoPour ladle is employed. Having
to continually stop the process to pull adhered aluminium skull
from the ladle is time consuming and costly. Failure to adequately
keep the ladle free of skull will result in a large build-up of
aluminium and oxide deposits. This can lead to operational
problems and product quality issues. Traditional materials such as
cast iron need constant supervision and off-line maintenance as
the process takes its toll on the material. However, RFM
AutoPour ladles are non-wetting and require little maintenance to
keep them in excellent operational condition. It is not necessary to
remove the ladle for maintenance procedures as a light coating of
a release material, such as boron nitride, can be applied online
typically every fourth day of operation.
Thermal Mass Having the ability to transfer and pour liquid
aluminium very close to the holding furnace temperature is
advantageous. However, there are a number of operational
situations that lead to higher or lower levels of temperature loss.
These include:
AutoPour ladle material
AutoPour ladle mass versus aluminium payload
Distance to travel from charging point to pouring point
Dwell time while the ladle is full of aluminium
Product freeze time in the mold / die
A material having a density of 7000 Kg/m3 will chill the retained
metal faster than one with a density of 1600 Kg/m3. RFM
AutoPour ladles have a much lower chilling effect on the
aluminium payload. Because of this, holding furnace temperatures
can be reduced. The degree of reduction depends on many of the
items listed above, but typically reductions between 5°C and 15°C
are realized.

Contamination The RFM AutoPour ladle is non-wetted by liquid

aluminium. This has a direct impact on the purity of the metal
cast. If the body of the ladle is reacting and eroding in contact
with liquid aluminium, then impurities will be included in the cast
Figure 5. Schematic of the Properzi casting process [2].
body. This is not the case with RFM AutoPour ladles, thus leading
to higher quality cast parts.

Conclusions

AutoPour ladles:

Dramatically reduce the amount of maintenance required to keep

them in top operational condition when compared to cast iron
Figure 6. Typical steel launder
ladles.
Typically the steel launder is removed and changed every 8-12
Allow the reduction of holding furnace temperatures. Reduce the
hours of continuous casting. The main mode of failure is the
amount of scrap produced due to lower metal temperature and
breakdown of the ceramic paper. The ceramic paper is also prone
reduced time to solidification of the final part. Improve the quality
to oil absorption, which after some time, causes failure of the
of the finished product. Reduce loading on automated systems
paper. Broken ceramic paper is a source of molten aluminium
such as robot arms due to a much lower ladle weight when
inclusions; the paper inclusions increase the ratio of wire breakage
compared to cast iron. Have little to no skull sticking, thus
during the subsequent downstream draw operations. Ceramic
improving cycle times. Have an excellent resistance to thermal
paper can also react to and be attacked by molten aluminium. This
shock and cycling. Have a good tolerance of mechanical impact
can cause additional inclusions in the molten aluminium.
when compared to monolithic refractory alternatives.
During a launder change, even if the furnace is not completely
Allow for traditional location and fixing positions. Per casting
stopped, that 10-20 minute stop, plus some metal drainage,
machine, annual operating cost savings of $6000 (derived from
contributes to decrease the caster productivity.
energy savings, consumable savings, etc.) have been reported
when compared to cast iron ladles.
Table III shows the major differences between the steel coated
launder and the RFM launder.
3. Properzi RFM Launder Case Study
Table III. Steel and RFM launder differences
Production of industrial wire and bar made from aluminium for
electrical engineering applications were developed by Properzi in Property Steel launder + RFM launder
the 1950s. Since that time, many improvements have been paper
brought to the caster, as well as the introduction of similar casting Launder preparation Extensive Not needed
technologies. Typical life 8-12 hours 72-96 hours
Reusable No Yes
The principles of the casting process are illustrated in Figure 5. Oil penetration High Moderate
The mold is formed between the grooved periphery of the rod Repairable No Yes
casting wheel and the endless steel belt. The casting wheel, Quality Variable High
usually copper, is water-cooled. The molten aluminium solidifies Productivity Variable High
between the belt and the casting wheel. The cast bar has a
triangular or trapezoidal cross section and a temperature of about Figure 7 shows typical RFM launders. Our customers using RFM
350°C after leaving the casting wheel. The molten aluminium launders, have made the following observations:
prior to casting is processed to the required standard and then fed
onto the wheel by a small launder. The launder is usually made Longer casting runs without bar breaks
from steel coated with a ceramic paper as illustrated in Figure 6. Less oxide release compared to ceramic paper design
Sodium silicate is used to glue the paper to the steel frame. The Less cost ($/ton) than hand fabricated steel/ceramic paper launder
ceramic paper tip can be rigidified using colloidal silica. Consistent performance every time at start up
Better surface finish on bar
Better casting yield and caster up-time due to no tundish changes
during run
4
Lower oil absorption, which can be further decreased with boron operational needs often results. The list below identifies the
nitride coating necessary operational requirements of the control pin.

Thermal shock and cycling tolerant

Non-wetting to molten aluminium
Stable and inert in molten aluminium
Resistant to chemical attack / reaction
Minimal chilling effect on the molten aluminium
Straight and true
Health and safety issues

There are a number of materials accepted within the industry that

Figure 7. Typical RFM launders
The idea of a continuous caster is to cast for as long as possible.
The use of an RFM delivery launder being a key component to
meet that criteria without compromising bar or wire quality. The
critical path now becoming the steel belt changes, not the delivery
launder. This is due to the superior capabilities of the RFM
material.
have been proven to work satisfactorily. The most common of
these materials are D.F.S., Dense Fused Silica, and C.B.R.
Cement Bonded Refractory. These materials both have advantages
and disadvantages over each other. Again, the choice between the
materials is often made on the control pin geometry and
operational environment. Pins made from either D.F.S. or C.B.R.
are traditionally solid in construction. This is not always the case
but is typical. These materials usually have a bar density of ~2000
Kg/m3. The Table IV details the common advantages and
disadvantages of each material.

4. RFM Control Pin Case Study Table IV. Advantages & disadvantages of materials

The control pin is used to regulate the flow of molten aluminium Property R.F.M. D.F.S. C.B.R.
within direct chill casting technology. The control pin is used in Thermal
conjunction with a downspout. The downspout retains and directs Excellent Good Good
Shock
the molten aluminium into the distribution system while the Thermal
control pin regulates the molten aluminium flow within the Excellent Good Good
Cycling
downspout. It is sometimes necessary to stop the flow of molten Bar Density ~ 1600 Kg/m 3
~ 2000 Kg/m 3
~ 2000 Kg/m3
aluminium completely and this is achieved by direct contact Pre-Heat
between the control pin and down spout location seat. ~ 150°C ~ 700°C ~ 700°C
Temperature
Mechanical
Figure 8 is a cutaway view showing a control pin at the top Good Good Poor
Resistance
engaging with a downspout at the bottom.
None
Excellent Poor Good
Wetting
Straightness Excellent Good Good
Toughness Good Good Poor
Corundum
Low Medium Low
Catalyst

Different companies apply different pre-heating practices, and as

Figure 8. Cross section of a pin & spout
a result, the traditional control pin is subjected to a range of
different thermal shock & cycling situations. The scope of this
paper does not cover or detail the entire range of different
scenarios but the following examples can be typically found
within the industry D.F.S. and C.B.R. materials.

Unfortunately, the control pin is usually geometrically challenged.
It is often between 350 mm and 900 mm in length, but typically
750 mm. Its outer diameter is usually between 15 mm and 75 mm,
but typically 40 mm. Therefore, this typical design is 750 mm
long with a 40 mm outer diameter. Any product with a diameter to
length ratio in excess of 7:1 will be fragile and more vulnerable to
mechanical damage.
The control pin needs to have a number of key properties to
achieve operational success. It is not always possible for typically
available materials to support these key features entirely.
Therefore, a trade off between “must have” and “desirable”
For placement of the control pin into a pre-heating oven, the pin
can be pre-heated up to 800 °C before placement into the spout.
For placement of the control pin into the downspout prior to
introduction of the molten aluminium, a high velocity gas torch
placed at the entry to the spout achieves pre-heating.
The purpose of pre-heating is to:
a) Ensure there is no moisture present
b) Ensure the molten aluminium does not freeze when in contact
with the pin

5
RFM control pins are manufactured as a tube, not a solid rod of
material. As such the volume of material present within the
control pin is dramatically reduced. This has a direct impact on
the chill effect propagating into the molten metal from the control
pin as illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 9. RFM control pin tube

It is not necessary to actually pre-heat an RFM control pin
because of its freezing effect on the molten aluminium. RFM
control pins are pre-heated to 150°C simply to ensure any
atmospheric moisture is driven off. This fact means that energy
costs are reduced and safety within the cast house is improved.
There is no need to transport > 700°C control pins from pre-
heating ovens to the production line.
Figure 10. RFM control pin ceramic tip
The advantages of the RFM material combine to result in
increased life performance. A beta test site has shown that RFM
control pins achieve in excess of 55 drops, when traditional pins
achieve a maximum of 30.
Summary

The RFM body being of a composite nature and inert in molten

RFM is inert in contact with molten aluminium. This is extremely
aluminium offers this application many operational advantages.
advantageous in this application. Having a material that cleans
The step improvements offered by the RFM control pin against
effortlessly after use is a bonus, but the true benefit is actually
traditional materials is significant. It addresses many of the issues
during its operation.
unable to be improved upon by traditional materials, without
compromise in proven areas.
The cavity between the outside diameter of the control pin and the
inside diameter of the downspout is often quite small. There
should be absolutely no restrictions or surface defects that could Conclusions
disrupt the flow of metal. Surface porosity or defects can offer
RFM composite material is a unique material. Its non-wetting
areas for molten metal to become attached and cause turbulent
properties against molten aluminium, its outstanding mechanical
flow.
properties, as well as its high workability make RFM material the
perfect material for aluminium contact applications. Other
Aborted casts due to problems within the downspout can
applications being alpha tested include:
sometimes be attributed to corundum growth interrupting the
controlled outlet orifice. The frequency of this phenomenon can
RFM skim dam
be increased when pre-heating of the control pin and downspout is
RFM basin float
carried out with a high velocity gas burner.
RFM troughs
RFM cross-feeders
To further enhance the operational performance of the RFM
control pin, a cement bonded refractory stopper section is
Preliminary test results are very encouraging. If a metal contact
inserted. Because the end of the control pin has to seal against the
application faces a material challenge with existing materials,
downspout seat, a material with a close bar density is desirable in
consider RFM material as a possible solution.
this area. This ensures there is no premature wear of the control
tip of the RFM control pin when in contact with a more dense
material. RFM is extremely tolerant of such an insert exhibiting Bibliography
similar thermal expansion properties. The combination further
1. S. Tremblay and M. Lapointe, “The manufacturing,
increases the composite design bringing the best materials and
design and use of a new reusable molten aluminium distributor for
combinations together. Figure 10 shows the inserted control tip
sheet ingot casting”, Light Metals, TMS, 2002, pp.997-1096
into the RFM tube body.
2. Catrin Kammer Gosler, “Continuous casting of
aluminium”, TALAT Lecture 3210, 27 p.