Thin copper strips in North America produced by a DEM cold rolling line

In 2013 a manufacturer of electro-conductors in North America successfully started-up and commissioned a complete cold rolling line for the production of non-ferrous metals supplied by DEM Wire Rolling Technology of Italy.

The line is aimed at the fabrication of extreme purity, high-conductivity copper strips in ETP or OF grades then used for the fabrication of PV ribbons as well as clad bus bars.

The rationale for this project is the achievement of an increased output rate while keeping a constant tolerance on size; altogether avoiding the use of slit materials.

The product mix includes end products having a minimum thickness of 0.009” and maximum width of 0.500” approx.

The correct geometry is assured by an in-line laser measurement looped to the line stands via computer-controlled servomotors. This arrangement allows continuous adjustment of the rolled strip under load.

All products are traverse wound on cardboard as coreless coils weighing up to 1200 kg at speeds as high as 10 m/s on a DEM layering and coiling system with fixed wire line. This is a state-of-the-art automated solution developed to grant near-zero downtimes.

Needless to say, the premium quality of strip winding leading to coreless coils with right angle between barrel and flange sides while keeping superb roundness eases logistics and downstream operations whatever the final strip destination.

With these provisions, the Customer is operating currently one of the most avant-garde mills for strip production in the world.

The line consists of pay-off facilities, flattening rolling stands, edging stands, dancers, cooling facilities, wiping device, in-line laser measurement and coiler with automatic unloading facilities.

DEM acted as a system integrator supplying all the electric equipment, controls and software for line automation.

The supervision to commissioning of the line and training of the customer’s personnel were also included in DEM’s scope of supply.

The Customer satisfaction acknowledged by a Final Acceptance proves DEM Wire Rolling Technology to be a major provider of advanced rolling technology solutions for ferrous and non-ferrous metals on a worldwide scale.