Among the improvements made by TRATHO at its head office in Arujá/SP, the foundry is one of the main investments. The new facilities cover an area of 1,225 m² for the production of Copper, Galvalume, Zinc anodes and Tin anodes and filling and milling processes.
The advantages of integrating the foundry with the matrix are the better structure and control of the processes, the ease of internal logistics and adequate layout that increased production capacity, in a lean and efficient way.
The modern structure involves the expansion of the Copper line, with a blast furnace that melts the metal and supplies 2 electric holding furnaces, operating by channel induction, with both lines working simultaneously. Now with new combustion, liquid oxygen + gas, which replaced marine oil, making the process suitable for TRATHO’s environmental responsibility.
It is important to highlight the first production of Galvalume® ingots (Aluminium/Zinc/Silicon alloy), with fusions in an air + gas combustion barrel furnace. The primary tin is melted in a crucible oven and, following the process, an extrusion machine coupled to a shredder produces the tin in lintels. To optimize the cutting and cleaning processes, the foundry is equipped with several presses, saws, drums; among other machinery.
Currently, the main alloys and formats produced at the TRATHO foundry are:
COPPER ANODES: Shots and billets with electrolytic and phosphorous specification.
GALVALUME®: 1 ton ingots/jumbos.
ZINC: Plates in different sizes, spheres, ½ spheres and big drops.
TIN: Plates, drops, ingots, lintels and perforated lintels.
TABLETS: Copper briquettes enveloped in aluminum layer, pressed under high pressure.
The shots go through a washing process, carried out with a biodegradable product, diluted in water, which provides an excellent appearance to the pieces, a totally clean surface, preserving their chemical composition.
In the quality control of the alloys, in addition to the analysis by the spectrophotometer, a second spectrum dedicated to the production of tin stands out. A benchtop crucible furnace performs rapid analysis of incoming raw materials. The conductivity of copper is checked with a conductivity meter. Immersion pyrometers control the temperature of Copper, Zinc and Galvalume baths. The ovens also have thermocouples, which act as extra temperature controllers.
It does not stop there. TRATHO is always attentive to new technologies and foundry solutions to meet market needs with high quality alloys.
*Galvalume® is a registered trademark of BIEC International Inc. and its licensees Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional and ArcelorMittal Vega.
