The invention provides a copper-zinc alloy with low lead content useful in the manufacture of wire used in the manufacture of cages for aquaculture, where said wire suffers the least deterioration due to loss of zinc during exposure to stagnant water, water of little movement or sea waters.

The invention provides a copper-zinc alloy with low lead content useful in the manufacture of wire used in the manufacture of cages for aquaculture, where said wire suffers the least deterioration due to loss of zinc during exposure to stagnant water, water of little movement or sea waters.

A method for producing a metal strip in a cast-rolling installation, the cast-rolling installation includes the following: a casting machine, a first furnace, a first shear, a roughing train, a second furnace, a second shear, a finishing train, a cooling section, a reeling system, and a third shear. In order to allow a flexible reaction to different operating conditions, at least one of the following operating modes is selected in order to produce the strip: a) a continuous rolling, in which the casting machine, the roughing train, and the finishing train are operatively connected together; b) a continuous rolling in the roughing train and a single-strip rolling in the finishing train; c) a single-strip rolling in the roughing train and a single-strip rolling in the finishing train; and d) a semi-continuous rolling in the roughing train and/or a semi-continuous rolling in the finishing train.

A method for producing a metal strip in a cast-rolling installation, the cast-rolling installation includes the following: a casting machine, a first furnace, a first shear, a roughing train, a second furnace, a second shear, a finishing train, a cooling section, a reeling system, and a third shear. In order to allow a flexible reaction to different operating conditions, at least one of the following operating modes is selected in order to produce the strip: a) a continuous rolling, in which the casting machine, the roughing train, and the finishing train are operatively connected together; b) a continuous rolling in the roughing train and a single-strip rolling in the finishing train; c) a single-strip rolling in the roughing train and a single-strip rolling in the finishing train; and d) a semi-continuous rolling in the roughing train and/or a semi-continuous rolling in the finishing train.

A rotating magnet heater for metal products, such as aluminum strip, can include permanent magnet rotors arranged above and below a moving metal strip to induce moving or time varying magnetic fields through the metal strip. The changing magnetic fields can create currents (e.g., eddy currents) within the metal strip, thus heating the metal strip. A magnetic rotor set can include a pair of matched magnetic rotors on opposite sides of a metal strip that rotate at the same speed. Each magnetic rotor of a set can be positioned equidistance from the metal strip to avoid pulling the metal strip away from the passline. A downstream magnetic rotor set can be used in close proximity to an upstream magnetic rotor set to offset tension induced by the upstream magnetic rotor set.

A rotating magnet heater for metal products, such as aluminum strip, can include permanent magnet rotors arranged above and below a moving metal strip to induce moving or time varying magnetic fields through the metal strip. The changing magnetic fields can create currents (e.g., eddy currents) within the metal strip, thus heating the metal strip. A magnetic rotor set can include a pair of matched magnetic rotors on opposite sides of a metal strip that rotate at the same speed. Each magnetic rotor of a set can be positioned equidistance from the metal strip to avoid pulling the metal strip away from the passline. A downstream magnetic rotor set can be used in close proximity to an upstream magnetic rotor set to offset tension induced by the upstream magnetic rotor set.

A furnace for the heat treatment of a metal product includes constitutive elements, each having a thermal inertia property determined from physical parameters. The constitutive elements include walls delimiting at least partially the furnace, a heating unit for heating the metal product, and a rapid heating element for heating the metal product. The furnace also includes a control circuit for controlling the heating unit and/or the rapid heating element, based on one or more thermal inertia properties of one or more constitutive elements of the furnace, and at least based on a ground of a constitutive element of said furnace.

A furnace for the heat treatment of a metal product includes constitutive elements, each having a thermal inertia property determined from physical parameters. The constitutive elements include walls delimiting at least partially the furnace, a heating unit for heating the metal product, and a rapid heating element for heating the metal product. The furnace also includes a control circuit for controlling the heating unit and/or the rapid heating element, based on one or more thermal inertia properties of one or more constitutive elements of the furnace, and at least based on a ground of a constitutive element of said furnace.

A continuous induction heat treating apparatus is provided including a conveyor path defining an axis for a workpiece to be conveyed through the apparatus. The apparatus includes an induction heating station positioned along the conveyor path and operable to induce heating in the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed through the induction heating station. A quenching station is positioned in a downstream direction from the induction heating station. The quenching station is coupled to a water supply and includes a plurality of sprayers in fluid communication with the water supply and operable to spray water toward the axis for quenching the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed through the quenching station. The apparatus further includes a quench adjustment mechanism including an actuator coupled to at least a first one of the plurality of sprayers for re-positioning a point of intersection defined between the first sprayer and the axis.

A continuous induction heat treating apparatus is provided including a conveyor path defining an axis for a workpiece to be conveyed through the apparatus. The apparatus includes an induction heating station positioned along the conveyor path and operable to induce heating in the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed through the induction heating station. A quenching station is positioned in a downstream direction from the induction heating station. The quenching station is coupled to a water supply and includes a plurality of sprayers in fluid communication with the water supply and operable to spray water toward the axis for quenching the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed through the quenching station. The apparatus further includes a quench adjustment mechanism including an actuator coupled to at least a first one of the plurality of sprayers for re-positioning a point of intersection defined between the first sprayer and the axis.