Horizontally continuously cast rod of aluminum alloy and method and equipment for producing the rod

Abstract

Horizontally continuously cast aluminum alloy rods excellent in quality are efficiently manufactured using a melting/holding furnace () to produce molten aluminum alloy, a molten-metal treatment apparatus () to remove aluminum oxide and hydrogen gas from the molten aluminum alloy, a horizontally continuously casting apparatus () to cast the treated molten aluminum alloy into horizontally continuously cast aluminum alloy rods, a cutting machine (A,B) to cut to a standard length the cast rods, a first straightening apparatus () to straighten bend of the cut rods, a peeling apparatus () to peel skin portions of the straightened rods, a nondestructive inspection apparatus () to inspect surface and internal portions of the peeled rods, a sorting apparatus () to sort the inspected rods judged non-defective based on results of the nondestructive inspection step and a packing apparatus to pack the sorted rods, and continuously using at least the first straightening apparatus () et seq.