To stay ahead of competition BALCO has always adopted state-of-the-art technology in its processes. Catering to the needs of Defence and Space Research since 1980, the Company has firmly established itself as a front-runner among the producers of Aluminium sheets and plates.
The molten metal (Aluminium) is fabricated into saleable products by adapting different processes. Fabrication SBU is broadly divided in three units operating as separate profit centres – Cast House, Foundry and Sheet Rolling Shop. Each has been discussed in detail below.
Cast House
In Cast House continuous Casting and Rolling process is adopted in which hot metal, after being continuously cast as Cast Bars is rolled to Wire Rods. The different stages involved are discussed as follows –
- In Cast House, hot metal is taken into holding furnaces, where it is degassed, fluxed, alloyed & prepared.
- Subsequently, hot metal is solidified in the shape of bar in properzi casting machine, which then is passed through multi stage stands rolling mill thus obtaining a 9.5 mm diameter rod . BALCO also produces 12 mm Rod on demand.
- Coil of 2 – 2.5 m is dispatched to the downstream customers, and converted to conductor/cables. These conductors are used for over-head electricity transmission. Electrical Conductor (EC) grade Commercial Grade (CG) and Alloy Grade Wire Rods are manufactured in the Cast House.
Finished Products – Cast House
- PROPERZI ROD
- EC Rod (Electrical Conductor Grade)
- CG Rod (Commercial Grade)
- Alloy Rod ‘O’ Temper
- Alloy Rod ‘M’ Temper
- HS Rod (High Strength)
- P1020 Ingot
- Alloy Ingot A356.2(used in automotive applications)
Foundry
Foundry Shop is designed to handle 1, 45, 000 MT hot metal per year from Smelter Process. Scrap generated in the plant is reprocessed at the Foundry.
- Hot metal received from smelter is alloyed as per the chemical composition of the alloy with required alloying elements.
- Metal that is chemically ready, is treated in the melting and holding furnace and subsequently slabs and caster coils are made with controlled cooling which gives it the required shape.
Further, alloying elements are also added to produce different alloys as given below:
| Alloy Series | Composition |
|---|---|
| 1XXX | Pure Aluminium |
| 2XXX | Al-Cu |
| 3XXX | Al-Mn |
| 4XXX | Al-Si |
| 5XXX | Al- Mg |
| 6XXX | Al-Mg-Si |
| 7XXX | Al-Zn |
| 8XXX | All other Alloys |
Sheet Rolling Shop
In Sheet Rolling Shop, slabs and caster coils are processed as semi -finished products for further rolling into sheets, coils and plates. The steps involved are outlined below –
- In Sheet Rolling Shop, slabs are pre-heated and rolled in hot rolling mill to produce hot rolled coils.
- These hot rolled coils are subsequently cold rolled and the coils are then slit /cut to the required size.
- Caster coils are directly rolled into the cold rolled coils, that is again slit /cut through slitting/cut-up lines.
Fabrication – Rolled Products
- Hot Rolled Plate
- Hot Rolled Coil
- Cold Rolled Sheet
- Plain Sheet (GEQ, Fan Blade, Bus Body)
- Chequered Sheet (5 Bar Pattern, Diamond Pattern)
- Corrugated Sheet (Sinusoidal, Trapezoidal)
- Cold Rolled Coil
- GEQ Coil
- Foil Stock
- PP Cap Stock
- Fin Stock
- Lamp stock
- Deep Drawing Quality Sheets
Finished Products – Cast House
BALCO in collaboration with VSSC-ISRO has installed Novelis Casting Station and set of Heat Treatment, Stretching & Polishing equipment to commercially produce different grades of alloy to be used as aerospace material. The alloys manufactured for VSSC by BALCO are – AA2014, AA2219, AA7075 and AA6063.
The equipment installed are –
- Cut to Length
- Vacuum Handling System
- 2500 MT Plate Stretcher
- Aging Oven
- Automatic Packing Line
- 2H1 Skin Pass Rolling Mill
- Ultrasonic Testing Equipment
- Sawing Machine
- Polishing Line
- Soaking Pit
Solution Treatment Furnace.