Verkhnyaya Pyshma (Sverdlovsk Region)
JSC Uralelectromed (an enterprise of the UMMC metallurgical complex) became the first enterprise in Russia to manufacture silver-doped copper wire rod intended for the production of a load-bearing cable used on electrified railways. The customer was the cable plant, which produces cables and contact networks for Russian Railways.
- The proposal to release a pilot batch is dictated by the release of the new GOST, which changed the requirements for raw materials and materials for these products, - says the Head of Copper Production wire rod (PMK) Maxim Prosvetov. - In particular, the standard prohibits the use of copper wire rod made from scrap for the production of a contact network. Therefore, the cable factories of the Russian Federation have a need to produce power networks from copper wire rod with increased resistance to softening. Such characteristics can be achieved through the use of a small amount of silver in the wire rod production technology.
The task of producing a pilot batch of alloyed wire rod was solved within the framework of research work. It was attended by the best foundry workers and all the engineering and technical specialists of PMK, leading specialists of the engineering and production department, research center, quality control department and chemical and metallurgical workshop. As a result, two batches of wire rod of the CuAg0.04 brand were received.
- In the process of testing, we received a product that meets the European quality standard in terms of chemical composition and physical and mechanical characteristics. Alloying with silver made it possible to improve the properties of the wire rod to the required standard, in particular, the recrystallization temperature increased at an optimal electrical resistivity, - said Maxim Prosvetov.
In appearance, the alloyed wire rod does not differ from the usual one, however, due to the small percentage of silver, it is much stronger. Today, such wire rod can be used on all electrified railways of Russian Railways as a raw material for overhead cables. Moreover, this type of product will provide an improved contact of the pantograph of an electric locomotive, which is especially important when a train is moving at high speeds.
Note that the product - a catenary wire from an experimental batch of alloy wire rod - has successfully passed the test at the customer's plant for electrical conductivity, creep and residual strength after 10 million vibration cycles. The results obtained meet the requirements for the bearing cables of the Russian Railways overhead contact networks. After approval by JSC Russian Railways of ropes made of silver alloyed wire rod, PMK JSC Uralelectromed is ready to organize the production of such wire rod for the Russian market.
