MANUFACTURE OF THIN, CONTINUOUS STEEL WIRES

1396406 Continuous casting MICHELIN & CIE (COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABS MICHELIN) 9 May 1972 [10 May 1971] 21650/72 Heading B3F Steel wire, e.g. of 30-400 microns diameter, is produced by discharging a jet of molten steel containing Si, into a cooling medium containing trace amounts of oxygen so that, allowing for any Mn present, silica is formed; this nucleates the metal to promote solidification. The medium may be H 2 , He or N 2 . Air or O 2 may be mixed with the He or N 2 or the medium may contain an oxidizing mixture, or oxidizing compound such as water, as a mist, or CO 2 . The steel may contain, by weight, up to 1À5% Mn(x) and at least 0À5% Si (y) such that y is more than 0À55x2 - 0À18x + 0À1.