On monitoring mechanical characteristics of rolled electrolytic copper

Abstract

Rolling technology for producing high-electrical-conductivity-copper strips and their quality are under investigation. The technology is designed for and used in the Bulgarian Metallurgical Plant SOFIA MED SA, Sofia. The copper strips are produced in three different tempers – soft, half hard and hard – under different rolling and heat-treatment conditions. The copper strips from different tempers are subjected to specialized testing and their mechanical and high-electrical-conductivity characteristics analyzed. On the basis of mechanical rolled-strip parameters – yield strengths, Re, ultimate tensile strengths, Rm, Vickers hardness, HV, and elongation after fracture, A, – some Stress-hardness and Stress-hardness-elongation spaces have been plotted. These Spaces can be used as an instrument for general evaluation of the applied rolling technology and for prediction of copper-strip mechanical behaviour under given exploitation conditions.