Sizes and shapes
We make mould tubes for the full range of billet and bloom sections: square and rectangular billets, round billets for seamless tube and forging, and blooms. Tubes are made straight or curved to your caster radius, with the length, wall thickness and corner radius taken from your drawing or from a sample tube.
If you have no drawing, send the caster maker, section size, radius and mould length. We can work from a used tube and prepare the drawing for your approval.
Copper grades
- Cu-Ag (silver-bearing copper) — high thermal conductivity with better resistance to softening than pure copper. The usual choice for billet tubes.
- Cu-DHP (phosphorus-deoxidised copper) — a lower-cost option for standard casting speeds.
- Cu-Cr-Zr — higher strength at temperature, for high-speed casters and where tube distortion limits mould life.
We recommend a grade from your casting speed, steel grades and the life you get today.
Taper
The inside taper must follow the shrinking steel shell. Too little taper leaves an air gap and a thin shell; too much taper increases friction and wear. We supply single taper, double / multi taper and parabolic (continuous) taper tubes, matched to your steel grades and casting speed. See our article on how to choose mould tube taper.
Coatings
The inner surface is plated to resist wear and copper pick-up on the billet. Options are hard chrome, nickel, nickel-cobalt (Ni-Co) and multi-layer coatings. Harder, thicker coatings at the bottom of the tube, where wear is highest, extend mould life.
Quality control
Each tube is checked for chemical composition and conductivity of the copper, inside dimensions at several levels, taper, straightness or radius, wall thickness, coating thickness and hardness, and surface finish. Inspection reports go with the shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Is a copper mould tube the same as a copper mold tube?
Yes. "Mould" is the British spelling and "mold" the American spelling. Both mean the copper tube that forms the billet shell in a continuous caster.
Can you match the tubes we buy today?
Yes. Send your drawing or a used tube. We make the tube to the same dimensions, taper and coating, or suggest changes if you want longer life.
Where are the tubes made?
In vetted plants in India, Southeast Asia and Turkey. You buy from Midland Heavy Industries LLC, a US company, so contract, payment and warranty sit under US business terms.
How fast do we get a price?
We reply within one business day with next steps. A firm price and delivery date follow once we have the drawing and quantities.