Presented at Alcastek Conference

Mumbai, India
February 2008
Received the "Best Paper" Award

HAZELETT TWIN-BELT STRIP-CASTING: EXPANDED PROCESS CAPABILITIES

Wojtek Szczypiorski and David Hazelett
Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation, 135 W. Lakeshore Dr., Colchester, VT 05446, U.S.A.
Abstract
The Hazelett twin-belt strip-casting process has become a very efficient and
economical tool for the production of many alloys and a wide variety of final products.
The large output of the Hazelett process makes it especially suited for larger markets,
and its flexibility allows for the production of many alloys including 1XXX, 3XXX,
5XXX, 6XXX, 7XXX, and 8XXX series.
This paper will discuss the expanded alloy and product range capabilities and the
technical merits of the Hazelett process.
Introduction
The processes currently used for the production of high volumes of aluminium strip
are the DC (direct chill) process with conventional hot mill and the continuous casting
processes, which include the twin-roll casters and the twin-belt casters. The DC
process is the most widely used and produces high-quality strip of almost any alloy; it
is also capital intensive, consumes a lot of energy, and is characterized by relatively
high conversion costs.
Continuous casting processes have lower capital and operating costs, and they are
increasingly used to produce aluminium strip for building sheet, packaging, and other
common alloy applications. Twin-roll casting is the most widely used continuous
casting process; hundreds of twin-roll casters are currently in operation; many of
them, domestically manufactured, are in China. They have a relatively low capital
cost and can be installed in a modular manner as the market increases. They are
well known for the production of foil stock. The low output of these casters also
makes them suitable for producing building materials in markets where an aluminium
scrap collection system is still developing. [1,3]
The Hazelett twin-belt caster produces aluminium strip at a rate 10 - 20 times that of
twin-roll casters, making it the most attractive continuous casting process for large
projects. It also has a wider alloy and product range. The increasing number and
output of smelters, especially in China and now in India, provide new opportunities for
the Hazelett twin-belt process to make advances in global aluminium sheet
production. The high-output Hazelett twin-belt process can be located near smelters
where the molten metal is transferred directly from the smelter to the casting/rolling
line without the need for remelting. The route from metal source to hot-rolled sheet is
shortened and energy consumption reduced by 60 70% when compared to the DC
process.
High gas prices and concerns about global warming are intensifying the interest in
Hazelett-produced sheet for the automotive industry. Limited amounts of sheet are
now produced by the Hazelett twin-belt process for internal automotive components;
however, the bigger market is auto body sheet. The twin-belt process is viewed as
one that could deliver quality sheet at prices low enough to interest automakers to
substitute large quantities of aluminium sheet for steel.
1

Hazelett Twin-Belt Caster Technology

The operating principle of the Hazelett twin-belt caster is shown below (Figure 1).
The caster uses a fully moving mold consisting of parallel, carbon-steel belts held in
tension to form the top and bottom surfaces. Chains of rectangular steel blocks
moving with the belts and spaced according to the desired cast width form the sides.
The cooling of the belts is accomplished by an efficient fast-film water application.

Figure 1 Hazelett Twin-Belt Caster

Molten metal is introduced into the mold by a closed-pool method (Figure 2), through
a Strip-Stream ceramic metal feeding nozzle that promotes low-turbulence feeding.
Gases are introduced into the mold interface, both to control oxidation and to
enhance heat transfer from the solidifying slab.

Figure 2 Hazelett Caster Metal Feeding

The Strip-Stream nozzle merges several separate metal streams into an undivided
flow before it enters the mold (Figure 3). This design addressed several earlier
quality problems, the most obvious being surface streaking. Since surface streaking
is related to uneven solidification rates across the strip from the turbulent merging of
multiple metal streams within the casting mold, noticeable improvement in surface
quality, particularly in wider solidification range alloys, has been achieved.
2

Figure 3 Metal Feeding System

The use of gases in the interface between the textured belt and the solidifying strip
has added an important control to the process and has increased the range of heat
transfer capability. The introduction of a mixture of helium with another gas, for
example, nitrogen, into the mold interface can greatly increase solidification rates.
This enhancement of heat transfer is a valuable tool in casting wide solidification
range alloys; high heat transfer rates are necessary to obtain the best surface and
internal quality of sheet. Gases can be applied to the whole width of the slab or, as
needed, onto certain sections across the width of the mold. This flexibility gives an
operator a powerful means to control not only the solidification rate of an alloy but
also control of the exit slab temperature and temperature profile, which is important
for the in-line rolling process.
The higher solidification rates necessary to produce high-quality strip in the more
demanding alloys and applications required improvements in the caster mold and
mold support system.
At elevated temperatures and heat transfer rates, the highly tensioned belts of the
Hazelett process were subjected to forces that exceeded their ability to remain flat.
Thermal distortion of the belts led to local variations in heat transfer that allowed
reheating of the strip surface, which resulted in surface liquation and, in more
extreme cases, internal porosity and cracks.

Figure 4 Belt Stabilization Technology

3

Hazelett developed two means of controlling belt distortion and stabilizing the belts:
induction belt preheating and magnetic belt restraint (Figure 4). The primary
mechanism of belt distortion is what we call cold framing. A belt that is cold in front
of the point of molten metal application and along the sides constrains the belt
material in the mold region from expanding and buckles. We overcome this problem
by preheating the belt prior to the mold entry to a temperature as high as that in the
mold region. The belt enters the mold region in a pre-expanded condition. Another
benefit of high temperature induction belt preheating is that any moisture in the belt
coating, which could cause surface defects, is driven out. This is particularly
important in casting alloys containing magnesium when the atmosphere around the
caster contains moisture and the belt temperature is below the dew point.
The second source of belt distortion is the thermal bending effect due to the
difference in temperature from one side of the belt to the other. We prevent this type
of distortion by using high-strength magnetic finned back-up rolls to support and
restrain the belts. These rolls are located in the front part of the mold where the heat
transfer between the molten metal and the belt is highest and the surface quality of
the strip is established. The mold design combines precision belt control in the front
of the mold with belt compliance in the remainder of the mold to establish and
maintain intimate contact with the strip throughout the solidification process.
With the belts stabilized, Hazelett turned its attention to the interface between the belt
and the solidifying strip (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Mold Interface

Textured belt surfaces and permanently applied Matrix coatings were further
developed and optimized to provide the desired chemistry, topography, and durability
for various alloys and products. Hazelett also developed the ESP (electrostatic
powder) Coating System to adjust and control heat transfer across the interface.
Very fine powders, such as fumed silica, are electrostatically charged so that they are
attracted by the steel casting belts. The result is a fine and uniform layer of powder
applied at a rate that can be adjusted for different alloys and atmospheric conditions.
The coating changes the wettability of the mold surface and prevents attachment by
soft alloys.
Taken together, these developments have made it possible for the Hazelett twinbelt caster to commercially produce a full range of alloys containing up to 4.5%
4

magnesium. The quality of sheet produced is suitable for many demanding

applications. The tools Hazelett developed to control the solidification process on its
twin-belt strip caster combined with Matrix belt coating durability allow for long-term
predictable casting campaigns without a reduction in strip quality. Belt stabilization
techniques and the use of renewable powder coating or gas make the Hazelett twinbelt casting system very flexible and user friendly.
Alloys and Products
Technological and process advances have brought the Hazelett process to a new
level. A wide range of alloys can now be produced including 1XXX, 3XXX, 5XXX,
6XXX, 7XXX, and 8XXX series alloys. The Hazelett process is well known for
building products, thick foil, slug stock, and other common alloy applications. In
addition, the Hazelett process is increasingly becoming known for very demanding
applications such as thin foils, beverage container sheet, and automotive sheet.
In the United States, large volumes of 3XXX series alloys are produced for building
products such as siding, rain gutters, roofing, etc. Much of this sheet is painted. The
range of common alloy products goes far beyond building applications (Table 1).
Aluminium Alloys Cast Commercially on Hazelett Twin-Belt Casters
(Excluding Packaging / Impact Extrusions)
Alloy
End Products
1050
Fin stock, cookware
License plates, roll bond, heat exchangers, cookware, #2 lithographic
1100/1145
sheet
1200
Converter foil, cookware
1350
Electrical conductor applications
3003
Siding, cookware, pipe wrap, fin stock
3004
Furniture tubing, flexible conduit, bright sheet, diamond plate
3005
Exterior blinds
3104
Flexible conduit
Rain management (gutters, downspouts, flashing), roofing, siding,
soffits, window spacers, screen frames, flexible conduit, stove pipe,
3105
license plates, road signs, bright sheet, diamond plate, truck trailer
panels, automotive heat shield
3204
Irrigation pipe
5005
Decorative sheet
5049
Welded tubing
5052
Utility sheet, trailer panels, welded tanks, road signs
5349
Utility sheet
5754
Automotive (internal components, brackets, headers)
6061
Tooling plate
7072
Fin stock
8011
Building applications, fin stock
Table 1
Furniture tubing, irrigation pipe, road signs, trailer panels, and cookware are among
the many other products produced from Hazelett cast strip.

Automotive applications are still quite limited, but the Hazelett process for 5XXX
series alloys has all the attributes needed for success in this field. So far, Hazelett
cast 5XXX series strip is used only for internal components (Figure 6). Tests with
6XXX series alloys have proven that the process might be a viable alternative for
6XXX series body sheet with some additional metallurgical work needed to
commercialize the product. New 5XXX series alloys are being developed for body
sheet that will not soften during the paint baking process.

Figure 6 Automotive Applications of Hazelett-Cast Strip

Packaging applications include some of the simplest to some of the most
sophisticated products (Table 2). Commercial foil stock has been produced by
Hazelett casters for decades. Hazelett-based plants have successfully produced
commercial reroll for thin foil down to 6 - 7 microns. The production of thin foil stock
requires special attention to metal chemistry, gas content, filtration, and control of the
solidification rate of an alloy to create intermetallic particle sizes that are not harmful
during foil rolling.
Aluminum Alloys Cast Commercially on Hazelett Twin-Belt Casters
Packaging (Excluding Impact Extrusion Slugs)
Alloy
Gauge
End Products
1100
15 30 microns
heavy foil
1200
6.35 - 9.0 microns
converter, cigarette foil
3003
20 30 microns
food trays
3105
20 28 microns
food trays
can tabs
5042
5082
5454
8011
7.0 - 9.0 microns
converter, cigarette foil
8014
14.0 microns
Household foil
8079
7.0 microns
converter, cigarette foil
Table 2
Beverage container sheet includes several of the most demanding applications for
aluminium sheet. Tab stock in several different alloys has been produced by the
Hazelett twin-belt process. Can body (3004) and can lid stock (5182) have been
produced in several test series that have proven the metallurgical viability of the twinbelt process for these applications. Commercial use of the Hazelett process for can
6

body sheet has been delayed by the downturn in the market and excess hot mill
capacity.
Extrusion slug stock production on the Hazelett twin-belt caster is well established. A
variety of alloys are used for slug production (Table 3). In addition to traditional items
such as aerosol cans, fire extinguishers, bottles, and collapsible tubes, new products
are gaining market acceptance. The latest growth in the market for Hazelett-cast
slug stock is in the automotive industry where lighter materials are gaining ground.
The 6XXX series alloys are especially attractive for this application because of their
strength and their corrosion resistance.
Aluminum Alloys Commercially Cast on Hazelett Twin-Belt Casters
Impact Extrusion Slugs
Alloy Application
1050
Packaging (aerosol cans, aluminium bottles, collapsible tubes) and fire
1060
extinguishers
1070
1100
3003
Automotive (air dryers), food trays and packaging
6020
Automotive (forging slugs - bearing caps)
6061
Automotive (air dryers, air bags, Freon bottles, steering yokes), forging
slugs (computer components)
6082
Automotive (AC housings)
Table 3
The Hazelett twin belt caster does not have to stop for alloy changes. Process
parameters to obtain best surface and internal quality, including tailoring solidification
rates for each alloy, are adjusted according to a "prescription" given to the operator
by a computer.
The Hazelett process is very flexible. It is able to adjust the solidification rates of
alloys and the chemistry of alloys as well as the downstream processing techniques
allowing the system to produce sheet for very sophisticated applications requiring
very good forming characteristics. One example is an exterior blind that requires
excellent bending characteristics and corrosion resistance, features that are related
to the solidification rate and the solidification uniformity of the 3005 alloy (Figure 7).

Figure 7 Exterior Blind

7

A typical Hazelett aluminium sheet line consists of several melting and holding
furnaces, a degassing and filtration unit, a grain refining station, the caster, pinch
rolls, a rolling mill train, and coilers (Figure 8).

Figure 8 Typical Hazelett Aluminium Strip Casting and Hot Rolling Line
The flexibility of the Hazelett minimill manifests itself not only in the metallurgical
response of aluminium alloys but also in its mechanical design. The configuration of
the rolling line depends on the final product requirements and the number of furnaces
will define the capacity of the line. The caster has a constant output of approximately
27 MTPH per meter of width and works with a one-, two-, or three-rolling stand
configuration capable of producing sheet as thin as 1 mm. Downstream processing
is designed for each alloy and application.
There are several crucial differences between the conventional DC-casting process,
the twin-roll process and the Hazelett twin-belt process resulting in different
downstream processing requirements. The biggest difference between the three
processes is the solidification rate. Twin-roll cast strip is solidified fastest; DC cast
ingot solidifies the slowest; and the twin-belt-cast strip solidifies at a rate in between.
The downstream processing of DC ingots is further influenced by homogenization
prior to rolling. This characteristic alone makes the downstream processing of DCcast ingot much different than continuously cast strip.
The solidification rates on twin-roll casters can be more than 50 times that of twin-belt
casters. Twin-roll strip is characterized by a unique grain and dendritic structure and
morphology of intermetallic particles caused by simultaneous solidification and rolling
reduction. It has the smallest dendritic cell sizes and intermetallic particles and the
highest percentage of elements in supersaturated solid solution. It is generally cast
at a thickness of around 6 mm, leading to a lot of cold rolling.
The solidification rates achieved on the Hazelett caster produce dendritic cells, grain
sizes, and intermetallic particles that are larger than those obtained on twin-roll
casters, but smaller than those found in homogenized DC ingot. The percentage of
elements in solid solution falls in between the other two processes. The solidification
rate also influences the type, the morphology and distribution of intermetallic
particles. In DC ingot, where homogenization is an integral part of the process,
coarse, rounded and widely spaced particles are produced. In the twin-belt cast strip
they are finer, angular and more closely spaced. Naturally, the twin-roll product has
very fine and densely distributed features. Hazelett-cast strip is generally in-line rolled
to 1 -2 mm and therefore requires the least amount of cold rolling of the three
processes. These characteristics determine the steps that must be taken during
downstream processing of Hazelett-cast strip.
8

These same characteristics allow the chemistries of certain alloys to be altered to

benefit the metallurgical properties. Sometimes this can result in a narrower range of
solidification, reduced affinity to oxidation, and reduced possibility of surface
imperfections. The economics of the process will be improved because lower content
of alloying elements, for instance, manganese and magnesium, can be used while
still matching the mechanical properties of DC-cast alloys.
Conclusion
The Hazelett twin-belt strip-casting process has evolved to a level where it can
produce a wide range of alloys and finished products. Its inherent cost advantages
make it an attractive process for common alloy, packaging, and even automotive
applications.
References
[1]

[2]

[3]

Hazelett, D., Szczypiorski W. (2003) Hazelett Strip-Casting Process for

Aluminum Packaging Applications: Foil, Beverage Cans, and Extrusion Slugs
presented at the Alusil Aluminum in Packaging International Conference,
Moscow, Russia.
Sherman, A. (2000) Trends in Automotive Applications for Aluminum presented
at the Seventh International Conference on Aluminum Alloys, Charlottesville,
Virginia.
Topeano, A., Romanowski, C., Pedemonte, D. (2006) Modern Advances in
Producing Building Sheet Products form Twin Roll Cast Aluminum Sheet, Fata
Hunter.