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The surface of copper wire rods and flats has to be as free from oxides as possible prior further processing. He has the knowledge to promote maximum efficiency from the IPA in-line pickling systems. To further improve surface quality, he designed special descalers, to be used during hot rolling, to remove oxide particles from being rolled back in. This design, along with proper lubro-refrigerating and pickling practice, reduces surface and sub-surface oxides, greatly enhancing copper wire rods drawability properties. The effect known as “dusting” in the customers’ cold-drawing machines is minimized.

Most of the commercial copper wire rods are made of ETP copper. Some particular applications require Silver Bearing, Tin Bearing Copper or other alloys. He has the know-how in producing them, out of the most common continuous copper wire rod systems, by introducing the alloying metal in the proper manner.



Worldwide, high capacity lines for the production of copper wire rods use two main technologies which differ substantially in the casting machine. He has 30 years experience in the “wheel” type, for which he developed techniques and procedures to fully automate the caster operation and controls, thus yielding a sound, high quality cast bar for the yet unmatched more-than-a-week-long continuous runs. The savings in components and downtimes are obvious. Casting ring life is a world record as well: averaging an outstanding 250,000 metric tonnes.
More recently, he became familiar also with the “twin belt” type caster. He quickly converted the standard old-fashioned manual controls into automated ones, enabling operators to set and repeat optimum casting conditions. This caster is now competing with the “wheel” type in terms of components life. Not to mention cast bar quality.
For both systems, he developed molten metal filtration systems, to prevent inclusions in the copper matrix and improving metal level control.


In the high capacity continuous copper wire rod plants, the copper cathodes are usually melted in gas-fired shaft furnaces. His longstanding experience in copper melting allowed him to optimize furnace efficiency to make remarkable savings in fuel consumption, yet producing high quality, temperature controlled molten metal. The main areas he worked out are:
Improved charging system, to better distribute cathodes and reducing hot gas from escape. This is by far the biggest fuel cut.
Redesigned burners, to gain better combustion through a complete air-gas mixture.
Automatic firing rate control.
Computer controlled gas-to-air ratio. Also allows to cut scrapped coils after start ups, because of high oxygen.
Additional “lance” burners, to boost capacity when necessary. Those smaller burners also allow keeping clean the main ones from copper splatters.
More recently, he started a new furnace equipped with “Individual Burner Combustion Control” system. The technology yields a greater flame quality and oxygen stability in molten metal.


No-twist mills are used to produce copper rods and flats in the continuous casting plants. He has 30 years experience in hot rolling, pickling and coiling excellent quality copper rods as well as flat cross-sections. Few plants in the world can successfully produce copper flats from this kind of processes. Yet, working on the cooling system, he has been able to cut component costs and downtimes. Finishing groove for 8 mm rod can last more than 6,000 metric tonnes: no stops are therefore required for quite a long time. He developed a practice to stop the frequent and costly coolant dumpings: he’s been running the same cooling emulsion for more than 12 years. Groove profiles, guide design, roll material; all has been developed to improve product quality and, again, minimize downtimes and spares stock. Also, he designed a very efficient descaling system to remove oxides and help the pickling line ahead being more efficient.

He participated to the installation and carried out the commissioning of a gas fired melting furnace for copper cathodes, including launders and holding furnace.
He designed molten metal filtration systems for medium and high capacity plants, up to 50 MtphHe designed the layout of a continuous copper rods casting plant. Made the contractors selection and follow up. Overviewed installation of the machinery and managed the plant commissioning to full production. Later he also upgraded the original plant capacity by 30%He designed an innovative combustion control system for the cathode melting furnace, optimising flame quality and fuel efficiency. Designed and/or improved devices, tools, consumables or machinery to enhance casting machine performance for quality and productivity, reducing manpower requirement and skill.
He also extended consumables and components life to unmatched results, cutting production costs also by minimising disposal.He has a special expertise in the automatisation and standardisation of production practices in the melting, casting and hot rolling areas. He managed the quality improvement of two plants up to highest international levels. He wrote operator instruction for all the plant areas, to comply ISO Quality Assurance. He's used to deal with customers, analysing wirebreaks and finding out solutions to improve plant performance and/or customer practice.