Glossary
Continuous casting
Method of pouring steel directly from its molten form into a slab, bloom or billets, thereby short cutting the secondary processing with huge cost savings associated. Steel is poured from a ladle into a tundish on top of the continuous caster. As it flows from the tundish down into the caster’s mould, it solidifies into a ribbon of red-hot steel. At the bottom of the caster, torches cut the continuously flowing steel to form slabs, bloom or billets.
Float glass process
Production method to produce flat glass for building, automotive and specialties. Glass is melted in a separate tank and flat glass is formed when molten glass is poured on to a bath of molten tin. The glass then "floats" on the tin. Following this, the glass sheet is progressively cooled in the annealing lehr, (which is a type of oven used to anneal glass) then glass is carried on Fused Silica rollers which are produced by Cookson.
Glass tempering process
Flat glass is transformed into toughened or tempered glass by being heated, then rapidly cooled. This creates a surface tension in the glass. Tempered glass is six times stronger than ordinary glass. When toughened glass is broken the tension is released, which causes the glass to shatter into tiny harmless fragments. For this reason, toughened glass is specified for many applications where safety is an issue including automotive and architectural applications. The glass is carried on Fused Silica rollers which are produced by Cookson.
Monolithics
Refractory mixes in the form of castables, plastics and sprayed refractories used principally as a protective lining for ladles and tundishes. Join-free application reduces heat loss, gas permeability and thermal stress forces.
Monolithic refractory linings
In the steel making process, vessels are lined with refractory products which protect against damage caused by intense heat, abrasion, pressure and chemical attack. Cookson is a leader in the supply and installation of monolithic refractory linings.
Refractory products - linings
Products which provide a heat protection in devices such as steelmaking vessels, furnaces, kilns and ovens, allowing the process to operate at extremely high temperatures without damaging the outer shell. Also protect the installation against damage caused by abrasion, pressure, chemical attack and rapid changes in temperature as well as facilitating heat retention, thus allowing the unit to operate more efficiently without major heat loss.
Slide gate refractories
Flow control refractories are used as valves between steelmaking vessels to control the flow of molten metal as it runs through the continuous casting process. These products have to withstand extremely high temperatures and are consumables, sometimes used in a matter of hours. Cookson is the world leader in the production of flow control products for the steel industry and supply every major steel mill in the world.
Feeding systems
Process that optimises the flow of molten metal in the casting process to improve the quality of the finished casting and improve yields.
SOLAR CRUCIBLE®
SOLAR CRUCIBLE® is a large fused silica ceramic crucible used for the melting and the crystallisation of photovoltaic silicon. Silicon ingots manufactured in these crucibles are then cut into blocks; blocks are sliced into wafers; wafers are used to make the solar cells.
VISO™
Brand name for isostatically pressed Alumina-Carbon products manufactured by the Ceramics division to control and protect the flow of molten metal from re-oxidation in continuous casting. Includes ladle shrouds, stoppers, subentry nozzles and tube changers. VISO™ is a flow control refractory.
ZYAROCK®
ZYAROCK® is a brand name for high performance fused silica ceramic products used in glass, photovoltaic, foundry and steel as well as many other industries.
Filters
Filtration removes inclusions, reduces turbulence and provides rapid and consistent flow of metals in casting.
Binders
Used in the casting process, binders are mixed with sand then hardened to form a mould or core strong enough for casting to take place.
Damascene copper
Chemicals used to create nanoscale copper connections within semiconductor wafers .
Encapsulant materials
a liquid polymer material used to cover and protect circuitry.
Epoxy moulding compounds
a solid polymer that is heated to a liquid and injected over a circuit for protection.
Immersion Silver
A PCB final finish that provides tarnish resistance, low contact resistance and ease of cleaning. Specially designed to meet PCB lead-free assembly and OEM requirements.
PCB Assembly
PCB Assembly involves attaching components such as semiconductors and capacitors on to a fabricated board and making the required physical and electrical connections. This has to be done with precise accuracy if the finished PCB is to function effectively.
Printed circuit board (PCB)
A type of circuit board which has conducting tracks superimposed or “printed” on one or both sides. May refer to a board either before or after the assembly process.
Semi-conductor copper
‘see’ damascene copper
Semi-conductor wafer
A semi-conductor wafer is a thin slice of semi-conducting material, upon which microcircuits are constructed by chemical deposition of various materials.
Solder
An alloy of tin and other metals with a comparatively low melting point used to join less fusible metals.
Underfill
An adhesive that mechanically couples the chip-to-substrate to restrain most of the lateral movement between the two interfaces. The interconnect joints are therefore protected and preserved.
Wafer bumping products
Metal alloys for wafer bump plating, including gold, copper, lead-free alloys and low alpha lead-based alloys.
Findings
Jewellery components such as pins, clasps, posts and clips.
