Technology Demonstration on Fabrication of Continuous Casting Setup and Development of Cu-Mg Alloy

In the present competitive materials market, the development of alloys with improved strength while retaining desirable functional properties is highly sought after. For electrical conductor applications, copper remains the primary choice due to its superior electrical conductivity; however, its limited mechanical strength restricts large-scale application in high-load environments. Microalloying of copper with magnesium is a promising route to enhance mechanical performance without substantially compromising conductivity. In this study, a laboratory-scale continuous casting setup was fabricated to produce Cu-Mg alloy. The alloy was processed through induction melting followed by continuous casting in rod form. The fabricated rod was characterized by microstructure, hardness, and chemical composition. The results confirmed the uniform incorporation of Mg in the Cu matrix with refined microstructures and improved hardness values compared to pure copper, validating the feasibility of this approach for scalable conductor applications.