Ekaterinburg Branch of OJSC “Krastsvetmet”

V. A. Dmitriev, Director, info@knfmp.ru

OJSC “Krastsvetmet”

P. A. Khorikov, Chief of Development and Production Workshop

The Gulidov Krasnoyarsk Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Joint Stock Company (Krastsvetmet JSC) is the Russian largest company refining all noble metals from various mineral and secondary materials. Over the past decade Krastsvetmet JSC has launched and developed the production of a wide range of noble-based products: rhodium electrolytes, a number of noble metals compounds, catalyst gauzes for ammonia decomposition for nitric acid plants, crucibles and labware, thermocouple transducers from platinum and its alloys, as well as jewellery. The next stage of Krastsvetmet development has been the production of glassmelting apparatus and glass feeders from platinum and its alloys. Fiberglass is an advanced material widely applied in various industries. Fiberglass making involves two process technologies: a single-step approach involving glass feeders and double-step one, where fiberglass is produced by semi-finished products melting in glass-melting apparatus. A typical glass feeder includes from 800 to 8,000 bushings; the number of bushings in a glassmelting apparatus being from 100 to 800 bushings. Glassmelting apparatus and feeders are made from a number of platinum-group metals alloys: PtRh-7, PtPd-10, PtRh-20 and others. The complexity of the products design makes it difficult to automate their manufacture, therefore glassmelting apparatus and glass feeders assembling and welding is partly manual requiring special tooling and skilled staff. Krastsvetmet JSC has built and appropriately equipped a special production area, the staff has been trained for master manufacturing techniques for glassmelting apparatus and glass feeders assembling and welding and necessary regulatory and technological documentation has been developed. In a short time all these resulted in starting the production of glassmelting apparatus and glass feeders of 14 standard sizes, with the number of bushings being from 200 to 2000. The specialists of Krastsvetmet JSC have developed their own technology to produce dispersion-stabilized material of PtRh-10DS that has good strength and performance properties. Currently new products have been developed, where PtRh-20 alloy bushings are welded to a dispersion-stabilized plate made from PtRh-10DS. Seamless bushing unit products are being prepared for launching. Years of experience of Krastsvetmet JSC in precious metals industry, the highly qualified personnel and well-established analytical support are the basis for taking up challenges that advanced scientifically-based production may involve to meet the highest requirements from the Customer.