The aim of R&D innovAction is to identify innovative solutions to improve the competitive advantages of its customers in terms of compliance with technical and economic sustainability. In particular, it carries out research, development, industrialization and commercialization of innovative products and services at high technological content, mainly in the field of Materials, Process, Energy Efficiency, Renewables and Environment. The activities are carried out both on specific customer needs and on direct initiative of R&D innovAction...
Development of new applications for bimetal wires
- Context: The fluctuation of copper prices, the main conductor material in various applications, opens new possibilities to those products up to now considered not important, such as CCA Aluminum/Copper (Copper Clad Aluminum) and CCS Steel/Copper (Copper Clad Steel) bimetal conductor materials.
- CCA is an interesting alternative to Copper in some specific applications for cables, thus reducing weights and cost. It is best suited to those cases where Aluminum cannot be used,
- CCS is used in cable applications, and is also interesting for the replacement of Copper in grounding systems, thus reducing theft which occurs frequently when the price of copper is high.
- Objective: Provide technical support to the sale and the development of new applications.
- Activities:
- Identify potentially interesting new areas, introduction to local and national key-customers like Energy and Telecom Utilities, and provide technical support for potential customers.
- Develop innovative solutions through agreements with companies and university laboratories having the required reliability and infrastructures to implement the activity, particularly in railway field. - Result: an increase of the European sales for bimetal wire.