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An aluminum-lithium ingot emerges from the mold in the new Loma-Mann semi-continuous casting plant at the Kitts Green Works of Alcan Plate Limited, West Midlands, U.K. The equipment employs PLC control of all functions, integrated to liquid metal supply, allowing the casting operation to be undertaken with operating personnel divorced from the casting environment. Wellman Furnaces Ltd. of West Midlands undertook complete design, in conjunction with Alcan engineers, including programming of the control functions linked to the Alcan patented pulsed water feed system. The plant can cast up to 25 metric tons at once with an ingot length of 5500mm (18 feet). Casting speed is 300mm (11.8 inches) per minute with an accuracy of +/- 0.5%. Controls automatically start and stop the machine.