Patent ID: 7064291

Claim:
Annealing apparatus for annealing metallic billets, comprising at least two contact elements made of electrically conducting material which are electrically connected to a voltage source and which receive a billet of a light metal or a light metal alloy in the form of at least one metallic wire, in such a manner that said billet moves relative to said contact element and an electric current flows through said billet between said elements, the material of at least one contact element is a metal alloy which is adapted to the material of said billet such that substantially no material from said billet diffuses into said contact element, at least one cold-processing means comprising at least one drawing die through which said billet is drawn by a draw plate, wherein said draw plate is the first contact element in the material flow direction behind the cold processing means, and a transport track for moving said billet through the apparatus, wherein a section of said transport track is provided with protective gas.