Abstract: Secondary cooling apparatus in a machine for continuous casting of metal products, such that each metal product is cast, contained and guided along an axis of movement. The secondary cooling apparatus includes a plurality of cooling assemblies disposed in sequence one to the other along the continuous casting machine. Each assembly includes a plurality of cooling units each provided with one or more nozzles disposed along the axis of movement. The cooling units of each assembly are adjacent to each other to cover a width at least equal to the maximum width of the metal product which can be cast in the continuous casting machine.

Abstract: A three-plate pressure die casting mold for producing at least one metallic die casting part by die casting a metal melt, includes first, second and third mold parts and at least one mold cavity as well as a sprue system. In the third mold part there is at least one spring-loaded pressure element which, when opening the die casting mold, presses the sprue produced in the sprue system against the first mold part, whereby the sprue is retained and tears off from the die casting part in a defined manner. A method for pressure die casting using the three-plate pressure die casting mold is disclosed.

Abstract: A continuous casting machine is provided that includes a refractory tundish funnel. The tundish funnel has a tapered shape and is designed to sit on a tundish lid in order to channel steel from the ladle to the tundish bath. A collector can also be provided to channel the steel from the ladle. The collector has an opening with a cross-section that transitions from a cylindrical shape to a cross-shape.

Abstract: Provided is a supergravity directional solidification melting furnace equipment, including a supergravity test chamber and, mounted in the supergravity test chamber, a high-temperature heating subsystem, a crucible, and an air-cooling system. The supergravity test chamber is mounted with a wiring electrode and a cooling air valve device. The high-temperature heating subsystem is fixed in the supergravity test chamber. The crucible and the air cooling system are provided in the high-temperature heating subsystem. The high-temperature heating subsystem includes upper, middle, and lower furnaces, a mullite insulating layer, upper and lower heating cavity outer bodies, upper and lower heating furnace pipes, and a crucible support base. A high-temperature heating cavity is divided into upper and lower parts, is provided therein with a spiral groove, and is fitted with a heating element. The crucible support base is provided therein with a vent pipe channel into which a cooling air is introduced.

Abstract: A method to control a secondary cooling apparatus in a machine for continuous casting of metal products is provided. The secondary cooling apparatus includes a plurality of cooling units equipped with nozzles, each nozzle is provided with delivery orifices from which a refrigerant fluid is delivered, on each occasion according to the punctual cooling needs, toward a metal product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a casting furnace featuring submerged, mechanical control of liquid level, which relates to continuous casting and solves the problem of low billet productivity. The casting furnace featuring submerged, mechanical control of liquid level includes a melting furnace, a holding furnace, and a crystallizer, the crystallizer including a chamber for accommodating metal liquid, the holding furnace communicating with the melting furnace and the chamber, respectively, a traction head being provided on the crystallizer, the chamber maintaining communication with the holding furnace, the holding furnace including a liftable immersion device, the immersion device being submerged in the metal liquid to elevate liquid level height in the chamber; the crystallizer having a liquid level detecting device, lift height of the immersion device being adjusted based on a detection signal of the liquid level detecting device such that the liquid level in the chamber is maintained at a preset height.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for an event detection system that captures data associated with events while a DC casting system forms an ingot, determines characteristics of the events, and improves the casting system based on the events. Example systems and methods may include initiating a casting operation using one or more pieces of equipment of a casting system including a casting apparatus; capturing sensor data associated with one or more acoustic signals captured relative to the one or more pieces of equipment performing the casting operation; comparing the sensor data with a set of acoustic profiles; determining whether a particular type of event has occurred; causing an adjustment to the casting system or to the casting operation based on whether the particular type of event has occurred; and initiating a second casting operation using the adjusted casting system or casting operation.

Abstract: A monitoring system may monitor a gap between an ingot and a bottom block of a mold. The monitoring system may include a camera and a computer system. The camera may be positioned to capture or detect optical data associated with one or more molds positioned in a casting environment and send the optical data to the computer system. The computer system may compare the optical data with a baseline profile. Based on the comparison between the optical data and the baseline profile, the computer system may determine if the ingot has separated from the bottom block and the height of the separation. The computer system may generate operating instructions based on the separation. The operating instructions may be used to adjust the casting process.

Abstract: A casting method includes passing a metallic spacer through respective apertures in at least two ceramic cores to an installed condition wherein the spacer defines a minimum local separation between the at least two cores. The spacer has a shank and at least one arm extending from the shank. A sacrificial pattern material is molded over the metallic spacer and the at least two ceramic cores and then shelled and fired. An alloy is cast in the shell the shell is removed from the cast alloy.

Abstract: A core molding method is a method of molding a core using a metal mold that is pressure-fed with mulled sand, and includes heating the metal mold such that the temperature of the metal mold reaches a temperature higher than a predetermined baking temperature, pressure-feeding the heated metal mold with the mulled sand, holding the temperature of the metal mold having been pressure-fed with the mulled sand at the baking temperature, and removing the core from the metal mold after the holding.

Abstract: A cold flake suppression method is provided. A molding device includes a sleeve, a tip, a sprue guide portion, a molding die, a sprue ring, a distributer, and a control device. The sprue guide portion includes a stamp portion, a runner portion, and a gate portion. The control device drives a supply device to slide the tip for molten metal to flow through the sleeve; sequentially calculates an amount of heat transfer changing continuously from the start of supply of molten metal until the tip slides to the position in FIG. 2, and calculates a total of the amounts as a total amount of heat transfer; and calculates a volume of the sprue guide portion based on information about the sprue guide portion input by an operator. Shapes of the sleeve and the sprue guide portion are determined to set a cold flake index equal to or less than 0.842.

Abstract: A mullite shell mold for casting includes a facecoat layer containing ceramic flour. The mullite shell mold also includes a first layer disposed on the facecoat layer. The first layer can contain sintered ceramic media. The facecoat layer and the first layer can each contain less than 1 wt % crystalline silica.

Abstract: A valve body having a ring of dissimilar material and a method of forming the valve body are described. The valve body includes an inlet, an outlet and a ring of dissimilar material. The method includes forming a valve core, splitting the valve core, placing a metal ring of dissimilar material between two pieces of the valve core, casting a valve body around the valve core, and fusing the metal ring to the valve body.

Abstract: Disclosure provides a two-segment electromagnet stirring member, and a two-segment electromagnet semi-solid die-casting apparatus including the same, and a die-casting method using the same. The two-segment electromagnet stirring member includes a plurality of magnetic field generation parts therein, and includes a first electromagnetic stirring part and a second electromagnetic stirring part separated from each other. The first electromagnetic stirring part and the second electromagnetic stirring part are coupled to each other in a ring shape to surround an outer circumferential surface of a sleeve to perform electromagnetic stirring to molten metal in the sleeve, and are coupled to each other so as to position the plurality of magnetic field generation parts at radially equal gaps around the sleeve.

Abstract: A molding machine teaching aid includes a frame unit, a molding unit, a material supply unit, a drive unit and a monitoring unit. The molding unit includes a fixed die holder, a movable die holder, and two die kernels respectively and detachably disposed on the fixed and movable die holders. The material supply unit includes a heating module for melting a wire material, and an extruder transporting the molten material into a die cavity formed between the die kernels. The drive unit is controllable to drive movement of the movable die holder relative to the frame unit. The monitoring unit is for a user to operate to control the extruder, the heating module and the drive unit.

Abstract: Grain size of a deliverable metal product can be improved by pre-setting recrystallization-suppressing dispersoids during casting. The outer regions of a direct chill cast embryonic ingot can undergo reheating before casting is complete. Through unique wiper placement and/or other reheating techniques, the temperature of the ingot can be permitted to reheat (e.g., up to approximately 410° C. to approximately 420° C.), allowing dispersoids to form. Stirring and/or agitation of the molten sump can facilitate formation of a deeper sump and desirably fine grain size as-cast. The formation of dispersoids during and/or immediately after casting can pin the grain boundaries at the desirably fine grain size, encouraging the same grain sizes even after a later recrystallization and/or solutionizing step.

Abstract: Large steel ingot casting is accomplished with a top suspended induction heating device supplied with variable power and variable frequency from a power source. By the induction heating and stirring provided by the top suspended induction heating device, metal solidification advances progressively upwards from bottom to top, and the upper molten metal in a riser part compensates for shrinkage of the lower solidified metal in the main part. Inclusions are selectively moved out of the molten metal by a variable electromagnetic stirring force and the formation of casting defects is suppressed.

Abstract: A breakout prediction method includes: a step of inputting a dimension of a solid product withdrawn from a mold in a continuous casting machine; a step of detecting a temperature of the mold by a plurality of thermometers embedded in the mold; a step of executing interpolation processing on the detected temperatures detected by the plurality of thermometers according to the dimension of the solid product; a step of calculating, based on the temperatures calculated by executing the interpolation processing, a component in a direction orthogonal to an influence coefficient vector obtained by principal component analysis as a degree of deviation from during a normal operation in which a breakout has not occurred; and a step of predicting a breakout based on the degree of deviation.

Abstract: A die casting machine of an embodiment includes: a holding furnace holding molten metal; a sleeve located outside the holding furnace and having a molten metal supply port passing through a mold; a plunger sliding through the sleeve and including a plunger rod and a plunger tip fixed to a tip of the plunger rod; a molten metal supply pipe pushed against the sleeve to cover the molten metal supply port and supplying the molten metal into the sleeve; and a pushing force variable mechanism reducing a pushing force for the sleeve in the molten metal supply pipe when the plunger is sliding.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mold element using a manufacturing device comprising a die and a counter-mold defining a molding cavity in the closed position, comprises: opening the manufacturing device; placing at least one insert 22, produced by laser sintering, against a molding surface of the die; mounting at least one wedge 28 on the die so as to bear against said insert in order to immobilize it relative to said molding surface; closing the manufacturing device, the counter-mold pressing onto said wedge in order to keep said insert pressed against said molding surface; injecting aluminium into the molding cavity of the manufacturing device; opening the manufacturing device; and extracting from the manufacturing device the mold element provided with a molding face formed by at least part of said insert and by the aluminum.