Abstract: Molten metal is introduced into the cavity by a combined gravity feed and centrifugal force feed using a rotating turntable under electrical or electronic control. The centrifugal force is controlled to be substantially constant until the metal has solidified. This is accomplished by controlling the ramp-up acceleration of the turntable where rotational velocity is a time-dependent function of rotational radius and molten metal mass and taking into account the flow rate and cooling rate of the liquid metal. The process reduces waste and the attendant energy consumption associated with the quantity of metal required to be melted for the initial pour and associated with reprocessing and reusing the waste component.

Abstract: Molten metal is introduced into the cavity by a combined gravity feed and centrifugal force feed using a rotating turntable under electrical or electronic control. The centrifugal force is controlled to be substantially constant until the metal has solidified. This is accomplished by controlling the ramp-up acceleration of the turntable where rotational velocity is a time-dependent function of rotational radius and molten metal mass and taking into account the flow rate and cooling rate of the liquid metal. The process reduces waste and the attendant energy consumption associated with the quantity of metal required to be melted for the initial pour and associated with reprocessing and reusing the waste component.

Abstract: The present invention is an alloy lump for R-T-B type sintered magnets, including an R2T14B columnar crystal and an R-rich phase (in which R is at least one rare earth element including Y, T is Fe or Fe with at least one transition metal element except for Fe, and B is boron or boron with carbon), in which in the as-cast state, R-rich phases nearly in the line-like or rod-like shape (the width direction of the line or rod is a short axis direction) are dispersed in the cross section, and the area percentage of the region where R2T14B columnar crystal grains have a length of 500 ?m or more in the long axis direction and a length of 50 ?m or more in the short axis direction is 10% or more of the entire alloy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centrifugal casting of metal articles uses a rotating mold body that can be pivoted from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation during the centrifugal casting of the metal article. The resulting metal article has a closed end and an open end defining a hollow cavity. The mold body has a closed end that is oriented in a vertical position with the longitudinal axis extending vertically. While the mold body is rotated, an amount of molten metal is introduced into the mold body so that the molten metal is distributed along the closed end of the mold body. In one embodiment, the bottom end of the mold body has a frustoconical shaped surface defining the mold cavity. The mold body is then pivoted to a horizontal position while continuously rotating to distribute and cast the metal against the inner surface of the mold body. In one embodiment, the mold body has a refractory lining of a compacted refractory material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a casting method which employs rapid solidification of metal, rare-earth metal or the like, as well as to a casting apparatus and a cast alloy. A centrifugal casting method includes the steps of pouring a molten material onto a rotary body; sprinkling the molten material by the effect of rotation of the rotary body; and causing the sprinkled molten material to be deposited and to solidify on the inner surface of a rotating cylindrical mold. The axis of rotation of the rotary body and the axis of rotation of the cylindrical mold are caused not to run parallel to each other. The centrifugal casting method can attain a decrease in average deposition rate. As a result, generation of the dendritic &agr;Fe phase or generation of a segregation phase of Mn or the like is suppressed, thereby realizing a high-performance R-T-B-type rare-earth magnet alloy.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for fiberizing bales of pulp into substantially dry fibers and fiber aggregates, i.e., dry fluff, and metering the resulting dry fluff to a receptacle or other process, such as an airlaid process for making disposable absorbent articles.

Abstract: Methods for making various nickel based superalloys into engineering components such as rings, tubes and pipes by melting of the alloys in a vacuum or under a low partial pressure of inert gas and subsequent centrifugal casting of the melt in the graphite molds rotating along its own axis under vacuum or low partial pressure of inert gas are provided. The molds have been fabricated by machining high density, high strength ultrafine grained isotropic graphite, wherein the graphite has been made by isostatic pressing or vibrational molding.

Abstract: Molds (1) with annular mold parts (2, 3) divided by at least one plane of division (E—E) and forming a plurality of cavities (8) disposed at least substantially radially to a centrifugation axis (A—A), serve for the production of precision castings by centrifugal casting, especially of parts made of materials containing titanium for internal combustion engines, the molds (1) and a casting system being contained in a closed chamber. To automate production, at least one mold part (2, 3) is made to rotate in its own rotational guide, and two mold parts (2, 3) together with the corresponding rotational guides are brought to a closed position for the casting and solidification and to an open position for the removal of the precision castings. When cast, the precision castings are preferably joined together at their radially inward pointing ends by a circumferential ring of the solidified metal and thus a circle of castings can be removed from the opened mold by a manipulating system.

Abstract: While rotating a chamber 10 with a crucible 18 for heating ingots 28 of metal and a mold 23 for receiving molten metal from the crucible 18 enclosed therein from a normal position to a reversed position, when an arrival of the chamber 10 at a preset reference position is detected by a rotary plate 36 and a position sensor 37, a pressure gas is introduced into the chamber 10 at a time point delayed from the reference position by a preset delay time. The delay time is preset so that the pressurize gas starts pressing the molten metal into a sprue runner 26 immediately after a mouth of the sprue runner 26 is completely closed by the molten metal poured from the crucible 18. Thus, the molten metal is promptly pressed through the sprue runner 26 into a cavity 27 of the mold 23 before it starts solidifying due to the contact with the mold 23 having a temperature lower than that of the molten metal.

Abstract: In the manufacture of hollow metal ingots, particularly for producing seamless tubes, the liquid melt is poured rapidly into an upright or slightly inclined chill mould, the chill mould is closed and is tilted into a substantially horizontal position in which it is slowly rotated about its longitudinal axis. The hole is produced in the hollow ingots by pouring into the chill mould a quantity of melt which corresponds to the total volume of the chill mould plus the shrinkage volume and less the volume of the desired hole. The method is particularly advantageous when manufacturing hollow ingots of great length, although the method can also be used when manufacturing short hollow ingots. It is particularly advantageous to blow in an accurately dimensioned quantity of inert gas, corresponding to the hole in the hollow ingot, during and after the actual pouring operation.

Abstract: Macrosegregation in metal alloy castings and other alloys having similar solidification behavior is reduced by slowly rotating a mold or the like containing the liquid alloy about an axis at an acute angle to the vertical from the time the liquid alloy is poured into the mold until substantially all of the alloy has solidified. The mold is rotated at a speed below that which produces a centrifuging effect or causes stirring or agitation of the interdendritic liquid.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for a centrifugal casting machine having an articulated mold that is mounted for rotation in a cantilevered manner on a drive shaft. The positioning apparatus includes a pair of pillow block bearings having arcuate bearing races that operate to allow the drive shaft to be tilted within a predetermined angular range relative to its longitudinal axis. In addition, the positioning apparatus includes a plurality of locking pins each of which are mounted to cooperate respectively with one of a plurality of positioning members mounted on a rotatable mold-supporting face plate of the casting machine. Operation of the lock pins into engagement with the positioning members moves the face plate into a predetermined position relative to its axis of rotation, following a casting cycle of the machine, so that segments of the centrifugal mold can be radially stripped from an article cast therein without unduly distorting the cast article.

Abstract: A tilting centrifugal casting machine for producing a compound solid roll by centrifugally casting the outer shell and inner layer into an integral structure. The angle of inclination of the axis of rotation of the mold and the angle defined by the line connecting the center of the mold and the center of the rollers relative to the horizontal are selected to be within the optimum ranges, thereby to obtain a tilting type of centrifugal casting machine with high anti-vibration effect and safety in use, capable of producing a defect-free superior compound solid roll.