Abstract: A continuous casting apparatus for a multilayered slab includes a ladle having a molten steel supply nozzle; a tundish having a first retention portion that receives supply of the molten steel from the ladle through the molten steel supply nozzle and has a first immersion nozzle and a second retention portion that is adjacent to the first retention portion with a flow path interposed therebetween and has a second immersion nozzle; an addition mechanism that adds a predetermined element to the molten steel in the second retention portion; and a casting mold that receives supply of the molten steel from the tundish.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, and apparatus for the recovery of precious metals. Accordingly, it provides a continuous process for obtaining a precious metal composition from a feedstock material, the process comprising the steps of: (i) heating a feedstock material in a plasma furnace to form an upper slag layer and a lower molten metal layer; (ii) removing the slag layer; (iii) removing the molten metal layer; (iv) allowing the removed molten metal layer to solidify; (v) fragmenting the solidified metal layer to form fragments; and (vi) recovering a precious metal composition from the fragments; wherein the feedstock material comprises a precious metal containing material and a collector metal, said collector metal being a metal or an alloy that is capable of forming a solid solution, an alloy or an intermetallic compound with one or more precious metals. This allows for high recovery yields of precious metals.

Abstract: A mold which is inexpensive and easy to process and does not embrittle. Also provided is a process by which a sintered. NdFeB magnet can be produced using the mold without suffering bending or deformation. At least part (e.g., a bottom plate) of the mold is made of a carbon material. Carbon materials have lower friction with a sinter during sintering than metals. The mold hence enables a sintered NdFeB magnet to be produced without suffering the bending or deformation caused by friction due to sintering shrinkage. Carbon materials are inexpensive and easy to process. The mold does not embrittle even when repeatedly used. Such effects can be significantly produced when a carbon material is used as the bottom plate, on which the load of the sinter is imposed during sintering.

Abstract: A device for casting of metal. The device includes a mold, a casting tube via which molten metal is supplied to molten metal in the mold in a region at a distance below a meniscus of the molten metal, and at least one stirrer including an iron core and a coil arranged around the iron core. The iron core is arranged to be elongated along the broad side of the mold and adapted to apply a magnetic field to the molten metal for stirring the melted metal. An upper part of the iron core is positioned at a distance from the meniscus of from 50 mm above the surface of the meniscus to 195 mm below the surface. The length of the iron core in relation to the length of the broad side of the mold is between at least 50% and 80% of the length of the broad side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for producing radially oriented ring magnet. The problem it solved is to uniformly orient the magnet powder in the process of producing, and also to get relatively large oriented magnetic field strength, so as to increase the performance and uniformity of the radial ring. The method of forming a radially oriented ring magnet, is to position magnetic powder into a ring mold, using an oriented magnetic field to orient the magnetic powder in the ring mold along the radius or diameter direction, wherein the oriented magnetic field is distributed discretely 360° around the ring mold, and during the forming process the oriented magnetic field and the magnetic powder have relative rotation.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with the productions of unidirectionally solidified castings and remelting-processed ingots such as ESR or VAR, which has paid special attention to the liquid flow phenomena within solid-liquid coexisting phase (mushy phase) during solidification, and made it clear for the first time that by applying high static magnetic field onto the whole mushy phase, the extremely slow interdendritic liquid flow responsible for the formation of macrosegregation can be suppressed, and thereby that the macrosegregation such as freckles can completely be eliminated. Thus, this invention provides with a novel casting technology for producing high quality castings and ingots without macrosegregation.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method including providing an insert, wherein at least a portion of the insert is attracted to a magnet; providing a mold including a first mold portion, a second mold portion, and a magnet having at least a portion thereof in or adjacent to at least one of the first mold portion or the second mold portion; positioning the insert in one of the mold portions such that the at least one magnet at least assists in holding the insert in place; and closing the mold and casting a molten material into the mold and around or adjacent to at least a portion of the insert and solidifying the material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous casting mold, in particular a thin slab mold in which the flow of a liquid metal in the mold is influenced by a magnetic field generated by permanent magnets, wherein the permanent magnets have, over the width and/or height thereof, different magnetic strengths or are spaced from each other by different distances for a different field strength, so that to provide for variation of the magnetic field strength, the permanent magnets are differently adjusted in groups for changing a field strength distribution.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an anisotropic formed body in which functional, magnetic fine particles are oriented in a specific direction within a matrix and in which anisotropy is given to properties attributable to the functional fine particles. The apparatus allows use of a wide variety of materials as the functional fine particles and realizes an anisotropy which is parallel and of a uniform interval within a large area. Further, a method for manufacturing an anisotropic formed body, includes applying, by using a superconducting magnet device, a uniform and parallel magnetic field with magnetic lines of force at equal intervals and parallel to each other, to a mold in which the matrix is filled with a liquid molding material containing functional, magnetic fine particles, to orient the functional fine particles in a direction of the magnetic lines of force, whereby the liquid molding material subsequently hardens.

Abstract: A device for separating and closing a split mold that comprises a base, a stationary platen, and a movable platen extending upward from the base and oriented to oppose each other, electromagnets, a hydraulic cylinder, and a control panel. The movable platen is capable of movement toward and away from the stationary platen by the hydraulic cylinder. The stationary platen has the electromagnets mounted thereon and the movable platen has the electromagnets mounted thereon. In the use of the device, the mold is positioned upon the base such that the first half is positioned against the stationary platen. The movable platen is moved against the second half and the electromagnets are activated. The movable platen is then moved away from the stationary platen, and the mold halves are held against their respective platens by the attractive forces of the electromagnets. Mold halves are thus separated by the movement of the platen away from the stationary platen in activation of the electromagnets.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piston for internal combustion engines which utilize a core molding or casting system for forming a hollow chamber for the passage of cooling oil therethrough. The manufacturing method includes the steps of preparing a core so as to have at least a first and second foot portion extending therefrom; inserting a bar member made of magnetic materials within each of the first and second foot portions; positioning at least one permanent magnet on a core box; and fixing the core to the core box via the bar members due to the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet.

Abstract: A molding machine for fabricating boxless molds wherein the mold boxes or flasks for the mold halves are moved, upon arms of a turnstile or rotatable cross-shaped element, cyclically to various molding stations of the molding machine. Fabrication of a casting mold at the closing or assembly station is rendered possible in that, a support plate of a conveyor device for the further transport of the casting molds is structured as part of the closing or assembly station. An ejector punch, a support means for the mold boxes or flasks and an elevationally displaceable table are arranged such that a mold lower part and a mold upper part are successively ejected into the support plate for the purpose of forming the casting mold.

Abstract: Mold forming apparatus including a pattern device which is composed of pattern plates adapted to be operatively fitted into a pattern plate carrier is operated with the pattern device shifted between a lifting station, at which a formed mold may be removed from the patterns of the pattern plates, and an exchange station where the pattern plates may be separated from the pattern plate carrier for appropriate treatment thereof. The pattern plate carrier is formed in a generally box-like configuration with a bottom member having openings extending therethrough through which extraction pins of a lifting device may extend in order to raise and lower the pattern plates from the pattern plate carrier at the exchange station. A vacuum system is provided which will tend to hold the pattern plate carrier upon a bearing member of the apparatus and which will also tend to hold the pattern plate upon the pattern plate carrier while the finished mold is removed therefrom.

Abstract: A layer of metal is cast on a surface of a metal backing and while the cast metal is still molten, a varying electromagnetic force is generated along an edge of the strip which induces electric currents in the molten metal. The resulting mechanical force exerted in the molten metal is such that the metal is restrained from flowing to the edge of the strip.

Abstract: Conoid surfaces can be generated by rotation of a material at different angles and under differing constraints. An axis of 45.degree. can produce hyperboloids; with perpendicular axes, concentric spheres can be produced; magnetic fields can be used to shape the lenses; and multielement lenses can be produced with special chambers.

Abstract: In the casting of aluminium and other metals having a relatively low melting point, the metal is cast between a pair of belts, which are caused to move along precisely defined paths by means of externally applied attractive forces, which hold the outer surface of at least the upper of the belts against closely spaced support surfaces. The attractive force is preferably achieved by sub-atmospheric pressure conditions on the reverse side of the belts, although magnetic forces may be employed for the same purpose. The belts are preferably arranged to provide a casting cavity of decreasing thickness to maintain close contact between the belt and the solidifying metal to secure rapid transfer of heat from the metal to the belts throughout the length of the casting zone. The cooling of the belts is preferably achieved by directing jets of coolant substantially normally to the belt at closely spaced localities.