Abstract: A method for estimating proper eutectic modification level in a liquid metal to minimize macro shrinkage porosity and gas bubbles during casting of aluminum automobile components, and a system and article for casting.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring the cooling of a moving metal belt (B) in a cooling section of a continuous processing line by spraying a liquid or a mixture consisting of a gas and a liquid onto the belt, the cooling depending on parameters including the temperature, speed, and current characteristics of a cooling liquid, wherein according to said method: one or more areas are determined in which cooling parameters are such that the local removal of a vapor film on the surface of the hot belt is carried out or capable being carried out, leading to the redampening of the belt; and at least the temperature of the cooling liquid is adjusted as a cooling parameter in the thus-determined area(s) so as to maintain, or return to, a cooling into a vapor film on the surface of the belt.

Abstract: A coil scheduling system and a method for electrogalvanizing line in steel industry are disclosed. In addition to considering the minimum changeover of physical parameters such as post-processing mode, width, thickness between every two adjacent steel coils, the method of the present invention further considers the influence of selecting coils on the production system stability due to the changeover of post-processing mode, width and thickness, and, thereby less adjusting the production equipment. Thus, the coils are smoothly produced, and more reasonable production process is obtained. The result of comparing the coil production schedule controlled by coil scheduling system for electrogalvanizing line in steel industry of the present invention with that of the production schedule determined manually shows that the number of changeover is reduced by 31.51%, and the adjustment of the production equipment is effectively reduced. Thus, the product quality is improved, and the enterprise benefit is increased.

Abstract: High quality titanium ingot is produced by using recovered titanium scrap as a raw material and adding additives. Scrap, each having individual information of identification and process profile information, is passed through automatic reading means to obtain the information and to store it in a data server.

Abstract: A system for controlling pouring machines, equipment for pouring molten metal using the system and a method of pouring the molten metal where the molten metal can be smoothly poured by the coordinated operation of a casting machine having a first automatic pouring machine and the second automatic pouring machine. The system for controlling the pouring machines has a main control device, a control device for controlling the first pouring machine, and a control device for controlling the second pouring machine so that the operations of two automatic pouring machines are controlled and a smooth coordinated operation of the two automatic pouring machines is realized so that the automatic pouring machines can pour the molten metal into each of a number of molds of a casting line for molds.

Abstract: In a method for assisting at least partially manual control of a metal processing line (1), in which metal (4) in strip or slab form or a pre-profiled state is worked, the proportion of at least one metallurgical phase of the metal is continuously determined with respect to at least one specific location of the metal processing line while taking into account operating parameters of the metal processing line (1) that influence the phase state and/or state parameters of the metal, and the proportion of the least one phase with respect to the specific location of the metal processing line is indicated to an operator.

Abstract: In a method for assisting at least partially manual control of a metal processing line (1), in which metal (4) in strip or slab form or a pre-profiled state is worked, the proportion of at least one metallurgical phase of the metal is continuously determined with respect to at least one specific location of the metal processing line while taking into account operating parameters of the metal processing line (1) that influence the phase state and/or state parameters of the metal, and the proportion of the least one phase with respect to the specific location of the metal processing line is indicated to an operator.

Abstract: A system for on-line property prediction for hot rolled coils in a hot strip mill of a steel plant, including a unit for capturing the chemistry from the steel making stage and providing the data on rolling schedule. Field devices are provided at the instrumentation level for measuring process parameters during hot rolling. A programmable logic controller is used for acquiring data of measured parameters from the field devices and feeding the data to a processor. Means is provided for conversion of the measured data from time domain to space domain using segment tracking. A computation module processes the converted space domain data for predicting mechanical properties along the length and through the thickness of the strip being rolled. A display unit displays the predicted properties. The data obtained can be stored in a data warehouse for future use. A unit provided in the system can collect the predicted properties and feed the same to the scheduling unit.

Abstract: A method to predict heat transfer coefficients for metal castings during quenching and/or cooling is provided. First, an initial set of HTC data are obtained from the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation based on the metal casting geometry, initial metal casting temperature (distribution), quench bed/tunnel dimensions and set-up, and a given or baseline (standard) quenching condition including, but not limited to, air and/or gas flow velocity, air and/or gas flow direction relative to the work piece, air and/or gas temperature, air and/or gas humidity, etc. The initial HTC values for the entire surface of the work piece calculated from CFD can then be optimized by multiplying scale factors to minimize the error between the predicted temperature-time profiles and the experimental measurements for the given or standard/baseline quench condition.

Abstract: During the production of steel, a conversion model is used for the cooling line. Said model is used to calculate the phase fractions, in addition to the temperature of the steel, along the steel strip in real time. A regulating system, which maintains the phase fractions of a steel strip that is wound onto a reeling device at a constant level, is implemented. The method comprises the following steps: in a first step a degree of conversion, for multi-phase steel e.g. the ferrite fraction, is determined from data obtained from the primary data of the steel strip. In a second step, when the strip enters the cooling line, one or more parameters of the cooling strategy, i.e. control values, are adapted online in such a way that the ferrite content of the cooled steel on the reeling device is maintained at a constant level.

Abstract: A processing operation control method controls a processing operation in which a rotary tool 1 is rotated by a rotative drive unit 51, and presses the rotating rotary tool 1 is pressed by a pressing unit 52 to force the rotating rotary tool 1 into workpieces W1 and W2. Load placed on the rotary tool 1 during the processing operation is measured, an optimum rotating speed at which the rotary tool 1 is to be rotated and/or an optimum pressure to be applied to the rotary tool 1 for processing the workpieces W1 and W2 is determined on the basis of the measured load placed on the rotary tool 1. The rotative drive unit 51 and/or the pressing unit 52 are controlled on the basis of the optimum rotating speed at which the rotary tool 1 is to be rotated and/or the optimum pressure to be applied to the rotary tool 1.

Abstract: A computer program product for controlling an apparatus for continuous casting of metals. The computer program product includes a computer readable medium and computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium executable by a processor for performing the steps of supplying a molten metal to a casting mold with an elongated horizontal cross section, applying at least one magnetic field to the to exert an influence on the movement of the molten metal, generating a stationary magnetic field with a variable strength across the elongated cross section of the casting mold in the vicinity of, or below, where the molten metal is supplied, and generating a variable magnetic field in an area of the upper surface of molten metal in a region that is centrally located with respect to the elongated cross section and in the vicinity of where the molten metal is supplied.

Abstract: A numerical procedure for simulating the behavior of incompressible, viscous fluid in a casting/molding process. The method is based on classical fluid dynamic equations and uses control volume-finite element and numerical techniques to solve the momentum and energy equations to obtain solution for the variable parameters. The method incorporates five additional modules which simulate fluid flow in the shot sleeve, heat transfer between the die and the heat transfer fluid, die cooling by lubricant, formation of mend line. These additional simulation modules produce realistic boundary conditions, and replace many of the assumptions that would have to be made, to solve the governing equations. These added improvements ensure a faster convergence of the numerical solution and a more realistic simulation of the die casting process.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a system for predicting precipitation kinetics in precipitation-hardenable alloys, such as the 7000 series aluminum alloys, and for optimizing conditions for thermal treatment thereof. The method includes the steps of measuring a real-time temperature of an alloy component during the thermal treatment process, and using a signal in dependence upon the real-time temperature to predict, using executable code, a current state of the alloy component. The executable code includes a series of rate equations and initial parameters for a particular alloy. Optionally, the initial parameters for the particular alloy are provided after the code is in execution. The thermal treatment process is terminated when a predetermined state of the alloy component is predicted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating expanded and non-expanded regions on a sheet of sheet metal. The apparatus includes a programmable controller, a sheet metal feeder for incrementally advancing the sheet metal, and a cutter/expander for generating rows of expanded metal apertures. The controller selectively controls both the amount of incremental advance provided to the sheet metal by the feeder and the timing and location of the cutting and expanding provided by the cutter/expander; the combination of which creates such regions.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a system for predicting precipitation kinetics in precipitation-hardenable alloys, such as the 7000 series aluminum alloys, and for optimizing conditions for thermal treatment thereof. The method includes the steps of measuring a real-time temperature of an alloy component during the thermal treatment process, and using a signal in dependence upon the real-time temperature to predict, using executable code, a current state of the alloy component. The executable code includes a series of rate equations and initial parameters for a particular alloy. Optionally, the initial parameters for the particular alloy are provided after the code is in execution. The thermal treatment process is terminated when a predetermined state of the alloy component is predicted.

Abstract: A control system includes a nonvolatile memory chip and a controller. The controller transfers a group of data from exterior to the nonvolatile memory chip based on the capacity of the nonvolatile memory, and enables the programming of the transferred data in the nonvolatile memory chip while transferring a new group of data. When transferring the group of data to the memory chip, the controller determines whether all the data are transferred from the exterior to the controller, and, if the all the data are transferred to the controller, transfers the group of data to the memory chip. Also, the controller controls the period of the data programming according to the capacity of the nonvolatile memory. Thus, data transfer and program operations are performed at the same time regardless of the memory capacity.

Abstract: A stir-friction hot-working or welding arrangement uses a pin tool having a ligament 22 and a shoulder 224. The force required for incremental penetration increases markedly when the shoulder is reached. A control system for maintaining a set penetration depth includes a load cell for measuring force or pressure applied to the pin tool. The control system compares a reference signal representing the desired force with the actual force from the load cell, to produce an error signal which controls the penetration force, thereby tending to maintain a desired penetration depth. In a particular embodiment, the reference signal ramps up from a low or zero value at turn-on, to reduce forces applied upon initial penetration. In another embodiment, position signals are used to control a modulator or multiplier, which changes the error signal applied at certain positions of penetration, or at certain velocities of penetration.

Abstract: A method of optimizing cycle time and/or casting quality in the making of a cast metal product which has been defined by a CAD product model.

Abstract: A process and a device for comprehensive control of a basic industry plant, such as a steel plant or an integrated iron works, which includes subprocesses that are critical with regard to continuous material flow, e.g., casting processes. The invention optimizes the material flow through the system and prevents the interruption of the material flow prior to the start of subprocesses that are critical with regard to continuous material flow. The process sequence in a subprocess is subdivided into four steps, referred to as quarter cells with each quarter cell containing a point in time, a time range to describe possible process time fluctuations, the name of the previous quarter cell, i.e., the name of the previous substep of a subprocess, as well as a marker of whether the process time fluctuation of this subcell is influenceable or non-influenceable.