Method and apparatus for estimating dimensional uniformity of cast object
AssigneeUnited States Pipe and Foundry Company
InventorsKenneth J Watts, Stephanie R Holtz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing an estimate of uniformity of wall thickness of a centrifugally cast object, such as a pipe cast from molten iron, substantially immediately after the casting process is complete. The volume of molten metal entering the mold over time is determined and correlated with casting machine position and velocity data to estimate wall thickness along the length of the pipe. Process defects can then be identified promptly and corrective action taken.
Claims10
A method of estimating wall thickness of an object formed in a centrifugal casting process in which molten metal is poured in a stream from a ladle into a casting machine having a trough that is movable linearly with respect to a longitudinal axis of a rotating cylindrical mold, said method comprising:
- (a) measuring an area of a sample of the stream, wherein the area of the sample is measured between the ladle and the trough;
- (b) determining an amount of a volume of molten metal associated with the sample using the measured area;
- (c) correlating the determined volume to a longitudinal position on the mold;
- (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for a predetermined length of the mold;
- (e) calculating, using determined volumes and correlated longitudinal positions, an estimated thickness of a wall of the cast object at each such position of the length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.