Pump controller for a sand casting system

A system configured to control a pump motor for a casting system, the system including a set of instructions, which, when executed by a computer, causes the casting system to:

• apply a selected activation energy to the pump motor;
• drive, with the pump motor, a casting medium from a source to a mold through a casting medium delivery system;
• deliver the casting medium into a mold cavity;
• detect one or more casting medium delivery parameters in the casting medium delivery system;
• detect one or more casting medium mold parameters in the mold cavity;
• send a first plurality of signals representing the one or more casting medium delivery parameters to a controller;
• send a second plurality of signals representing the one or more casting medium mold parameters to the controller;
• process the first plurality of signals and the second plurality of signals to determine pump motor control parameters;
• adjust the selected activation energy to the pump motor based on the pump motor control parameters;
• and
• determine an operational health factor corresponding to an ability of the pump motor, the operational health factor establishes an ability of the pump motor to maintain a selected flow rate when provided with a selected input current of the selected activation energy;
• deliver casting medium into the mold cavity after the operational health factor is determined until a mold full signal is received;
• and
• initiate a maintenance cycle on the pump motor based on the operational health factor.

A component casting system comprising:

• a source of casting medium;
• a mold including a mold cavity;
• a casting medium delivery system connecting the source of casting medium and the mold cavity;
• a pump motor configured to motivate an amount of casting medium from the source of casting medium, through the casting medium delivery system, into the mold cavity;
• a plurality of sensors including at least one sensor configured to detect a parameter of the amount of casting medium in the casting medium delivery system and at least one sensor configured to detect a parameter of the amount of casting medium in the mold cavity;
• and
• a motor controller operatively connected to the pump motor and the plurality of sensors, the motor controller being configured to adjust a selected control parameter of the pump motor based on signals from one or more of the plurality of sensors, wherein the motor controller is configured to determine an operational health factor of the pump motor indicative of an ability of the pump's motor to be adjusted to meet the selected control parameter and continue to operate the pump motor after the operational health factor indicates maintenance is needed until a maintenance cycle is initiated.