Fluid-cooled needle for molten material flow control

A needle control assembly, comprising:

• a main frame including a first rail guide and a second rail guide coupled together by a first cross bar and a second cross bar;
• a cross frame coupled to and movable along the first rail guide and the second rail guide;
• and
• a flow control needle carried by the cross frame, which is configured to move the flow control needle along a longitudinal axis as the cross frame moves along the first rail guide and the second rail guide.

A method for using a molten material flow control needle, comprising:

• flowing a heat exchange fluid through the molten material flow control needle comprising:
• a longitudinal axis;
• an outer conduit including
• an outer base end having an outlet,
• an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and
• an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end;
• an inner conduit including
• an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet,
• an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit,
• an inner free end, and
• a central inlet passage extending between the inner conduit inlet and the inner free end;
• and
• axially adjusting the molten material flow control needle to control molten material flow from a stilling tank of a melter.