Method for controlling the filling of a mold cavity of a casting machine

A countergravity casting method for producing a cast article comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a casting apparatus having a mold, a substantially air tight casting chamber in communication with the mold, a first supply port for supplying a molten metal to the casting chamber, and a second supply port for supplying a pressurized fluid to the casting chamber;
• (b) supplying the molten metal to the first supply port to cause the molten metal to be supplied to the casting chamber;
• (c) supplying the pressurized fluid to the second supply port to cause the molten metal to be supplied from the casting chamber to the mold;
• (d) determining the amount of the molten metal in the casting chamber as a variable V1;
• (e) determining the amount of the fluid in the casting chamber as a variable V2;
• (f) determining the amount of humidity in the casting chamber as a variable V3;
• (g) determining the amount of the fluid entering the casting chamber as a variable V4;
• (h) determining the pressure of the fluid in the casting chamber as a variable V5;
• (i) determining the amount of the molten metal needed to produce a cast article in the mold as a variable V6;
• (j) determining the change in the pressure of the molten metal in the casting chamber as a variable V7;
• (k) sensing the position of the molten metal with respect to the mold as a variable V8;
• (l) providing a control panel which receives a signal representative of the variables V1-V8;
• and
• (m) adjusting the supply of one or both of the molten metal or the pressurized fluid in response to at least one of the signals representative of the variables V1-V8.