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US 7,338,629 B2Granted
Integrated metal processing facility
AssigneeConsolidated Engineering Company, Inc.
InventorsScott P. Crafton, Paul M. Crafton, James L. Lewis, Jr., Ian French
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Abstract
A system and method for forming and heat treating a metal casting are provided.
Claims11
An integrated system for forming and heat treating a metal casting, the system comprising:
- a pouring station for pouring molten metal into a mold to form the casting;
- a heat treatment station downstream from said pouring station and including a heat treatment furnace for receiving the casting;
- a temperature measuring device for monitoring the temperature of the casting as it is transferred from said pouring station to said heat treatment station;
- a transfer mechanism adjacent said pouring station and in communication with said temperature measuring device, for transferring the casting between said pouring station and said heat treatment station;
- and
- at least one heat source along a path of travel of the casting as the casting is transferred from said pouring station to said heat treatment station, said at least one heat source located in a position to apply heat to the casting as needed in response to said temperature measuring device monitoring the temperature of the casting in order to maintain the casting at or above a process control temperature, but below a solution heat treatment temperature for the metal of the casting, to enable solidification of the molten metal sufficient to form the casting;
- and
- wherein the process control temperature is a temperature below which for every one minute of time a temperature of the casting decreases, more than one minute of heat treatment time thereafter is required to attain a desired heat treatment properties of the casting.
5 more elements
An integrated metal processing facility for forming castings from a molten metal material and thereafter heat treating the castings, comprising:
- a pouring station at which the molten metal material is introduced into a series of molds to form the castings;
- a heat treatment station positioned along a processing path for the castings, downstream from said pouring station, and including at least one chamber for heat treating the castings;
- at least one heat source positioned along said processing path for the castings between said pouring station and said heat treatment station for applying heat to the castings during transitioning of the castings from said pouring station to said heat treatment station;
- and
- a temperature control system, in communication with said at least one heat source for controlling application of heat to the castings by said at least one heat source as needed to substantially maintain the castings at or above a predetermined process control temperature for the metal of the castings and below a solution heat treatment temperature for the metal of the castings after pouring, whereby the molten metal of the castings is permitted to at least partially solidify sufficient to form the castings, while the castings are maintained at or above said process control temperature so as to substantially minimize a time necessary to heat the castings to a solution heat treatment temperature required for heat treatment of the castings.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.