Back to results
US 9,314,840 B2Granted
Intermittent molten metal delivery
AssigneeNovelis Inc.
InventorsRobert Bruce Wagstaff, David Sinden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automated processes that dynamically control rate of delivery of molten metal to a mold during a casting process. Such automated processes can use dynamic metal level variation, control pin pulses and/or oscillation during the mold fill and transient portion of the cast. It has been found that such pulses keep metal flowing in a manner that addresses problems, particularly at the beginning of an ingot cast, associated with metal meniscus contracting and pulling away from the mold on the short faces and corners.
Claims15
A mold apparatus for casting metal, comprising:
- a mold;
- a conduit configured to deliver molten metal to the mold, the conduit controllably occluded by a control pin;
- a positioner coupled to the control pin;
- a level sensor configured to sense level of molten metal in the mold;
- and
- a controller coupled with the control pin positioner and the level sensor, the controller programmed to:
- accept input in the form of at least a metal level setpoint;
- and
- provide to the positioner, a command signal that includes a plurality of pulses that modulate flow or flow rate of molten metal through the conduit such that the level of molten metal in the mold remains in a molten metal level range of between 5 mm above and 3 mm below, inclusive, the metal level setpoint and such that the level of the molten metal in the mold is increased so as to exceed the metal level setpoint by less than 5 mm above the metal level setpoint as a result of each pulse of the plurality of pulses.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.