A nickel-based alloy melting and casting device and a melting and casting method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of nickel-based alloys, and specifically to a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device and a melting and casting method. The device includes a melting furnace, which comprises a furnace body and a heating coil arranged inside the furnace body. A crucible is arranged inside the inner circle of the heating coil, and a connection assembly is provided between the crucible and the end cover at the upper port of the furnace body; the connection assembly includes vertical rods symmetrically arranged on the lower surface of the end cover. The lower end of each vertical rod is fixedly connected with a vertical plate, and a ring body is arranged between the opposite side walls of the two vertical plates. The outer circle of the ring body is symmetrically rotatably connected to the vertical plates; in the present invention, the nickel-based alloy melting and casting device simplifies the charging process. Connecting the crucible to the end cover makes the raw material charging process more convenient. The operator does not need to perform complex charging operations in the narrow furnace body cavity, but only needs to charge on the end cover, reducing the operation difficulty and labor intensity; improving production efficiency. Since the charging process is more convenient, the charging time can be significantly shortened, thereby improving the production efficiency of the entire melting process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of nickel-based alloys, and specifically to a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device and a melting and casting method. Background Art

[0002] In the coating industry, nickel-based alloy thin films are widely used in surface strengthening films such as wear resistance, heat resistance and corrosion resistance, as well as high-end technology industries such as low-emissivity glass, microelectronics, magnetic recording, semiconductors and thin film resistors due to their high resistivity, low resistance temperature coefficient, relatively high sensitivity coefficient, good thermal stability and chemical stability, and easy preparation and stable performance. Therefore, the demand for nickel-based alloys at home and abroad is increasing.

[0003] Nickel-based alloys are prepared by putting a variety of metal powder raw materials into a melting furnace, heating and melting them, then taking out the molten material and pouring it into a nickel-based alloy ingot, and then machining it into a nickel-based alloy thin film by mechanical means; during the process of taking out the molten material, the sealing cover of the melting furnace needs to be opened first in order to take out the alumina crucible in the melting furnace, and all these operations need to be carried out step by step, with many links, making the operation complex. At the same time, in the early stage of melting, the alumina crucible needs to be placed first and then the sealing cover is installed, and the process is also rather cumbersome, resulting in frequent contact between the operator and the melting furnace operation, affecting the processing efficiency and increasing the production safety risk.

[0004] Therefore, in view of the above problems, a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device and a melting and casting method are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to make up for the deficiencies of the prior art and solve at least one of the technical problems proposed in the background art.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is: a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device of the present invention includes a melting furnace, the melting furnace includes a furnace body and a heating coil arranged in the furnace body, a crucible is arranged inside the inner circle of the heating coil, and a connecting component is arranged between the crucible and the end cover at the upper port of the furnace body;

[0007] The connecting component includes vertical rods symmetrically arranged on the lower surface of the end cover, a vertical plate is fixedly connected to the lower end of each vertical rod, a ring body is arranged between the opposite side walls of the two vertical plates, and the outer circle of the ring body is symmetrically rotatably connected to the vertical plates;

[0008] Fixing holes are symmetrically opened on the upper end surface of the ring body, and each fixing hole is close to the rotation connection point of the vertical plate and the ring body;

[0009] A sliding sleeve is also sleeved on each vertical rod, a fixing pin is fixedly connected to one side of the lower end of the sliding sleeve, and when the sliding sleeve slides to the upper end surface of the vertical plate, the fixing pin is embedded in the fixing hole.

[0010] Preferably, a blanking assembly for cooperating with the crucible for blanking is provided on one side of the furnace body. The blanking assembly includes two symmetric support frames. The upper ends of the support frames are arranged in an "L" shape, and two opposite notches are formed at the upper ends of the two support frames;

[0011] A rotating assembly is further provided between the two support frames. The rotating assembly includes a base adapted to the crucible. Handles are symmetrically fixed on both sides of the base, and the handles are rotatably connected to the support frames.

[0012] Preferably, a flat part is formed on the outer circumference of each vertical rod. The flat part is arranged along the axis direction of the vertical rod. A limiting strip is further provided on the outer circumference of each vertical rod. The limiting strip is arranged along the axis direction of the vertical rod. The limiting strip is arranged close to the crucible, and the limiting strip is arranged opposite to the flat part;

[0013] A sliding opening adapted to the limiting strip is formed on each sliding sleeve. The sliding opening is arranged along the axis direction of the sliding sleeve.

[0014] Preferably, a lifting assembly is arranged above the furnace body. The lifting assembly includes a guide rail erected on the ground. A slider is slidably connected in the guide rail. A lead screw is threadedly connected in the slider. The end of the lead screw extends to the end of the guide rail. A hydraulic rod is fixed below the slider, and the output end of the hydraulic rod is connected to an end cover.

[0015] Preferably, the output end of the hydraulic rod is rotatably connected to a driven shaft. A driven gear is fixed on the driven shaft. The driven gear meshes with a driving gear. The driving gear is fixed to a motor, and the motor is fixed on the output end of the hydraulic rod;

[0016] A "cross"-shaped lifting block is fixed to the lower end of the driven shaft. Grooves are formed on the upper surfaces of the four ends of the lifting block;

[0017] Four L-shaped fixing blocks are evenly fixed on the upper surface of the end cover. The lower surface of the lifting block is close to the upper surface of the end cover, and the horizontal ends of the fixing blocks are embedded in the grooves.

[0018] Preferably, a plurality of groups of distance sensors are arranged on the upper surface of the guide rail. The two distance sensors in each group of distance sensors are arranged along the length direction of the guide rail;

[0019] Two positioning grooves are symmetrically formed on the upper end face of the slider. The distance between the two positioning grooves is the same as the distance between two adjacent distance sensors.

[0020] Preferably, a limit switch is arranged on the top surface of each support frame. The triggering end of the limit switch is arranged on one side above the notch.

[0021] Preferably, a heat insulation plate is fixed on the support frame.

[0022] A nickel-based alloy melting and casting method includes the above nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment. The nickel-based alloy melting and casting method includes the following steps:

[0023] Step 1. Raw material preparation

[0024] Raw material selection: Select rare earth oxides, nickel metal powder and chromium metal powder as raw materials;

[0025] Ratio determination: According to the alloy composition design, determine the ratio of various raw materials, determine the type and addition amount of rare earth elements, as well as the ratio of nickel metal powder and chromium metal powder;

[0026] Step 2. Vacuum melting

[0027] Equipment preparation: Use a vacuum melting furnace to ensure that the vacuum degree and temperature control accuracy of the equipment meet the requirements;

[0028] Melting process:

[0029] Loading: Put the proportioned raw materials into an alumina crucible, and then put the alumina crucible into the vacuum melting furnace;

[0030] Vacuum pumping: Start the vacuum pump, observe the change of the pressure gauge value, and pump the inside of the furnace to the preset negative pressure value;

[0031] Heating and melting: Control the melting temperature through contact temperature measurement, heat the raw materials to the melting temperature to make them completely melt;

[0032] Casting: Control the casting rate through the casting time, and pour the molten alloy into the mold to form a nickel-based alloy ingot;

[0033] Step 3. Ingot processing

[0034] Cooling: Naturally cool the cast nickel-based alloy ingot;

[0035] Flaw detection: Use the immersion ultrasonic flaw detection method to detect the defects inside the ingot;

[0036] Surface treatment: Clean the surface of the ingot to remove the oxide scale and inclusions.

[0037] Preferably, during the raw material preparation process, the raw materials are dried and screened, and the raw materials with qualified purity and particle size are selected.

[0038] The advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0039] 1. In the present invention, the nickel-based alloy melting equipment simplifies the loading process. The crucible is connected to the end cover, making the raw material loading process more convenient. The operator does not need to perform complex loading operations in the narrow furnace cavity, but only needs to load on the end cover, reducing the operation difficulty and labor intensity; improving the production efficiency. Since the loading process is more convenient, the loading time can be significantly shortened, thereby improving the production efficiency of the entire melting process.

[0040] 2. In the present invention, the crucible is connected to the end cover, making the smelting process more stable. During the smelting process, the position of the crucible will not change due to vibration or other factors, thus ensuring the uniformity and stability of smelting and improving the quality of the final product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 is a first perspective three-dimensional view of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment in the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 is a second perspective three-dimensional view of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment in the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 is a front view of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment in the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional view of the cooperation between the end cover and the crucible in the present invention;

[0045] Figure 5 is a three-dimensional view of the cooperation between the end cover and the connecting component in the present invention;

[0046] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional view of the cooperation between the crucible and the ring body in the present invention;

[0047] Figure 7 is a three-dimensional view of the connecting component in the present invention;

[0048] Figure 8 is a three-dimensional view of the hydraulic rod in the present invention;

[0049] Figure 9 is a three-dimensional view of the cooperation between the hydraulic rod and the end cover in the present invention;

[0050] Figure 10 is a three-dimensional view of the support frame in the present invention;

[0051] Figure 11 is a three-dimensional view of the cooperation between the support frame and the limit switch in the present invention;

[0052] Figure 12 is a flow chart of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting method in the present invention.

[0053] In the figure: 1, melting furnace; 2, furnace body; 3, crucible; 4, end cover; 5, vertical rod; 6, vertical plate; 7, ring body; 8, fixing hole; 9, sliding sleeve; 10, fixing pin; 11, support frame; 12, notch; 13, base; 14, handle; 15, conveyor belt; 16, template; 17, flat part; 18, limiting strip; 19, sliding opening; 20, guide rail; 21, slider; 22, lead screw; 23, hydraulic rod; 24, feeding area; 25, melting material area; 26, pouring area; 27, transition area; 28, driven shaft; 29, driven gear; 30, driving gear; 31, lifting block; 32, groove; 33, fixing block; 34, distance sensor; 35, positioning groove; 36, limit switch; 37, trigger end; 39, heat insulation board. Specific embodiments

[0054] In order to make the technical means, creative features, achieved purposes and effects of the present invention easy to understand, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0055] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 7 , a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device, including a melting furnace 1, the melting furnace 1 includes a furnace body 2 and a heating coil arranged in the furnace body 2, an inner ring of the heating coil is provided with a crucible 3, and a connection component is arranged between the crucible 3 and an end cover 4 at the upper port of the furnace body 2; the connection component includes vertical rods 5 symmetrically arranged on the lower surface of the end cover 4, a lower end of each vertical rod 5 is fixedly connected with a vertical plate 6, a ring body 7 is arranged between opposite side walls of the two vertical plates 6, and an outer ring of the ring body 7 is symmetrically rotatably connected to the vertical plate 6; fixing holes 8 are symmetrically formed on an upper end surface of the ring body 7, and each fixing hole 8 is close to a rotation connection point of the vertical plate 6 and the ring body 7; a sliding sleeve 9 is further sleeved on each vertical rod 5, a fixing pin 10 is fixedly connected to a lower end side of the sliding sleeve 9, when the sliding sleeve 9 slides to the upper end surface of the vertical plate 6, the fixing pin 10 is embedded in the fixing hole 8; in this embodiment, the designed melting furnace 1 is a vacuum melting furnace 1, and a negative pressure device is arranged on one side of the melting furnace 1, and the inside of the melting furnace 1 can be pumped to a high vacuum state to prevent raw materials from being oxidized during the melting process; the crucible 3 is an alumina crucible 3.

[0056] In this embodiment, the end cover 4 of the sealed furnace body 2 is connected to the crucible 3 for synchronous operation; the end cover 4 is hoisted and raised by a hoisting device, and the crucible 3 is connected to the end cover 4 by a connecting assembly; the crucible 3 is located in the ring body 7, and the crucible 3 is truncated as a whole. The crucible 3 can be located in the ring body 7 without falling, and the outer ring of the ring body 7 is symmetrically rotatably connected to the vertical plate 6, and the vertical plate 6 is fixed to the lower surface of the end cover 4 by the vertical rod 5. When the end cover 4 is lifted or moved horizontally, the crucible 3 will also be driven to move in the vertical and horizontal directions, that is, the end cover 4 is connected to the crucible 3 together; the loading process is simplified, and the crucible 3 is connected to the end cover 4, so that the raw material loading process is simpler. The operator does not need to perform complicated loading operations in the narrow furnace body 2 cavity, but only needs to load the end cover 4, which reduces the difficulty of operation and labor intensity; the production efficiency is improved. Since the loading process is more convenient, the loading time can be significantly shortened, thereby improving the production efficiency of the entire smelting process. The crucible 3 is fixed to the upper end of the furnace body 2, and the crucible 3 is moved to the upper end of the furnace body 2. The crucible 3 is placed in the furnace body 2 at a specified height, and the crucible 3 does not need to be adjusted. In the prior art, the crucible 3 is usually placed in the furnace cavity, and the position needs to be frequently moved and adjusted, which easily leads to equipment wear. For example, the wear of the crucible 3 and the end of the furnace body 2 will affect the sealing performance. The collision or wear of the crucible 3 and the heating coil in the furnace body 2 will affect the stable operation of the heating coil. Fixing the crucible 3 on the end cover 4 reduces the movement of the crucible 3, thereby reducing the wear of the equipment and extending the service life of the equipment. At the same time, this design is also convenient for quickly replacing the crucible 3, further improving the production efficiency. Moreover, the crucible 3 is connected to the end cover 4, which makes the smelting process more stable. During the smelting process, the position of the crucible 3 will not change due to vibration or other factors, thereby ensuring the uniformity and stability of the smelting and improving the quality of the final product.

[0057] The crucible 3 is located in the ring body 7, and the outer ring of the ring body 7 is rotatably connected to the vertical plate 6. From the time the powdered metal raw material is loaded until the molten material is poured out, the crucible 3 is always in a free state and can be deflected at will, which poses a certain risk. For this reason, a fixing pin 10 that can limit the freedom of the crucible 3 is also provided in this embodiment; in the initial state, the sliding sleeve 9 relies on its own gravity to sit on the upper end of the vertical plate 6, and at the same time, the fixing pin 10 is also embedded in the fixing hole 8 on the ring body 7. At this time, the fixing pin 10 can restrain the ring body 7, thereby stabilizing the crucible 3 and limiting the freedom of the crucible 3, so that the crucible 3 can only move vertically and horizontally with the end cover 4, thereby reducing the risk; when the molten material in the crucible 3 needs to be poured out, the sliding sleeve 9 is pushed up, and the sliding sleeve 9 drives the fixing rod to disengage from the fixing hole 8, and the crucible 3 is in a free state.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 11, on one side of the furnace body 2, there is a feeding component for cooperating with the crucible 3 to feed materials. The feeding component includes two symmetrical support frames 11. The upper ends of the support frames 11 are arranged in an "L" shape, and two opposite notches 12 are opened at the upper ends of the two support frames 11;

[0059] A rotating component is also arranged between the two support frames 11. The rotating component includes a base 13 adapted to the crucible 3. On both sides of the base 13, handles 14 are symmetrically fixed. The handles 14 are rotatably connected to the support frames 11;

[0060] In this embodiment, the feeding component is used to pour the molten material from the crucible 3 into the ingot mold 16. The end cover 4 together with the crucible 3 is hoisted and lifted, taken out from the furnace body 2, and then transferred above the position of the feeding component. The end cover 4 is lowered, so that the notch 12 on the support frame 11 is opposite to the vertical rod 5. The vertical rod 5 slides down along the notch 12, and the notch 12 pushes up the sliding sleeve 9. The sliding sleeve 9 is restricted above the notch 12, and the fixing pin 10 is disengaged from the fixing hole 8. The crucible 3 is in a free state. At the same time, the crucible 3 is seated in the base 13. At this time, the axis of the ring body 7 and the vertical plate 6 is the same as the axis of the handle 14 and the support frame 11. The end of the handle 14 is connected to an external driving component. The driving component is used to drive the handle 14 to rotate on the support frame 11. The driving component can adopt a motor combined with a reducer to drive the handle 14 to rotate stably. The handle 14 drives the base 13 to rotate, and the base 13 will drive the crucible 3 together with the ring body 7 to rotate. At this time, the molten material in the crucible 3 is poured out. Just rotate counterclockwise, so that the molten material in the crucible 3 is poured out and poured into the ingot mold 16 conveyed by the conveyor belt 15 on one side of the support frame 11, realizing the feeding of the molten material;

[0061] The design of this material component can reduce the participation of manual feeding. Pouring molten materials is a relatively dangerous operation, not only with high-temperature radiation, but also the possibility of molten materials spilling outside, with relatively high danger.

[0062] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 11 , on the outer circle of each vertical rod 5, a flat part 17 is opened. The flat part 17 is arranged along the axis direction of the vertical rod 5. On the outer circle of each vertical rod 5, a limiting strip 18 is also arranged. The limiting strip 18 is arranged along the axis direction of the vertical rod 5. The limiting strip 18 is arranged close to the crucible 3, and the limiting strip 18 is arranged opposite to the flat part 17;

[0063] On each sliding sleeve 9, a sliding opening 19 adapted to the limiting strip 18 is opened. The sliding opening 19 is arranged along the axis direction of the sliding sleeve 9;

[0064] When the sliding sleeve 9 moves up and down along the vertical rod 5, the limiting strip 18 slides within the sliding opening 19, thereby restricting the relative rotation between the sliding sleeve 9 and the vertical rod 5, enabling the sliding sleeve 9 to only move vertically along the vertical rod 5, and aligning the fixing pin 10 with the fixing hole 8. After the molten material in the crucible 3 is poured out, the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 move upward synchronously. When the vertical plate 6 moves to the notch 12 position, the fixing pin 10 is inserted into the fixing hole 8 again, and at this time, the degrees of freedom of the crucible 3 are restricted again;

[0065] A flat part 17 is provided on the vertical rod 5, and the vertical plate 6 slides into the notch 12 to prevent the notch 12 from hitting the vertical rod 5 or causing extrusion wear to the vertical rod 5 when the vertical rod 5 and the notch 12 move relative to each other. The purpose is to increase the gap between the vertical rod 5 and the notch 12 without affecting the contact between the sliding sleeve 9 and the notch 12.

[0066] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 11 As shown in the figure, a lifting assembly is provided above the furnace body 2. The lifting assembly includes a guide rail 20 erected on the ground. A slider 21 is slidably connected within the guide rail 20. A lead screw 22 is threadedly connected within the slider 21. The end of the lead screw 22 extends to the end of the guide rail 20. A hydraulic rod 23 is fixedly connected below the slider 21, and the output end of the hydraulic rod 23 is connected to the end cover 4;

[0067] As Figure 3 shown, it is the overall design drawing of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment. From right to left, it is successively divided into a feeding area 24, a melting area 25, a pouring area 26, and a transition area 27; The end of the lead screw 22 can be connected to an external servo motor, and the servo motor can drive the lead screw 22 to rotate forward and backward, thereby controlling the slider 21 to move back and forth along the length direction of the guide rail 20;

[0068] In the feeding area 24, the lead screw 22 drives the slider 21 to move. The slider 21 drives the hydraulic rod 23, and the hydraulic rod 23 drives the end cover 4 together with the crucible 3 to move to the rightmost feeding area 24. In the feeding area 24, raw materials are put into the interior of the crucible 3;

[0069] In the melting area 25, the lead screw 22 drives the slider 21 to move leftward, and at the same time drives the hydraulic rod 23 to drive the end cover 4 to move upward together. When the bottom of the crucible 3 is higher than the upper port height of the furnace body 2, it is okay. The slider 21 drives the crucible 3 to the upper port position of the furnace body 2, and then drives the hydraulic rod 23 to lower the end cover 4 and the crucible 3. The crucible 3 is lowered into the inner circle of the heating coil in the furnace body 2, and the end cover 4 is sealed at the upper port of the furnace body 2. At this time, through the downward pressure of the hydraulic rod 23, the end cover 4 is further sealed at the upper port position of the furnace body 2 to improve the sealing performance; The heating coil heats and melts the raw materials in the crucible 3;

[0070] Pouring area 26. First, drive the hydraulic rod 23 to drive the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to move upward. It is sufficient when the bottom of the crucible 3 is higher than the upper port of the furnace body 2. Then, drive the screw rod 22 to rotate, so that the slider 21 moves to the left. The hydraulic rod 23 drives the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to move to the pouring area 26. Then, drive the hydraulic rod 23 to lower the end cover 4 and the crucible 3. The vertical rod 5 slides along the notch 12, and the top upper surface of the support plate abuts against the sliding sleeve 9. The crucible 3 is free to rotate. At the same time, the crucible 3 is seated in the base 13. Then, control the handle 14 to rotate. The handle 14 drives the crucible 3 to rotate counterclockwise through the base 13. The molten material in the crucible 3 is poured into the mold 16;

[0071] Transition area 27. After the pouring of the molten material in the crucible 3 is completed, the handle 14 drives the base 13 to rotate and reset. The port of the crucible 3 faces upward. Then, drive the hydraulic rod 23 to drive the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to move upward. The fixing pin 10 is embedded in the fixing port again. It is sufficient when the bottom of the crucible 3 is higher than the upper end of the support plate. Then, drive the screw rod 22 to rotate, and the slider 21 continues to move to the left, driving the crucible 3 to the transition area 27. A blanking component can also be set in the transition area 27. The blanking component in this transition area 27 is also used to realize the flipping of the crucible 3, facilitating the selection and control of the crucible 3, and thus facilitating operations such as cleaning the crucible 3;

[0072] After that, drive the slider 21 to move to the right through the screw rod 22, transfer the crucible 3 to the feeding area 24, and then repeat the above operations. The setting of the lifting component makes the nickel-based alloy melting and casting process more orderly, enabling each link to proceed smoothly, thereby ensuring the production efficiency of the nickel-based alloy ingot and the stable operation of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment.

[0073] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 11 As shown in, the output end of the hydraulic rod 23 is rotatably connected with a driven shaft 28. A driven gear 29 is fixedly connected to the driven shaft 28. The driven gear 29 meshes with a driving gear 30. The driving gear 30 is fixedly connected with a motor, and the motor is fixedly connected to the output end of the hydraulic rod 23;

[0074] The lower end of the driven shaft 28 is fixedly connected with a "cross"-shaped lifting block 31. Grooves 32 are opened on the upper surfaces of the four ends of the lifting block 31;

[0075] Four L-shaped fixing blocks 33 are uniformly fixedly connected to the upper surface of the end cover 4. The lower surface of the lifting block 31 is close to the upper surface of the end cover 4, and the horizontal ends of the fixing blocks 33 are embedded in the grooves 32;

[0076] The lower end of the driven shaft 28 is fixedly connected to the middle position of the upper surface of the lifting block 31. The upper end of the driven shaft 28 is rotatably connected to the output end of the hydraulic rod 23. And through the cooperation of the motor and the driving gear 30, the driving gear 30 meshes and drives the driven gear 29 to rotate. The driven gear 29 drives the driven shaft 28 to rotate, thereby driving the rotation of the lifting block 31. The lifting block 31 cooperates with the fixing block 33 on the end cover 4 to realize the lifting of the end cover 4. After the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 are used for a long time, it is necessary to replace the crucible 3 or repair the end cover 4 to ensure the smooth progress of the melting process. At this time, the cooperation between the lifting block 31 and the fixing block 33 can be used to realize the disassembly of the end cover 4 and the hydraulic rod 23.

[0077] The output end of the hydraulic rod 23 lowers the lifting block 31 so that the lower surface of the lifting block 31 adheres to the upper surface of the end cover 4, and the fixing block 33 disengages from the groove 32. Then the motor is driven, and the motor drives the lifting block 31 to rotate. According to the design in this embodiment, the lifting block 31 only needs to rotate by an angle of forty-five degrees. Each groove 32 of the lifting block 31 is placed between two adjacent fixing blocks 33. At this time, the lifting block 31 and the fixing block 33 are staggered. Then the hydraulic rod 23 drives the lifting block 31 to move upward, and the disassembly and separation of the end cover 4 and the hydraulic rod 23 can be realized. At this time, it is convenient to repair or replace the end cover 4 or the crucible 3.

[0078] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 11 On the upper surface of the guide rail 20, a plurality of groups of distance sensors 34 are provided. The two distance sensors 34 in each group are arranged side by side along the length direction of the guide rail 20.

[0079] Two positioning grooves 35 are symmetrically formed on the upper end face of the slider 21. The distance between the two positioning grooves 35 is the same as the distance between two adjacent distance sensors 34.

[0080] A group of distance sensors 34 are respectively arranged at the positions on the guide rail 20 corresponding to the feeding area 24, the melting area 25, the pouring area 26 and the transition area 27. Each group of distance sensors 34 is used to control the moving speed of the slider 21 sliding into the feeding area 24, the melting area 25, the pouring area 26 and the transition area 27 respectively.

[0081] For example, when the slider 21 moves from the feeding area 24 to the melting area 25, the positioning groove 35 on the left side of the slider 21 will first face the distance sensor 34 on the right side of the melting area 25. When the distance sensor 34 measures an increase in depth, the background control system controls the rotational speed of the lead screw 22 to decrease, reducing the horizontal movement speed of the slider 21. Then, the positioning groove 35 on the left side of the slider 21 will face the distance sensor 34 on the left side of the melting area 25, and the positioning groove 35 on the right side of the slider 21 will face the distance sensor 34 on the right side of the melting area 25. By measuring the distance change with the distance sensor 34, the deceleration and pause of the rotation of the lead screw 22 are controlled, thereby accurately controlling the position of the hydraulic rod 23 and the positions of the end cover 4 and the crucible 3. Moreover, the stability of the end cover 4, the connecting component, and the crucible 3 can also be controlled. When the slider 21 is about to move to the designated area, the speed is reduced in advance so that the slider 21 can move smoothly to the designated area. If the slider 21 is suddenly decelerated to control it to pause, it will cause the hydraulic rod 23, the end cover 4, and the crucible 3 to swing, triggering a series of production safety risks.

[0082] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 11 , a limit switch 36 is provided on the top surface of each support frame 11, and the trigger end 37 of the limit switch 36 is arranged on one side above the notch 12;

[0083] The limit switch 36 in this embodiment is used to control the start and stop of the hydraulic rod 23. In the pouring area 26, the hydraulic cylinder drives the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to slowly move down. If the swing amplitude of the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 is too large and exceeds the preset swing range, and the swing amplitude of the crucible 3 is too large, the side wall of the vertical rod 5 will squeeze the trigger end 37 of the limit switch 36. The limit switch 36 controls the hydraulic rod 23 to pause the lowering of the end cover 4 and the crucible 3. After the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 are stable and the vertical rod 5 no longer squeezes the trigger end 37 of the limit switch 36, the hydraulic rod 23 is controlled to lower the end cover 4 and the crucible 3. The purpose is to ensure the stability and safety during the pouring process and eliminate all potential production safety hazards as much as possible.

[0084] Refer to Figure 1 - Figure 11 , a heat insulation plate 39 is fixedly connected to the support frame 11;

[0085] The heat insulation plate 39 is provided to block the heat radiation from the crucible 3 and the molten material inside it to the drive assembly that drives the handle 14 to rotate, which is to protect the drive assembly and the safety of the surrounding staff.

[0086] Refer to Figure 12 , a nickel-based alloy melting and casting method, which includes the above nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment, and the nickel-based alloy melting and casting method includes the following steps:

[0087] Step 1. Raw material preparation

[0088] Raw material selection: Select rare earth oxide, nickel metal powder and chromium metal powder as raw materials;

[0089] Ratio determination: According to the alloy composition design, determine the ratio of various raw materials, the type and addition amount of rare earth elements, and the ratio of nickel metal powder and chromium metal powder;

[0090] Step 2: Vacuum melting

[0091] Equipment preparation: Use a vacuum melting furnace 1 to ensure that the vacuum degree and temperature control accuracy of the equipment meet the requirements;

[0092] Melting process:

[0093] Loading: Put the proportioned raw materials into the alumina crucible 3, and then put the alumina crucible 3 into the vacuum melting furnace 1;

[0094] Vacuum pumping: Start the vacuum pump, observe the change of the pressure gauge value, and pump the inside of the furnace to the preset negative pressure value;

[0095] Heating and melting: Control the melting temperature through contact temperature measurement, heat the raw materials to the melting temperature to make them completely melt;

[0096] Casting: Control the casting rate through the casting time, and cast the molten alloy into the mold to form a nickel-based alloy ingot;

[0097] Step 3: Ingot processing

[0098] Cooling: Naturally cool the cast nickel-based alloy ingot;

[0099] Flaw detection: Use the immersion ultrasonic flaw detection method to detect the defects inside the ingot;

[0100] Surface treatment: Clean the surface of the ingot to remove the oxide scale and inclusions.

[0101] During the raw material preparation process, the raw materials are dried and screened, and the raw materials with qualified purity and particle size are selected.

[0102] Working principle:

[0103] As Figure 3 shown, it is the overall design drawing of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment. From right to left, it is divided into a feeding area 24, a melting area 25, a pouring area 26 and a transition area 27; the end of the lead screw 22 can be connected to an external servo motor, and the servo motor can drive the lead screw 22 to rotate forward and backward, so as to control the slider 21 to move back and forth along the length direction of the guide rail 20;

[0104] In the loading area 24, the screw rod 22 drives the slider 21 to move, the slider 21 drives the hydraulic rod 23, and the hydraulic rod 23 drives the end cover 4 together with the crucible 3 to move to the rightmost loading area 24, and the raw materials are put into the crucible 3 in the loading area 24;

[0105] In the melting area 25, the screw rod 22 drives the slider 21 to move to the left, and at the same time drives the hydraulic rod 23 to drive the end cover 4 to move upward. When the bottom of the crucible 3 is higher than the height of the upper port of the furnace body 2, the slider 21 drives the crucible 3 to the upper port of the furnace body 2, and then the hydraulic rod 23 lowers the end cover 4 together with the crucible 3 to the inner circle of the heating coil in the furnace body 2. The end cover 4 is sealed at the upper port of the furnace body 2. At this time, the downward pressure of the hydraulic rod 23 further seals the end cover 4 at the upper port of the furnace body 2 to improve the sealing performance; the heating coil heats and melts the raw materials in the crucible 3;

[0106] In the pouring area 26, the hydraulic rod 23 is first driven to drive the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to move upward until the bottom of the crucible 3 is higher than the upper port of the furnace body 2. Then the screw rod 22 is driven to rotate, so that the slider 21 moves to the left. The hydraulic rod 23 drives the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to move to the pouring area 26. Then the hydraulic rod 23 is driven to lower the end cover 4 and the crucible 3. The vertical rod 5 slides along the notch 12. The upper surface of the top of the support plate supports the sliding sleeve 9. The crucible 3 is in free rotation. At the same time, the crucible 3 is located in the base 13. Then the handle 14 is controlled to rotate. The handle 14 drives the crucible 3 to rotate counterclockwise through the base 13, and the molten material in the crucible 3 is poured into the template 16.

[0107] In the transition zone 27, after the molten material in the crucible 3 is poured, the handle 14 drives the base 13 to rotate and reset, the port of the crucible 3 faces upward, and then the hydraulic rod 23 is driven to drive the end cover 4 and the crucible 3 to move upward, and the fixing pin 10 is embedded in the fixing port again. When the bottom of the crucible 3 is higher than the upper end of the support plate, the screw rod 22 is then driven to rotate, and the slider 21 continues to move to the left, and the crucible 3 is driven to the transition zone 27. The transition zone 27 can also be provided with a blanking assembly, and the blanking assembly of the transition zone 27 is also used to realize the flipping of the crucible 3, which is convenient for the selection and control of the crucible 3, thereby facilitating the cleaning of the crucible 3 and other operations;

[0108] Then, the slider 21 is driven to move rightward by the screw rod 22 to transfer the crucible 3 to the loading area 24, and then the above operation is repeated. The setting of the lifting assembly makes the nickel-based alloy melting and casting process more orderly, so that each link can be carried out smoothly, thereby ensuring the efficiency of nickel-based alloy ingot production and the stable operation of the nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment;

[0109] In this embodiment, a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device is designed, which can simplify the charging process. Connecting the crucible 3 to the end cover 4 makes the raw material charging process more convenient. The operator does not need to perform complex charging operations in the narrow cavity of the furnace body 2. Only charging on the end cover 4 reduces the operation difficulty and labor intensity. It improves production efficiency. Since the charging process is more convenient, the charging time can be significantly shortened, thus improving the production efficiency of the entire melting process. After the charging outside the furnace body 2 is completed, then moving the end cover 4 can realize the movement of the crucible 3. When the end cover 4 is installed and sealed at the upper port of the furnace body 2, the crucible 3 is also lowered to the specified height position inside the furnace body 2 without adjusting the placement position of the crucible 3. In the prior art, the crucible 3 is usually placed in the furnace cavity and needs to be frequently moved and adjusted, which easily causes equipment wear. For example, the wear between the crucible 3 and the port of the furnace body 2 will affect the sealing performance, and the collision or wear between the crucible 3 and the heating coil inside the furnace body 2 will affect the stable operation of the heating coil. However, fixing the crucible 3 on the end cover 4 reduces the movement of the crucible 3, thus reducing equipment wear and extending the service life of the equipment. At the same time, this design also facilitates the quick replacement of the crucible 3, further improving production efficiency. Moreover, connecting the crucible 3 to the end cover 4 makes the melting process more stable. During the melting process, the position of the crucible 3 will not change due to vibration or other factors, thus ensuring the uniformity and stability of melting and improving the quality of the final product.

[0110] The above shows and describes the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments. What is described in the above embodiments and the specification only illustrates the principles of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention will have various changes and improvements, and these changes and improvements all fall within the scope of the present invention claimed. The scope of the present invention claimed is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment, characterized in that: The invention comprises a smelting furnace, which comprises a furnace body and a heating coil arranged in the furnace body, a crucible is arranged in the inner circle of the heating coil, and a connecting component is arranged between the crucible and the end cover of the upper port of the furnace body; The connecting assembly includes vertical rods symmetrically arranged on the lower surface of the end cover, the lower end of each vertical rod is fixedly connected to a vertical plate, a ring body is arranged between the opposite side walls of the two vertical plates, and the outer ring of the ring body is symmetrically rotated and connected to the vertical plate; The upper end surface of the ring body is symmetrically provided with fixing holes, each of which is close to the rotation connection point between the vertical plate and the ring body; Each vertical rod is also sleeved with a sliding sleeve, a fixing pin is fixedly connected to one side of the lower end of the sliding sleeve, the sliding sleeve slides to the upper end surface of the vertical plate, and the fixing pin is embedded in the fixing hole; A material unloading assembly is provided on one side of the furnace body for unloading materials in cooperation with the crucible. The material unloading assembly includes two symmetrical support frames, the upper ends of the support frames are arranged in an "L" shape, and two opposite notches are provided at the upper ends of the two support frames; A rotating assembly is also provided between the two support frames, and the rotating assembly includes a base adapted to the crucible, and handles are symmetrically fixed on both sides of the base, and the handles are rotatably connected to the support frame; A lifting assembly is arranged above the furnace body, and the lifting assembly includes a guide rail erected on the ground, a slider is slidably connected in the guide rail, a screw rod is threadedly connected in the slider, an end of the screw rod extends to the end of the guide rail, a hydraulic rod is fixedly connected below the slider, and an output end of the hydraulic rod is connected to an end cover; The output end of the hydraulic rod is rotatably connected to a driven shaft, the driven shaft is fixedly connected to a driven tooth, the driven tooth meshes with a driving tooth, the driving tooth is fixedly connected to a motor, and the motor is fixedly connected to the output end of the hydraulic rod; A "cross" shaped lifting block is fixedly connected to the lower end of the driven shaft, and grooves are provided on the upper surfaces of the four ends of the lifting block; Four L-shaped fixing blocks are evenly fixed to the upper surface of the end cover, the lower surface of the lifting block is close to the upper surface of the end cover, and the horizontal end of the fixing block is embedded in the groove.

2. A nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each vertical rod has a flat portion on its outer ring, which is arranged along the axis of the vertical rod. Each vertical rod has a limit strip on its outer ring, which is arranged along the axis of the vertical rod. The limit strip is arranged close to the crucible, and the limit strip is arranged opposite to the flat portion. Each sliding sleeve is provided with a sliding opening adapted to the limiting strip, and the sliding opening is arranged along the axis direction of the sliding sleeve.

3. The nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of distance sensors are arranged on the upper surface of the guide rail, and two distance sensors in each distance sensor group are arranged along the length direction of the guide rail; Two positioning grooves are symmetrically arranged on the upper end surface of the sliding block, and the distance between the two positioning grooves is the same as the distance between two adjacent distance sensors.

4. The nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A limit switch is arranged on the top surface of each supporting frame, and a trigger end of the limit switch is arranged on one side above the notch.

5. A nickel-based alloy melting and casting equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: A heat insulation board is fixedly connected to the supporting frame.

6. A nickel-based alloy melting and casting method, comprising a nickel-based alloy melting and casting device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The nickel-based alloy melting and casting method comprises the following steps: Step 1: Raw material preparation Raw material selection: Select rare earth oxide, metal nickel powder and metal chromium powder as raw materials; Proportion determination: According to the alloy composition design, determine the ratio of various raw materials, the type and addition amount of rare earth elements, and the ratio of metal nickel powder and metal chromium powder; Step 2: Vacuum melting Equipment preparation: Use a vacuum melting furnace to ensure that the vacuum degree and temperature control accuracy of the equipment meet the requirements; Melting process: Charging: Put the raw materials with good proportion into the crucible, and then put the crucible into the vacuum melting furnace; Vacuuming: Start the vacuum pump, observe the changes in the pressure gauge, and evacuate the furnace to the preset negative pressure value; Heating and melting: Control the casting temperature through contact temperature measurement, heat the raw materials to the melting temperature and make them melt completely; Casting: The casting rate is controlled by the casting time, and the molten alloy liquid is cast into the mold to form a nickel-based alloy ingot; Step 3: Ingot Processing Cooling: Cool the cast nickel-based alloy ingot naturally; Flaw detection: Use water immersion ultrasonic flaw detection method to detect defects inside the ingot; Surface treatment: Clean the surface of the ingot to remove oxide scale and inclusions.

7. A nickel-based alloy melting and casting method according to claim 6, characterized in that: During the raw material preparation process, the raw materials are dried and screened, and raw materials with purity and particle size that meet the requirements are selected.

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