Rod casting equipment and method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rod

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of aluminum alloy casting, and discloses a casting rod device and method for reducing center segregation of an aluminum alloy casting rod. An aluminum wire or an aluminum plate with the same alloy components as the aluminum alloy casting rod is used for transmitting ultrasonic waves into molten aluminum to be crystallized; the working frequency of an ultrasonic generator and the immersion depth of the aluminum wire or the aluminum plate in the molten aluminum are controlled and adjusted according to specific alloy components and the size of a casting rod, and the feeding speed of the aluminum wire or the aluminum plate is controlled and adjusted according to the temperature of the molten aluminum and the casting speed, so that the tail end of the aluminum wire or the aluminum plate is stably immersed in a preset depth range; therefore, the temperature field of the molten aluminum and the flowing of the metal melt can be more accurately controlled, the temperature control of the central position of the aluminum alloy casting rod is more accurate, the temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the casting rod is better reduced, and the segregation condition of the central position is better eliminated. Meanwhile, a traditional ultrasonic probe does not need to be used, the durability problem of the ultrasonic probe is solved, and true industrial mass production application is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aluminum alloy casting, and in particular to a rod casting device and method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods. Background Art

[0002] Aluminum alloys are widely used in construction, automotive, electronics, electrical appliances, mechanical equipment, and other fields due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as low density, high specific strength, corrosion resistance, and excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Cutting is a key step in the production of aluminum alloy parts. Free-cutting aluminum alloys can significantly improve production efficiency, resulting in precision aluminum alloy parts with smoother surfaces and higher dimensional accuracy. However, due to the difference in cooling rates inside and outside the traditional aluminum alloys during casting, solidification stratification and segregation are prone to occur in the center, and the larger the aluminum alloy casting, the more difficult it is to solve this problem.

[0003] Currently, some companies are experimenting with using ultrasonic casting to promote element distribution at the center and reduce center segregation in aluminum alloy cast bars. This method typically requires the use of ultrasonic probes, but these have significant durability issues, including short lifespans and high costs, making them difficult to implement in commercial mass production. Furthermore, current aluminum alloy casting methods lack control over the temperature and flow of molten aluminum, making it difficult to precisely control the temperature field and flow of the molten metal during the casting process. This also results in inaccurate temperature control at the center of the aluminum alloy cast bar, making it difficult to effectively reduce the temperature differential between the inside and outside of the cast bar, making it difficult to eliminate center segregation.

[0004] Existing technical literature on using ultrasound to reduce the center segregation problem of aluminum alloy cast rods can be found in Chinese invention patent applications with publication numbers CN111961925A, CN110270670A, CN110280745A, CN110280729A, etc. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a rod casting device and a rod casting method that use ultrasound to reduce the center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods and are not restricted by the service life of the ultrasonic probe; to at least provide a beneficial option or create conditions for solving one or more technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions.

[0007] A casting method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods, wherein an aluminum wire or aluminum plate having the same alloy composition as the aluminum alloy cast rod is used to transmit ultrasonic waves into the aluminum liquid to be crystallized. The operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator and the immersion depth of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate in the aluminum liquid are preset according to the specific alloy composition and the size of the cast rod. The feed speed of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is controlled and adjusted according to the aluminum liquid temperature and the casting speed so that the tail end of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is stably immersed within the preset depth range.

[0008] More preferably, the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator is adjusted within 15kHz-90KHz.

[0009] More preferably, the temperature of the aluminum liquid is measured by one, two or more temperature sensors provided in the crystallizer.

[0010] More preferably, the alloy composition, the cast rod size and the casting speed are obtained from a control system of an aluminum rod casting device.

[0011] More preferably, the feeding speed of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is controlled by a feeder with a servo motor.

[0012] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a rod casting device for reducing the central segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods, which is used to implement the rod casting method as described above, including a casting mold, an ultrasonic vibrator, an aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism, and a control system; the casting mold has a crystallizer and a casting disk, the crystallizer is used to solidify the aluminum liquid into a rod and has its own temperature sensor, and the casting disk is used to support and pull the aluminum alloy ingot; the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism is used to feed the aluminum wire or aluminum plate into the crystallizer and contact the aluminum liquid in the crystallizer; the ultrasonic vibrator is used to transmit ultrasonic waves to the aluminum wire or aluminum plate, and the control system is controlled and connected to the casting mold, the ultrasonic vibrator and the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism to achieve coordinated work.

[0013] More preferably, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic conduction bracket, the ultrasonic conduction bracket receives the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator, a limiting groove cooperating with the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is provided on the ultrasonic conduction bracket, a guide wheel in contact with the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is provided on the limiting groove, and a pressure wheel is provided corresponding to the guide wheel; the transmitted aluminum wire or aluminum plate is always in contact with the guide wheel through the pressure wheel, thereby ensuring that the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator can always be transmitted to the aluminum wire or aluminum plate.

[0014] More preferably, the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism includes a wire feeder with a feeding motor, an aluminum wire or aluminum plate coil, and a feeding guide wheel group. The wire feeder is used to drive the aluminum wire or aluminum plate coil to rotate, thereby allowing the aluminum wire or aluminum plate to enter the crystallizer, and the feeding guide wheel group is used to guide the movement direction of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate.

[0015] More preferably, the control system includes a central processing unit and a memory, the central processing unit controls the coordinated operation of various components according to a preset program, and the memory is used to store control parameters; the control system also includes a human-computer interaction interface for displaying and setting casting parameters.

[0016] The present invention provides a casting method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods. The method utilizes an aluminum wire or aluminum plate with the same alloy composition as the aluminum alloy cast rod to transmit ultrasonic waves into the molten aluminum to be crystallized. The operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator and the immersion depth of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate in the molten aluminum are controlled and adjusted according to the specific alloy composition and cast rod size. The feed speed of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is also controlled and adjusted according to the molten aluminum temperature and casting speed to ensure that the tail end of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is stably immersed within a preset depth range. This method allows for more precise control of the temperature field of the molten aluminum and the flow of the molten metal, resulting in more accurate temperature control at the center of the aluminum alloy cast rod, thereby further reducing the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cast rod and eliminating center segregation. Furthermore, the method eliminates the need for conventional ultrasonic probes, addressing the durability issues of ultrasonic probes and enabling true industrial mass production.

[0017] Some other beneficial effects of the present invention will become more apparent in the following description or be understood through practice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of the rod casting equipment provided by the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 Shown is a schematic diagram of the feeding structure of aluminum wire or aluminum plate.

[0020] Description of the accompanying drawings.

[0021] 1: Casting mold, 2: Ultrasonic vibrator, 3: Aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism, 4: Aluminum alloy ingot.

[0022] 101: Crystallizer.

[0023] 201: ultrasonic generator, 202: ultrasonic transmission bracket, 203: guide wheel, 204: pressure wheel.

[0024] 301: Wire feeder, 302: Aluminum wire or aluminum plate coil, 303: Feeding guide wheel set, 304: Aluminum wire or aluminum plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following description of the embodiments of the present invention is further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to make the technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present invention clearer and more specific. The following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings is illustrative and intended to explain the present invention, but is not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Example

[0027] Reference Figure 1 、 Figure 2 As shown, a casting device for reducing the center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods includes a casting mold 1, an ultrasonic vibrator 2, an aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism 3, and a control system; the casting mold 1 has a crystallizer 101 and a casting plate, the crystallizer 101 is used to solidify the aluminum alloy liquid into a rod and has its own temperature sensor, and the casting plate is used to support and pull the aluminum alloy ingot 4; the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism 3 is used to feed the aluminum wire or aluminum plate into the crystallizer and contact it with the aluminum liquid in the crystallizer; the ultrasonic vibrator 3 is used to transmit ultrasonic waves to the aluminum wire or aluminum plate, and the control system is controlled and connected to the casting mold 1, the ultrasonic vibrator 2 and the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism 3 to achieve coordinated operation.

[0028] Among them, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 2 includes an ultrasonic generator 201 and an ultrasonic conduction bracket 202. The ultrasonic conduction bracket 202 receives the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator 201. A limiting groove that cooperates with the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is provided on the ultrasonic conduction bracket 202. A guide wheel 203 that contacts the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is provided on the limiting groove, and a pressure wheel 204 is provided corresponding to the guide wheel 203; the pressure wheel 204 ensures that the transmitted aluminum wire or aluminum plate is always in contact with the guide wheel 203, thereby ensuring that the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator 201 can be continuously transmitted to the aluminum wire or aluminum plate.

[0029] It should be noted that the specific shape and material of the ultrasonic wave transmission bracket are independently selected by those skilled in the art based on practical needs and are common technical knowledge within their field of expertise. For example, in one embodiment, the ultrasonic wave transmission bracket is made of stainless steel and includes vertical support rods and transverse brackets. The transverse brackets are provided with retaining grooves for transmitting aluminum wires or aluminum plates.

[0030] The aluminum wire or aluminum sheet feeding mechanism 3 includes a wire feeder 301 with a feeding motor, an aluminum wire or aluminum sheet coil 302, and a feed guide wheel assembly 303. The wire feeder 301 is used to drive the aluminum wire or aluminum sheet coil 302 to rotate, thereby allowing the aluminum wire or aluminum sheet 304 to enter the crystallizer 101. The feed guide wheel assembly 303 is used to guide the movement direction of the aluminum wire or aluminum sheet 304. In some embodiments, a feed sensor can also be used to detect the position signal of the aluminum wire or aluminum sheet 304. It should be noted that the feed guide wheel assembly 303 can be mounted using a dedicated bracket or on the ultrasonic transmission bracket 202. When the feed guide wheel assembly 303 is mounted on the ultrasonic transmission bracket 202, not only is the structure more compact, but it can also better transmit the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator 201 to the aluminum wire or aluminum sheet 304.

[0031] The control system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory. The CPU controls the coordinated operation of various components according to a preset program, and the memory is used to store control parameters. The control system also includes a human-computer interface (HMI) for displaying and setting casting parameters. It should be noted that the specific model selection of the CPU, memory, and HMI device, the connection circuit design, and the control program are all common technical knowledge known to those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated here. It should be noted that the control system and ultrasonic generator 201 are decoupled and connected by a wiring harness to prevent damage to the control equipment caused by ultrasonic vibrations.

[0032] During operation, an aluminum wire or aluminum plate having the same alloy composition as the aluminum alloy of the cast rod is selected, and the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator 201 and the immersion depth of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate in the aluminum liquid are controlled and adjusted according to the specific alloy composition and the size of the cast rod. The feed speed of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is controlled and adjusted according to the aluminum liquid temperature and the casting speed so that the tail end of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is stably immersed in the preset depth range. In this way, the position of the tail end of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate immersed in the aluminum liquid (suspended in the horizontal center of the crystallizer) can be accurately controlled, and the ultrasonic wave of a specific frequency can be better transmitted to the center position of the cast rod to be crystallized, thereby reducing the temperature of the molten liquid in the center of the cast rod, and thus better reducing the center segregation during aluminum alloy casting.

[0033] In this embodiment, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 2 is preferably installed above the casting mold plate 1 to facilitate the conveyance of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304. The aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304 is preferably an aluminum wire with a diameter of 5 mm. In other embodiments, the diameter of the aluminum wire can be appropriately selected within the range of 1-20 mm. Alternatively, the aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304 is an aluminum plate with a thickness of 0.5-10 mm, and the width can be designed according to actual needs.

[0034] In this embodiment, the feeding motor of the wire feeder 301 is preferably a servo motor, and the surfaces of the guide wheel 203, the pressure wheel 204 and the feeding guide wheel are preferably provided with anti-slip grooves, so as to better ensure the stable transportation of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304 and facilitate the precise control of the transportation position.

[0035] This embodiment provides a casting device for reducing centerline segregation in aluminum alloy cast ingots. Its operating principles are as follows: 1) Aluminum alloy molten from a melting furnace enters a crystallizer for crystallization. During the crystallization process, the operating frequency of an ultrasonic generator 201 is controlled within a range of 15 kHz to 90 kHz based on the specific alloy composition, ingot size, and other factors. 2) A control system automatically adjusts the wire feeder speed based on the aluminum melt temperature (measured by one or more temperature sensors within the crystallizer) and the casting speed, achieving precise control of the horizontal center position of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate end within the crystallizer and within the aluminum melt.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the casting equipment for reducing the center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods provided in this embodiment has the following advantages: 1) By installing an ultrasonic vibration mechanism 2 above the casting mold 1 and using aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304 with the same alloy composition as the aluminum alloy cast rod to transmit ultrasonic vibration, the temperature at the center of the cast rod can be better reduced, and the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cast rod is significantly reduced, thereby effectively reducing the segregation at the center position, and solving the problem of solidification stratification segregation at the center position caused by the difference in cooling rate between the inside and outside in traditional aluminum alloy casting.

[0037] 2) Ultrasonic vibration can greatly increase the contact area between aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304 and the central aluminum liquid, greatly improving the melting speed of aluminum wire or aluminum plate 304, avoiding the cooling effect caused by the inability to dissolve quickly during the rapid casting process, and meeting the requirements of rapid casting.

[0038] 3) The present invention uses ultrasonic vibrations of a specific frequency (15kHz-90KHz) to transmit into the aluminum liquid, which can refine the grain structure and reduce element segregation, significantly enhance the cavitation effect and stirring effect, and is conducive to improving the uniformity of the structure and enhancing the overall quality of the aluminum alloy.

[0039] 4) The present invention uses aluminum wire or aluminum plate as the ultrasonic wave transmission medium, avoiding the problem of possible damage to traditional ultrasonic probes, extending the service life of the equipment, and significantly reducing the cost of use, thus realizing true industrial mass production application.

[0040] 5) The present invention ensures that the tail end of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is within a specific position range through specific wire feeding speed control, thereby achieving precise control of the temperature and flow of the aluminum liquid, which is conducive to accurately regulating the temperature field and the flow of the metal melt during the casting process, and improving the casting quality of the aluminum alloy.

[0041] It should be noted that, in the zipper visual inspection device provided by the present invention, the specific control system and control program settings are common technical knowledge mastered by those skilled in the art, and are not the innovation of the present invention, and will not be introduced in detail in the present invention.

[0042] Through the description of the above structure and principle, those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments. Improvements and substitutions based on the present invention using the known technology in the art fall within the scope of protection of the present invention, which is defined by the claims and their equivalents. Any parts not described in the specific embodiments are prior art or common knowledge.

Claims

1. A method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods, characterized in that: Ultrasonic waves are transmitted into the molten aluminum to be crystallized using aluminum wire or aluminum plate with the same alloy composition as the aluminum alloy cast rod. The operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator and the immersion depth of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate in the molten aluminum are preset according to the specific alloy composition and cast rod size. The feed speed of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is controlled and adjusted according to the aluminum liquid temperature and casting speed so that the tail end of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is stably immersed in the preset depth range.

2. A method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator is adjusted within the range of 15kHz-90KHz.

3. The method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy casting rods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The aluminum liquid temperature is measured by one, two or more temperature sensors provided with the crystallizer.

4. The method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy casting rods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The alloy composition, cast rod size and casting speed are obtained from the control system of the aluminum rod casting equipment.

5. The method for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy casting rods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding speed of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is controlled by a feeder with a servo motor.

6. A casting equipment for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy casting rods, characterized in that: Used to implement the rod casting method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a casting mold, an ultrasonic vibrator, an aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism, and a control system; the casting mold has a crystallizer and a casting disk, the crystallizer is used to solidify the aluminum liquid into a rod and has its own temperature sensor, and the casting disk is used to support and pull the aluminum alloy ingot; the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism is used to feed the aluminum wire or aluminum plate into the crystallizer and contact the aluminum liquid in the crystallizer; the ultrasonic vibrator is used to transmit ultrasonic waves to the aluminum wire or aluminum plate, and the control system is controlled and connected to the casting mold, the ultrasonic vibrator and the aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism to achieve coordinated operation.

7. The rod casting equipment for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods according to claim 6, characterized in that: The ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic conduction bracket. The ultrasonic conduction bracket receives the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator. A limiting groove that cooperates with the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is provided on the ultrasonic conduction bracket. A guide wheel that contacts the aluminum wire or aluminum plate is provided on the limiting groove, and a pressure wheel is provided corresponding to the guide wheel. The pressure wheel ensures that the transmitted aluminum wire or aluminum plate is always in contact with the guide wheel, thereby ensuring that the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generator can always be transmitted to the aluminum wire or aluminum plate.

8. The rod casting equipment for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods according to claim 6, characterized in that: The aluminum wire or aluminum plate feeding mechanism includes a wire feeder with a feeding motor, an aluminum wire or aluminum plate coil, and a feeding guide wheel group. The wire feeder is used to drive the aluminum wire or aluminum plate coil to rotate, thereby allowing the aluminum wire or aluminum plate to enter the crystallizer. The feeding guide wheel group is used to guide the movement direction of the aluminum wire or aluminum plate.

9. The rod casting equipment for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control system includes a central processing unit and a memory. The central processing unit controls the coordinated work of various components according to a preset program, and the memory is used to store control parameters.

10. The rod casting equipment for reducing center segregation of aluminum alloy cast rods according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control system also includes a human-computer interaction interface for displaying and setting casting parameters.

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