Method and arrangement for controlling a casting process

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a casting process, in which the weight (Gs) of a melt (4) is determined before pouring a casting (8) from the melt (4), in which the weight (GG) of the casting (8) is determined after pouring and demolding of the casting (8), in which a difference value (Dsc) is determined from the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) before pouring and the weight (GG) of the casting (8) after pouring, for which at least one value range (Ni) is predetermined, and in which the difference value (Dsc) is compared with the at least one value range (Ni), and the casting process is controlled as a function of the comparison. The invention also relates to an arrangement for controlling a casting process and to the use of such an arrangement in the described method.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling a casting process and to an arrangement for controlling a casting process, comprising a device for determining the weight of a melt and a device for determining the weight of the casting cast from the melt. The invention also relates to the use of the aforementioned arrangement in an aforementioned method.

[0002] High-pressure die casting (HPDC), also known as high-pressure die casting, is a casting process for serial or mass production and is used, for example, to produce various components for use in automobiles, including engine parts, transmission components, door handles, mirror housings, and other chassis parts. In particular, die casting can be used for the mass production of parts with complex shapes and thin walls at relatively low overall manufacturing costs.

[0003] Typically, a die casting process, also called a casting process, produces a component from a molten mass by first preparing a mold, which is usually a negative of the desired shape of the component to be manufactured. The mold can be made of metal, particularly steel. Then, the material used for casting, such as a metal alloy, is melted in a crucible or ladle. The molten material is called the melt. The temperature and composition of the melt must be precisely controlled to achieve the desired properties of the casting.

[0004] The mold is then filled by pouring the molten metal into the prepared mold, particularly using a dosing system into a shot sleeve (inlet for the molten metal). The molten metal can be poured into the mold, for example, under sometimes high pressure of approximately 10 to 200 MPa or higher. The special feature of the die casting process is that it can usually be used with a permanent mold. This means that for a series of identical components, the mold only needs to be made once. This allows for high output and, with the help of an effective mold cooling system and appropriate automation, short cycle times. The casting process must be carefully controlled to ensure that the melt flows evenly into the mold and that all cavities and details of the mold are correctly filled.

[0005] After the molten metal is poured into the mold, it begins to solidify. This step can vary depending on the material used, the size of the casting, and the cooling system employed. Solidification is important to achieve the desired shape and material properties. Once the molten metal has fully solidified, the mold is opened. This may involve splitting, cutting, or otherwise opening the mold to remove the finished casting. Removing the casting from the mold is also known as demolding.

[0006] The cast component or casting may require additional processing steps after demolding to achieve the final shape, size, and surface finish. This may include steps such as grinding, polishing, or other finishing processes.

[0007] When manufacturing components using die casting, it is important to ensure consistently high component quality. To achieve this, the casting process must be controlled. In particular, it is important to ensure that the melt flows evenly into the mold and that all cavities and details of the mold are filled correctly. The flow of the melt into the mold cavities can be controlled by a system of overflows and channels. This system preferably consists of channels that guide the melt into the mold cavity and is designed to ensure a consistent and controlled flow of the melt, promoting even filling of the mold and minimizing turbulence.

[0008] Additionally, a complex system of channels with overflows is used as part of an overflow / gating system to improve the quality of the castings. Controlling overflows and channels is a crucial aspect of producing high-quality castings. The overflow and channel system contributes to ensuring proper mold filling and (virtually) defect-free castings. Another important function of the overflow and channel system (also called the gating system or overflow system) is to prevent potential damage to the mold when the next casting is produced.

[0009] An overflow system, for example, consists of channels or troughs, often connected to small pockets (overflows) through inlets and vents, strategically positioned within the mold to allow excess melt material to flow from the mold cavity into a separate reservoir, overflow pan, or deliberately designed cavities within the mold. The overflow system can thus prevent the formation of defects such as air pockets, voids, or the production of incomplete castings.

[0010] It is also known from the prior art to carry out an inspection of the casting based on the use of optical sensors, mechanical sensors and / or visual systems based on one or more cameras in order to check the proper functioning of the overflow and channel system, also called the sprue system, as well as for quality control of the casting.

[0011] For this purpose, when using a system of optical and / or mechanical sensors, the cast part is lifted after casting and demolding, in particular by means of a robot arm, and held in front of the system of optical and / or mechanical sensors. The system of optical and / or mechanical sensors can, for example, be attached to a holder that extends over a width approximately corresponding to the width of the cast part. The optical sensors can be attached and distributed across the width of the holder in such a way that essentially the surface of at least one side of the cast part can be covered and inspected by means of the system of optical sensors. The holder of the system is preferably attached to a wall.While the robot arm or other device configured for this purpose holds the casting in front of the optical sensor system, the optical sensors can check the quality of the casting using various mechanisms. For example, there are optical sensors for surface inspection that can be used to evaluate the completeness of the casting or the casting's gating system, for example, by checking for the presence of overflows.

[0012] When using a camera-based system, the casting is also typically lifted after casting and demolding, in particular by means of a robotic arm, and held in front of the camera-based system. For this purpose, the camera-based system can be attached, for example, to a holder that extends over a width approximately corresponding to the width of the casting. Cameras of the system can be attached and distributed across the width of the holder in such a way that essentially the surface of at least one side of the casting can be covered and inspected by means of the camera-based system. The holder is preferably attached to a wall. While the robotic arm or another device configured for this purpose holds the casting in front of the camera-based system, the cameras of the system can check the quality of the casting using various mechanisms.For example, the cameras can be high-resolution cameras that inspect the casting for external features such as surface finish and dimensional accuracy. Image processing algorithms can also be used for this purpose, analyzing the images captured by the cameras to identify irregularities or defects.

[0013] The disadvantage of this conventional approach of inspecting a casting using optical, mechanical, or camera-based systems is that an additional, time-consuming step is required during the casting production process. This involves positioning the casting in front of the respective system and analyzing it using the system. This is because capturing the casting using optical sensors or cameras requires a certain amount of time to perform analyses with sufficient accuracy. This increases the overall time required to produce a casting and thus leads to higher manufacturing costs for the casting.

[0014] Against this background, the present invention is based on the technical problem of providing a method and an arrangement for controlling a casting process which at least partially eliminate the disadvantages described for the prior art and enable improved control of the quality and / or completeness of the casting.

[0015] According to a first teaching, the specified technical problem is solved according to the invention by a method for controlling a casting process, in which the weight of a melt is determined before pouring a casting from the melt, in which the weight of the casting is determined after casting and demolding of the casting, in which a difference value is determined from the weight of the melt before casting and the weight of the casting after casting, in which at least one value range is specified, and in which the difference value is compared with the at least one value range and the casting process is controlled depending on the comparison.

[0016] The method according to the invention is particularly suitable for controlling a die casting or high-pressure die casting (HPDC) process. The method according to the invention can be used to determine the quality of the casting based on the difference value, and to control the casting process accordingly. If, for example, the difference value lies within at least one predetermined value range, it can be ensured that, within a tolerance range corresponding to the predetermined value range, (approximately) the entire melt was poured into the casting and that no or only minor amounts of the melt material remained in the casting mold and / or no or only minor amounts of the melt material flowed out of the casting mold. This enables high-quality production of castings.This allows for checking whether any overflow system present has successfully prevented excess melt material from remaining in the casting mold. For example, the casting may include an overflow system, in particular the overflow system used during the casting process. The term "casting" preferably encompasses the overflow system. The overflow system may, in particular, include the sprue system and / or the gate system.

[0017] In particular, the occurrence of defects in the casting during casting, such as shrinkage cavities, pores, inclusions, or insufficient filling of the mold, can be detected by the method according to the invention, and the casting process can be controlled accordingly. For example, the casting process can be stopped upon detection of defects such that the difference value lies outside the specified at least one value range. At the same time, the detection of defects is made possible without the need for additional complex inspection steps, such as the use of a system of optical sensors or a camera-based system and the positioning of the casting for inspection by these systems. This can shorten the time required to produce a casting and make the casting process more cost-efficient overall.

[0018] It can be provided that the casting process is stopped if the difference value lies above the at least one predefined value range, and that an indication of a calibration error is output if the difference value lies below the at least one predefined value range. In the latter case, it can additionally be provided that the casting process is stopped. If the difference value lies within the at least one predefined value range, it can be concluded, in particular, that the weight of the casting lies within at least one predefined tolerance range, which indicates that a predefined quality of the casting has been achieved.

[0019] It has been discovered that the aforementioned method can achieve a reduction in the overall time required to produce a casting. Furthermore, the aforementioned method is universally applicable for casting various castings without the need for dedicated adaptation, for example, as would be necessary when using an optical sensor system for different sizes of manufactured castings or castings with different structures. Furthermore, the additional space required for applying the inventive method at the casting production facility is very small. Furthermore, no mechanical intervention in the casting is necessary for its inspection.

[0020] According to a second teaching, the specified technical problem is further solved according to the invention in an arrangement for controlling a casting process, comprising a device for determining the weight of a melt and a device for determining the weight of the casting cast from the melt, in that a control device is provided which is configured to determine a difference value from the weight of the melt before casting and the weight of the casting cast from the melt, and in that the control device is further configured to compare the difference value with at least one predetermined value range and to control the casting process depending on the comparison. In particular, the control device can be connected to the devices for determining the weight of the melt and of the casting cast from the melt via cables or known wireless connections, for example via a (virtual) network.

[0021] According to a third teaching, the stated technical problem is further solved by using the described arrangement or an embodiment thereof in the described method or an embodiment thereof.

[0022] The advantages and configurations described for the method according to the invention also apply accordingly to the arrangement according to the invention and to the use thereof. Furthermore, the following explanations relate both to the method according to the first teaching or an embodiment thereof and to the arrangement according to the second teaching or an embodiment thereof. In particular, the control unit of the arrangement can be configured to execute the described method or an embodiment thereof.

[0023] In particular, the control unit of the arrangement can be configured such that the difference value is determined by subtracting the weight of the casting from the weight of the melt. In particular, the method can determine the difference value by subtracting the weight of the casting from the weight of the melt before casting. This can result in a negative or a positive difference value. A positive difference value can indicate that not all of the melt material was poured into the casting and that some melt material remained in the casting mold. A negative difference value, on the other hand, can indicate a calibration error or that too much melt material flowed out of the casting mold and was not poured into the casting.Within a certain tolerance range, which may be due to inaccuracies in the weight determinations according to the described method or the incomplete emptying of the melting ladle or crucible into the mold, there may not be more material available for the casting than the melt poured into the mold to produce the casting. If the difference lies outside at least one of the specified value ranges, the casting process can be stopped to check whether any melt material has remained in the mold, whether the overflow / channel system is not functioning as intended, or whether there is a calibration error.

[0024] Furthermore, it is possible to save the determined differential values from each manufacturing process of a casting as a history or a progression and analyze them using suitable evaluation tools. This makes it possible, for example, to observe if material accumulates in the mold during consecutive casting processes. The control unit can be configured accordingly.

[0025] Preferably, the at least one value range is configured depending on the casting process used. For example, if it is expected that a certain portion of the melt will remain in overflows and / or channels, this value can be taken into account in the at least one value range.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the method, at least three value ranges are specified, and the difference value is compared with the at least three value ranges, and the casting process is controlled based on the comparison. Accordingly, the control unit of the arrangement can be configured to compare the difference value with at least three specified value ranges and to control the casting process based on the comparison.

[0027] A comparison of the difference value with at least three specified value ranges allows a more differentiated determination of the quality of the casting and thus a more differentiated possibility of controlling the casting process depending on the comparison.

[0028] According to a further embodiment of the method, at least one maximum value range, one optimal value range and one minimum value range are specified as at least three value ranges, wherein the maximum value range is above the optimal value range and the minimum value range and wherein the minimum value range is below the optimal value range and the maximum value range, in which, if the difference value is above the maximum value range, the casting process is stopped, and in which, if the difference value is below the minimum value range, an indication of a calibration error is output.In this case, provision may be made to stop the casting process and to carry out a new calibration, in particular when determining the weight of the melt and when determining the weight of the casting, for example a calibration of the device for determining the weight of the melt and / or the device for determining the casting cast from the melt.

[0029] According to a further embodiment of the method, if the difference value lies within the maximum value range, an indication is output. In this way, the maximum value range can be used to define a value range that corresponds to a quality of the casting that lies within an extended tolerance range but below the quality of a predetermined tolerance range, corresponding to the optimal value range. For example, the maximum value range can indicate that a certain amount of molten material has remained in the casting mold, but the quality of the casting part is still within the extended tolerance range. It can also be provided that if the difference value repeatedly lies within the maximum value range in successive casting processes, it is specified that the casting process is stopped after a certain number of repetitions, for example to check the casting mold.In particular, a history of the difference values compared to specified value ranges can be stored for this purpose.

[0030] According to a further embodiment of the method, the casting is cast after determining the weight of the melt by pouring the melt into a mold and allowing it to cool and solidify. This ensures that the casting has completely cooled and solidified before demolding and determining the weight.

[0031] According to a further embodiment of the method, the weight of the melt is determined by determining the weight of a melting ladle containing the melt. According to one embodiment of the arrangement, the device for determining the weight of the melt is a melting ladle with a force sensor.

[0032] This eliminates the need for an additional step or device to determine the weight of the melt. Furthermore, the melt material does not need to be first transferred into a weight-determining device. Thus, the weight of the melt can be determined quickly and easily.

[0033] To determine the weight of the melt using the melting ladle, a force sensor can be integrated into the melting ladle. In particular, the melting ladle can be attached to or suspended from the force sensor. The force sensor is designed in particular to determine the weight of the melting ladle with the melt contained therein. Furthermore, the force sensor can be designed to directly determine the weight of the melt if the weight of the empty melting ladle is known. The (gravitational) force and thus weight measurement with a force sensor is based in particular on the deformation or deformation of the sensor when the force is applied. Force sensors can use various technologies, such as strain gauges, piezo elements, or electromagnetic principles. Such force sensors for weight measurement are well known from the prior art.

[0034] It may further be provided to determine the weight of the melting ladle after the melt has been poured into the mold used to cast the casting. This ensures that no melt material remains in the melting ladle. Furthermore, it is preferred that the weight of the melting ladle be subtracted from the total weight of the melting ladle with the melt contained therein when determining the weight of the melt.

[0035] According to a further embodiment of the method, the weight of the melt is determined by determining the weight of the casting mold used to cast the casting, in particular the weight of the casting furnace, with the melt contained therein. In particular, the casting mold with the melt contained therein can be arranged on a weighing plate for this purpose. In particular, the weight of the casting mold is known, so that the weight of the melt can be determined by determining the total weight of the casting mold and the melt. According to a further embodiment of the arrangement, the device for determining the weight of the melt is a weighing plate. In particular, the weight of the melt is determined by pouring the melt into the casting mold and placing or having the casting mold arranged on the weighing plate. This enables simple and cost-effective weight determination.In addition, a weighing plate can be used non-specifically for several purposes and offers a low susceptibility to errors.

[0036] According to a further embodiment of the method, the weight of the casting is determined by placing the casting on a weighing plate. According to a further embodiment of the arrangement, the device for determining the weight of the casting cast from the melt is a weighing plate. In particular, it can be provided that the casting is lifted from the mold and positioned on the weighing plate for a short period of time. This enables simple and cost-effective weight determination. Furthermore, a weighing plate can be used non-specifically for multiple purposes and offers a low susceptibility to errors.

[0037] According to a further embodiment of the method, the weight of the casting is determined by arranging the casting, in particular suspending it, on a holding device. According to a further embodiment of the arrangement, the device for determining the weight of the casting cast from the molten metal is a holding device, in particular a holding device with a force sensor. In particular, the holding device can be an arm configured to grip and hold the casting, in particular a robot arm. In this way, the weight of the casting can be determined without the need for an additional process step. This is because the casting is usually removed from the mold after casting using a holding or gripping device. Furthermore, this enables particularly space-saving weight determination, since no additional device is required for this purpose.The determination of weight using a force sensor is well known in the art.

[0038] Further advantageous exemplary embodiments of the invention can be found in the following detailed description of some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, particularly in conjunction with the figures. However, the figures appended to the application are intended only for the purpose of clarification and not to determine the scope of the invention. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale and are intended merely to reflect the general concept of the present invention by way of example. In particular, features contained in the figures should in no way be regarded as a necessary part of the present invention.

[0039] In the following, the invention is explained using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a method for controlling a casting process, Fig. 2 shows an example of a comparison of the difference value with at least three value ranges according to an embodiment of a method for controlling a casting process, Fig. 3a-b shows embodiments of a device for determining the weight of a melt, and Fig. 4a-b shows embodiments of a device for determining the weight of the casting poured from the melt.

[0040] In the following description of the various embodiments according to the invention, components and elements with the same function and the same mode of operation are provided with the same reference numerals, even if the components and elements in the various embodiments may have differences in their dimensions or shape.

[0041] Fig. 1 shows, in a flow chart representation, an embodiment of a method for controlling a casting process. Method steps S1 to S4 are shown, which are carried out in the order shown. The control unit (not shown) is in particular set up to carry out steps S1 to S4 in the manner described below. In step S1, the weight Gs of a melt 4 is determined before a casting 8 is poured from the melt 4. In step S2, after the casting and demolding of the casting 8, the weight GG of the casting 8 is determined. From these values, the difference value D SG is subsequently determined in step S3 by comparing Gs and GG. Subsequently, in step S4, the difference value D SG is compared with at least one predetermined value range N i . The casting process is controlled depending on this comparison.For example, if a value range N i is specified and the difference value D SG lies outside the specified value range (represented by the branch labeled "no" at comparison S4 in . Fig. 1 ), the casting process can be stopped. The symbol "-" here represents an example of stopping the casting process due to the result of the comparison of the difference value D SG with at least one specified value range N i . If, on the other hand, the difference value D GS lies within the specified value range N i , the casting process can be continued with the casting of the next casting 8 (represented by the branch labeled "yes" at comparison S4 in Fig. 1 ). The symbol "+" indicates a continuation of the casting process. These and other possible results of comparing the difference value D SG with at least one specified value range N i are described below with reference to Fig. 2 described in detail.

[0042] Fig. 2 shows an example of a comparison of the difference value D SG with at least three value ranges N i , here N 0 , N +1 and N -1 . These are each graphically illustrated under the specified parameters Gs, GG and N i , here N 0 , N +1 and N -1 . The weight values Gs, GG to be determined can also be understood as a distribution of weight values, the scatter of which indicates the results for the determined weight values for a large number of melts 4 or the castings 8 cast therefrom. The indicated ranges correspond to ranges which each indicate a tolerance range for a target weight S GS for the weight Gs of the melt 4 before casting or a target weight S GG for the weight GG of the casting 8 after casting. The at least three specified value ranges N i are shown on the right-hand side in Fig. 2 and are compared according to one embodiment of the method according to the invention with the determined difference value D GS . This comparison can also be illustrated graphically by comparing the distributions of the weight values Gs, GG . The distribution of GG (dashed curve) is shifted slightly to the left in the direction of smaller weight values compared to the curve representing the distribution of Gs (solid line), since as a rule and without calibration errors GG is smaller than or at most equal to Gs. Also shown in the comparison of the two curves are at least three value ranges N i .

[0043] In the value range N 0 , corresponding to the optimal value range and thus a specified tolerance range, in this example the difference value D SG is approximately 0 or slightly greater than 0, meaning that only a small amount of material from the melt 4 remains in the casting mold 6. In this case, the casting process continues (symbol "+"). In the maximum value range N +1 , the difference value is slightly above 0, so that, corresponding to an extended tolerance range, a satisfactory quality of the casting can still be ensured, since only a small portion of the material from the melt remains in the casting mold 6 (symbol "(+)"). However, in this case an indication of the existence of the maximum value range can be output.It can also be provided that if, in successive casting processes, the difference value D GS repeatedly lies within the maximum value range N +1, it is specified that after a certain number of repetitions, the casting process is stopped, for example in order to check the casting mold 6.

[0044] In the minimum value range N -1 , the difference value D GS is slightly below 0, but the weight GG of the casting 8 is still within the specified target weight S GG , so that although minor calibration errors are possible, a satisfactory quality of the casting 8 can still be achieved. Thus, the casting process continues in this case (symbol "+"). If, on the other hand, the difference value D GS is below the minimum value range N -1 , indicated by N -... , a difference value D GS of significantly below 0 is given, so that a calibration error is probably present. In this case, the casting process can be stopped for the purpose of recalibrating the arrangement of fixtures (see also Fig. 3 and 4 ) to determine Gs and GG (symbol "-").

[0045] In Fig. 3a-b schematically show embodiments of a device 2, 14 for determining the weight Gs of a melt 4.

[0046] In Fig. 3a 2 shows a melting ladle 2 with a force sensor 12. The melt 4 is located in the melting ladle 2 before the casting 8 is poured. The melting ladle 2 serves to hold the molten material, for example metal, before it is poured into the casting mold 6. Here, the force sensor 12 is integrated into the melting ladle 2 (shown schematically), so that the weight Gs of the melt 4 can be determined directly using the force sensor 12 and with knowledge of the face of the melting ladle 2. For example, the force sensor 12 is in the form of a strain gauge, and the measuring strip is stretched by a certain length depending on the weight Gs of the melt 4 and the weight of the melting ladle 2. From this change in length, the weight Gs of the melt 4 in the melting ladle 2 can be determined.

[0047] In Fig. 3b The determination of Gs is shown by determining the weight of the casting mold 6 with the melt 4 contained therein. Knowing the weight of the casting mold 6, Gs can be determined. Here, it is shown that the casting mold 6 is arranged on a weighing plate 14, by means of which the total weight of the casting mold 6 and the melt 4 contained therein is determined.

[0048] Finally, in Fig. 4a-b schematically illustrates embodiments of a device 12, 14 for determining the weight GG of the casting 8 cast from the melt 4.

[0049] In Fig. 4a First, it is shown that the cast part 8, after cooling, solidifying, and demolding, is placed on a weighing plate 14. The cast part 8 is depicted here as the engine block of a vehicle. Using the weighing plate 14, the weight GG of the cast part 8 can be directly determined. For this purpose, the cast part 8 can be removed from the casting mold 6 by a lifting and holding device, for example, a robot arm, and positioned on the weighing plate 14.

[0050] Fig. 4b shows the determination of GG by arranging, in particular suspending, the cast part 8 on a holding device 10. The holding device 10 can in particular be an arm configured to hold and grip the cast part 8, in particular a robot arm, with a force sensor 12. The suspension is effected by means of the force sensor 12, so that the weight GG of the cast part 8 can also be directly determined by means of the holding device 10, which, for example, serves to transport the cast part 8 to a further processing step. The force sensor 12 can be analogous to the force sensor 12 in Fig. 3a function.

[0051] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention described in this specification are to be understood as disclosed both individually and in all combinations with one another. In particular, the description of a feature encompassed by an embodiment should not be understood in this case - unless explicitly stated otherwise - in such a way that the feature is essential or essential for the function of the embodiment. The sequence of the method steps described in this specification in the individual flow diagrams is not mandatory; alternative sequences of the method steps are conceivable. The method steps can be implemented in various ways; for example, an implementation in software (by program instructions), hardware or a combination of both is conceivable for implementing the method steps.

[0052] Terms used in the claims such as "comprise," "have," "include," "contain," and the like do not exclude further elements or steps. The phrase "at least partially" encompasses both "partially" and "completely." The phrase "and / or" is intended to indicate that both the alternative and the combination are disclosed; thus, "A and / or B" means "(A) or (B) or (A and B)." A plurality of units, persons, or the like, in the context of this specification, means multiple units, persons, or the like. The use of the indefinite article does not exclude a plurality. A single device may perform the functions of multiple units or devices recited in the claims. Reference numerals indicated in the claims are not to be construed as limitations on the means and steps employed.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a casting process, - in which the weight (Gs) of a melt (4) is determined before pouring a casting (8) from the melt (4), - in which after pouring and demoulding the casting (8) the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) is determined, - in which the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) before casting and the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) after casting, a difference value (Dsc) is determined, - in which at least one value range (N i ), and - in which the difference value (Dsc) with the at least one value range (N i ) and the casting process is controlled depending on the comparison.

2. Method according to claim 1, - in which at least three value ranges (N0, N +1 , N -1 ) are specified, and - where the difference value (Dsc) with at least three value ranges (N0, N +1 , N -1) and the casting process is controlled depending on the comparison.

3. Method according to claim 2, - in which at least three value ranges (N0, N +1 , N -1 ) at least one maximum value range (N +1 ), an optimal value range (N0) and a minimum value range (N -1 ), whereby the maximum value range (N +1 ) over the optimal value range (N0) and the minimum value range (N -1 ) and where the minimum value range (N -1 ) under the optimal value range (N0) and the maximum value range (N +1 ), - where if the difference value (Dsc) is above the maximum value range (N +1 ), the casting process is stopped, and / or - if the difference value (Dsc) is below the minimum value range (N -1 ), a calibration error message is displayed.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, - in which, if the difference value (Dsc) is within the maximum value range (N +1 ), a warning is issued.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, - in which the casting (8) is cast after determining the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) by pouring the melt (4) into a casting mold (6) and allowing it to rest for cooling and solidification.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, - in which the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) is determined by determining the weight of a melting ladle (2) with melt (4) therein.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, - in which the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) is determined by determining the weight of the casting mold (6) by means of which the casting (8) is cast, in particular the weight of the casting furnace, with the melt (4) therein.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, - in which the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) is determined by placing the casting (8) on a weighing plate (14).

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, - in which the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) is determined by arranging, in particular suspending, the casting (8) on a holding device (10).

10. Arrangement for controlling a casting process, - with a device (2, 14) for determining the weight (Gs) of a melt (4), and - with a device (10, 14) for determining the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) cast from the melt (4), characterized by - that a control device is provided which is designed to calculate from the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) before casting and the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) cast from the melt (4) a difference value (D GS ) and - thatthe control device is further configured to determine the difference value (D GS ) with at least one specified range of values (Ni) and to control the casting process depending on the comparison.

11. Arrangement according to claim 10, characterized by - that the device (2) for determining the weight (Gs) of the melt is a melting ladle (2) with a force sensor (12).

12. Arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by - that the device (14) for determining the weight (Gs) of the melt (4) is a weighing plate (14).

13. Arrangement according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by - that the device (10) for determining the weight (G G ) of the casting (8) cast from the melt (4) is a holding device (10).

14. Arrangement according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized by - that the device (14) for determining the weight (G G) of the casting (8) cast from the melt (4) is a weighing plate (14).

15. Use of the arrangement according to one of claims 10 to 14 in a method according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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