Electrically powered casting system and associated sub-systems

Abstract

An electrically driven casting system and methods of conducting casting operations using the electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system include a movable plate supporting an upper mold, a lower plate supporting a lower mold, and a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between a raised position and a lowered position. The electrically driven casting system may also include a cooling system that circulates cooling fluid through the lower mold and / or upper mold during casting operations, a furnace configured to store molten metal and feed molten metal through riser tubes defined by the lower mold into a pail void to form the casted part, and a part ejection system that ejects a casted part from the upper mold.

Description

ELECTRICALLY POWERED CASTING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SUB-SYSTEMSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application which claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 497,920, filed on April 24, 2023, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of casting systems and more specifically to electrically driven casting systems that are capable of producing high quality casted parts in a more efficient and reliable manner compared to conventional hydraulic-based casting systems.BACKGROUND

[0003] Conventional casting systems typically utilize hydraulic cylinders to actuate a movable plate that supports an upper mold. While such systems have been used successfully for many years, they suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, these casting systems are often noisy and messy (e.g., prone to leaks), which can result in costly downtime and maintenance. Additionally, these casting systems can be difficult to control with the precision required for high quality casting. Furthermore, casting systems generally face challenges in efficiently and effectively cooling the molds, supplying molten metal to the molds in a controlled manner, and ejecting casted pails from the molds after completion of casting operations.

[0004] Thus, there is a need in the art for casting systems that overcome these and other disadvantages of conventional casting systems.SUMMARY

[0005] The present disclosure is generally directed to an electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system includes a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface, an upper plate spaced above the base assembly, a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate, and a lower plate that supports a lower mold. The lower plate is arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns. Theelectrically driven casting system also includes a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions. The plurality of movable plate positions includes a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance. In the lowered position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance. As a result, the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a pail void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part. The electrically driven casting system further includes a plurality of actuator assemblies. Each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies includes a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position.

[0006] Another general aspect of the present disclosure includes an electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system includes a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface, an upper plate spaced above the base assembly, a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate, and a lower plate that supports a lower mold. The lower plate is arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system also includes a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions. The plurality of movable plate positions includes a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance. In the lowered position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance. As a result, the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form acasted part. The electrically driven casting system further includes a plurality of actuator assemblies. Each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies includes a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position. Each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies further includes an electromagnetic brake operatively coupled to the servomotor. Each of the electromagnetic brakes are operable between an unlocked state and a locked state. In the unlocked state, the electromagnetic brake is energized to permit rotation of the servomotor to move the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns. In the locked state, the electromagnetic brake is not energized and inhibits rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system further includes a controller in communication with each servomotor and electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies. The controller is configured to energize each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies synchronously to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to move the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and to operate each electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies between the unlocked state the locked state.

[0007] A further general aspect of the present disclosure includes an electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system includes a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface, an upper plate spaced above the base assembly, a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate, and a lower plate that supports a lower mold. The lower plate is arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system also includes a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions. The plurality of movable plate positions includes a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance. In the lowered position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that isgreater than the first distance. As a result, the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part. The electrically driven casting system further includes a plurality of actuator assemblies for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position. The electrically driven casting system also includes an upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by the upper mold. The upper cooling system is configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of upper mold cooling paths to cool the upper mold during casting operations. The electrically driven casting system also includes a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold. The lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.

[0008] Another general aspect of the present disclosure includes an electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system includes a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface, an upper plate spaced above the base assembly, a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate, and a lower plate that supports a lower mold. The lower plate is arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system also includes a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions. The plurality of movable plate positions includes a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance. In the lowered position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance. As a result, the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form acasted part. The electrically driven casting system further includes a plurality of actuator assemblies. Each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies includes a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position. Each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies further includes an electromagnetic brake operatively coupled to the servomotor. Each of the electromagnetic brakes are operable between an unlocked state and a locked state. In the unlocked state, the electromagnetic brake is energized to permit rotation of the servomotor to move the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns. In the locked state, the electromagnetic brake is not energized and inhibits rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system further includes a controller in communication with each servomotor and electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies. The controller is configured to energize each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies synchronously to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to move the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and to operate each electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies between the unlocked state the locked state.

[0009] Another general aspect of the present disclosure includes an electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system includes a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface, an upper plate spaced above the base assembly, a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate, and a lower plate that supports a lower mold. The lower plate is arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system also includes a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions. The plurality of movable plate positions includes a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance. In the lowered position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that isgreater than the first distance. As a result, the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part. The electrically driven casting system further includes a plurality of actuator assemblies for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position. The electrically driven casting system also includes an upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by the upper mold. The upper cooling system is configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of upper mold cooling paths to cool the upper mold during casting operations. The electrically driven casting system also includes a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold. The lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.

[0010] Yet another general aspect of the present disclosure includes an electrically driven casting system. The electrically driven casting system includes a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface, an upper plate spaced above the base assembly, a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate, and a lower plate that supports a lower mold. The lower plate is arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns. The electrically driven casting system also includes a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions. The plurality of movable plate positions includes a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance. In the lowered position, the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance. As a result, the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form acasted part. The electrically driven casting system further includes a plurality of actuator assemblies for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position. The electrically driven casting system also includes a part ejection system that ejects the casted part from the upper mold. The part ejection system includes an ejection plate disposed between the upper mold and the movable plate, and a plurality of ejection pins extending from the ejection plate and through the upper mold. Here, the ejection plate pushes the ejection pins through the upper mold as the movable plate moves toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.

[0011] An additional general aspect of the present disclosure includes a casting system. The casting system includes a lower plate that supports a lower mold and a movable plate supporting an upper mold. The movable plate is configured for movement relative to the lower plate between a plurality of movable plate positions including a raised position where the upper mold is spaced from the lower mold, and a lowered position where the upper mold engages the lower mold such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part. The casting system also includes a furnace configured to be pressurized at a first pressure to feed molten metal through riser tubes defined by the lower mold into the part void to form the casted part. The casting system also includes a seal coupled to one of the upper mold and the lower mold arranged to abut the other of the upper mold and the lower mold to hermitize the part void where the movable plate is in the lowered position. The casting system also includes a micro-counter pressure system. The micro-counter pressure system is operatively attached to one or more vents slots defined by one of the upper mold and the lower mold and in fluid communication with the part void, whereby the micro-counter pressure system adjusts the pressure of the part void during casting operations.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Other advantages of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrically driven casting system according to the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2A is a front view of the electrically driven casting system including a movable plate in a raised position.

[0015] FIG. 2B is a front view of the electrically driven casting system including the movable plate in a lowered position.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including a schematic representation of a controller in communication with a plurality of actuator assemblies for moving the movable plate.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a top view of the electrically driven casting system illustrating one arrangement of the plurality of actuator assemblies.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional representation of the plurality of actuator assemblies.

[0019] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including one configuration of an upper cooling assembly for cooling an upper mold.

[0020] FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including one configuration of a lower cooling assembly for cooling a lower mold.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional partial schematic representation of the electrically driven casting system including the upper cooling system for cooling the upper mold and the lower cooling system for cooling the lower mold.

[0022] FIG. 8 A is another perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including an upper cooling assembly.

[0023] FIG. 8B is a partial front view of the electrically driven casting system illustrating one configuration for supplying air and water to the upper cooling system and the lower cooling system.

[0024] FIG. 8C is an enlarged view of FIG. 8A.

[0025] FIG. 9A is a partial front view of the electrically driven casting system including the upper cooling system including an upper cooling manifold.

[0026] FIG. 9B is a partial side perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including the lower cooling system including a lower cooling manifold.

[0027] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one configuration of the upper cooling manifold and / or the lower cooling manifold.

[0028] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one configuration of one of a plurality of valves of the upper cooling manifold and / or the lower cooling manifold.

[0029] FIG. 12 is a perspective cross-sectional representation of one configuration of one of the plurality of valves.

[0030] FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional representation of the cooling manifold of FIG. 13B including one of the plurality of valves.

[0031] FIG. 13B is a top view of one configuration of the upper cooling manifold and / or the lower cooling manifold.

[0032] FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including one or more thermal energy recuperation systems.

[0033] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of one exemplary configuration of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems.

[0034] FIGS. 16A through 16G illustrate a sequence of operating one configuration of a part ejection system for ejecting casted parts from the electrically driven casting system after completion of casting operations.

[0035] FIG. 17A is a perspective view of one configuration of the lower bayonet assembly of the part ejection system.

[0036] FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional representation of the lower bayonet assembly of FIG. 18A.

[0037] FIG. 18A shows a partial perspective view of one configuration of an ejection plate of the part ejection system.

[0038] FIG. 18B shows a cross-sectional representation of one lower bayonet assembly of the part ejection system engaged with the ejection plate.

[0039] FIG. 19A is a perspective view of one configuration of an upper bayonet assembly of the part ejection system.

[0040] FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional representation of the upper bayonet assembly of FIG. 19A.

[0041] FIG. 20A is a schematic representation of the electrically driven casting system conducting a low pressure casting operation.

[0042] FIGS. 20B- 1 through 20B-6 arc schematic representations of the electrically driven casting system conducting a vacuum-pressure riserless casting operation.

[0043] FIGS. 20C-1 through 20C-6 are schematic representations of the electrically driven casting system conducting a counter-pressure casting operation.

[0044] FIGS. 21 A through 2 ID illustrates one configuration of a micro-counter pressure system of the electrically driven casting system.

[0045] FIG. 22 is a top view of the electrically driven casting system including the micro-counter pressure system.

[0046] FIG. 23A is a partial top perspective view of the electrically driven casting system including the micro-counter pressure system.

[0047] FIG. 23B is a partial perspective view of a connection member of the microcounter pressure system in communication with a vent slot of the upper mold.

[0048] FIG. 24A illustrates one example of operating the electrically driven casting system 100 including the micro-counter pressure system 406 to provide positive pressure to the part void.

[0049] FIG. 24B illustrates another example of operating the electrically driven casting system 100 including the micro-counter pressure system 406 to provide negative pressure to the pail void.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, an electrically driven casting system 100 in accordance with the present disclosure is generally shown. Referring to FIG. 1, the electrically driven casting system 100 includes a base assembly 102. The base assembly 102 supports the electrically driven casting system 100 on a floor surface. The electrically driven casting system 100 also includes an upper plate 104 spaced above the base assembly 102, and a plurality of guide columns 106 extending between the base assembly 102 and the upper plate 104. In some examples, the plurality of guide columns 106 includes four guide columns 106. However, it should be appreciated that additional or fewer guide columns106 may be employed, such as two guide columns 106, six guide columns 106, eight guide columns 106, etc. The plurality of guide columns 106 may define a suitable profile such as a cylinder. The electrically driven casting system 100 further includes a lower plate 108 arranged between the base assembly 102 and the upper plate 104 and coupled to the plurality of guide columns 106. Each of the base assembly 102, the upper plate 104, and the lower plate 108 may be coupled to the plurality of guide columns 106 in any known manner including, but not limited to, bushings and / or collars that engage the plurality of guide columns 106 to the base assembly 102, the upper plate 104, and / or the lower plate 108 relative to the plurality of guide columns 106.

[0051] As best shown in FIGS. 1-3, the electrically driven casting system 100 also includes a movable plate 110. The movable plate 110 is arranged between the lower plate 108 and the upper plate 104 and engaged with the plurality of guide columns 106 for movement along the plurality of guide columns 106. The lower plate 108 supports a lower mold 112 and the movable plate 110 supports an upper mold 114. The movable plate 110 is configured for movement along the plurality of guide columns 106 between a raised position R (shown in FIG. 2A) and a lowered position L (shown in FIG. 2B). In the raised position R, the movable plate 110 is spaced from the upper plate 104 at a first distance DI. Here, the upper mold 114 is also spaced from the lower mold 112. In the lowered position L, the movable plate 110 is spaced from the upper plate 104 at a second distance D2 that is greater than the first distance DI. As a result, when the movable plate 110 is in the lowered position L, the upper mold 1 14 engages the lower mold 112 such that the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112 cumulatively define a part void PV therebetween. The part void PV is shaped to receive molten metal MM to form a casted part CP. The lower mold 112 and the upper mold 114 may be any suitable molds and are not particularly limited for the purposes of this disclosure. Additionally, the molten metal MM is not particularly limited to any composition. The molten metal MM may include, but is not limited to, various aluminum, copper, and steel alloys.

[0052] With continued reference to FIGS. 1-3, the electrically driven casting system 100 also includes a plurality of actuator assemblies 116. Each of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 includes a servomotor 118 operatively attached to the movableplate 110 for moving the movable plate 110 between the raised position R and the lowered position L. Exemplary configurations of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 are described in further detail below. However, alternative arrangements of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 (each including servomotor 118) that move the movable plate 110 between the raised position R and the lowered position L are contemplated. Advantageously, the use of servomotors 118 (as opposed to conventional hydraulic cylinders) allows for more precise control of the position of the movable plate 110, resulting in higher quality casted parts. Additionally, the use of servomotors 118 eliminates the need for hydraulic fluid and pumps, thereby reducing noise, maintenance, and downtime while also making the system more environmentally friendly. Of course, other types of electric motors that are not necessarily considered servomotors are contemplated.

[0053] The electrically driven casting system 100 may also include a controller 120. The controller 120 may be a programable logic controller (PLC), but other electronic components that draw or emit signals and / or electrical power to control functions of the electrically driven casting system 100 are contemplated. The controller 120 may include a memory. The memory may be any memory suitable for storage of data and computer- readable instructions. For example, the memory may be a local memory, an external memory, or a cloud-based memory realized as random-access memory (RAM), nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM), flash memory, or any other suitable form of memory. The controller 120 may generally include one or more microprocessors for processing instructions and / or for processing algorithms stored in memory to control operation of the electrically driven casting system 100. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 120 may include one or more microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays, systems on a chip, discrete circuitry, and / or other suitable hardware, software, or firmware that is capable of carrying out the functions described herein. The controller 120 may be carried on-board the electrically driven casting system 100 or may be remotely located. The controller 120 may include an internal clock to keep track of time, such as a microcontroller clock. The microcontroller clock may include a crystal resonator; a ceramic resonator; a resistor, capacitor (RC) oscillator; or a silicon oscillator. Examples of other internal clocks other than those disclosed herein are fully contemplated. The internal clock may beimplemented in hardware, software, or both. The controller 120 may also include one or more sub-controllers configured to operate certain subsystems of the electrically driven casting system 100. The controller 120 may include a plurality of inputs and outputs and may be in communication with any of the components of the electrically driven casting system 100 described herein. The controller 120 may be configured to control functions of the electrically driven casting system 100 based on a number of inputs including, but not limited to, inputs from a human machine interface 122 arranged for engagement by an operator, measurements from sensors disposed about the electrically driven casting system 100, and / or other logic, rules, or parameters.PLURALITY OF ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES

[0054] An exemplary configuration of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in some examples, the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 includes four actuator assemblies 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d. However, it should be appreciated that additional or fewer actuator assembles 116 may be employed, such as two actuator assemblies 116, six actuator assemblies 116, eight actuator assemblies 116, etc. It should be appreciated that the flexible number of actuator assemblies 116 may allow implementations of the electrically driven casting system 100 according to the present disclosure to be scalable for exceptionally large casting operations (also referred to as “giga-casting"), by enabling one skilled in the ail to select a suitable number of actuator assemblies 116 to handle the load requirements of the molds, etc. As best shown FIG. 4, which is a top view of the electrically driven casting system 100, where the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 includes four actuator assemblies 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d, each actuator assembly 116 may be coupled to the upper plate 104 at a respective quadrant of the upper plate 104. Similarly, as best shown in FIG. 1, each actuator assembly 116 may also be operatively attached to the movable plate 110 at a respective quadrant of the movable plate 110. In these examples, the four actuator assemblies 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d may operate synchronously to move the movable plate 110 between the raised position R and the lowered position L.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional representation of an exemplary configuration of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116. In this example, each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 is mounted to a top surface 104a of the upper plate 104 via a support 119. As illustrated in FIG. 5, each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 may define a hollow output shaft 124 that rotates in response to the servomotor 118 being energized (e.g., where the servomotor 118 is energized by the controller 120). Additionally, each of the actuator assemblies 116 may include a threaded nut 126 coupled to the hollow output shaft 124 for rotation with the hollow output shaft 124. For example, the threaded nut 126 may be arranged adjacent to a bottom surface 104b of the upper plate 104 and coupled to the hollow output shaft 124 via adaptor bushings 128 that extend through the upper plate 104. Each of the actuator assemblies 116 may also include a foot 130 mounted to the movable plate 110, and a screw shaft 132 extending between a threaded upper portion 132a engaged with the threaded nut 126, and a bottom portion 132b that is coupled to the foot 130. The foot 130 may constrain screw shaft 132 such that the screw shaft 132 is fixed relative to the foot 130 (e.g., the screw shaft 132 is inhibited from vertical and radial translation relative to the foot 130, as well as inhibited from rotation relative to the foot 130 about a vertical axis extending between the upper plate 104 and the moveable plate 110).

[0056] For each of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 described above, the servomotor 118 is configured to be energized to rotate the hollow output shaft 124. As a result, the hollow output shaft 124 rotates the threaded nut 126 relative to the screw shaft 132 to move the screw shaft 132 vertically relative to the upper plate 104. Accordingly, the movable plate 110 moves relative to the upper plate 104 between the raised position R and the lowered position L. In other words, since the threaded nut 126 is engaged with the threaded portion 132a of the screw shaft 132, rotation of the threaded nut 126 due to energization of the servomotor 118 causes the threads of the threaded nut 126 to cooperate with the threads of the threaded portion 132a of the screw shaft 132 such that the screw shaft 132 and the foot 130 translate vertically relative to the upper plate 104, thereby translating the movable plate 110 vertically relative to the upper plate 104.

[0057] Still referring to FIG. 5, each of the actuator assemblies 116 may further include one or more bellows 134 that shield the screw shaft 132 from debris. For example, each of the actuator assemblies 116 may include a lower bellows 134a extending between the foot 130 and the threaded nut 126. Additionally, each of the actuator assemblies 116 may also include an upper bellows 134b extending upward from the hollow output shaft 124 to shield the screw shaft 132 from debris in instances where the screw shaft 132 is exposed above the servomotor 118. The one or more bellows 134 may be comprised of a suitable flexible and temperature resistant material.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, the controller 120 may be in communication with each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116. Accordingly, the controller 120 may be configured to energize each servomotor 118 synchronously to operate each servomotor 118 to move the movable plate 110 between the raised position R and the lowered position L. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the controller 120 may be in communication with a power supply 136 and each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 to coordinate energization of each servomotor 118 by the power supply 136, as well as receive commands and / or provide feedback to the human machine interface 122.

[0059] Still referring to FIG. 3, each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 may be configured to provide an operational status signal to the controller 120. The operational status signal may correspond to the angular displacement of each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116. The operational status signal may additionally or alternatively correspond to the load experienced by each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116. Based on the operational status signal, the controller 120 may be configured to suspend operation of each servomotor 118 where the difference between the angular displacement of any of the servomotors 118 exceeds a threshold value and / or where the difference between the load experienced by any of the servomotors 118 exceeds a threshold value.

[0060] For example, where there are four actuator assemblies 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d, the controller 120 may be configured to energize each servomotor 118 of the actuator assemblies 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d synchronously to ensure that the four corners of themovable plate 110 move together within a desired vertical position tolerance. However, small variations of the vertical position of the four comers of the movable plate 110 are possible. Accordingly, if the difference between the angular displacement of any of the servomotors 118 exceeds a threshold value and / or if the difference between the load experienced by any of the servomotors 118 exceeds a threshold value, the controller 120 may be configured to suspend operation of each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d and / or display an error message on the human machine interface 122. Common situations that may lead to this error include flashes and debris in the parting line between the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112, unequal theimal grow of the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112 due to cooling failures or uneven preheating of the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112, and / or mechanical failure of a movable component of the upper mold 114 and / or the lower mold 112 (e.g., a slider or a core). The controller 120 may also be configured to display the parameters of the operational status signal in real time on the human machine interface 122 to allow an operator to observe these parameters during casting operations.

[0061] In some configurations, the controller 120 may be configured to operate each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 to regeneratively brake as the movable plate 110 moves downward from the raised position R toward the lowered position L. Accordingly, the plurality of actuator assemblies 116 may capture the kinetic energy generated due to gravity acting upon the movable plate 110 and the upper mold 114 and convert the captured kinetic energy into electricity. In other words, when the movable plate 110 moves downward toward the lowered position L, the controller 120 may operate each servomotor 118 to apply negative torque (i.e., act as a generator) in order to control the speed of the descent of the movable plate 110 and prevent the movable plate 110 from free-falling, all while transforming the captured kinetic energy to electricity. In some examples, the controller 120 is configured to direct the captured electricity to an energy storage device (not shown) for later use. The energy storage device may be any suitable device for storing electrical energy including, but not limited to, a battery or capacitor.

[0062] Referring again to FIG. 5, in some examples, each of the actuator assemblies 116 further includes an electromagnetic brake 137 in communication with the controller120. The controller 120 may be configured to operate each of the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 between an unlocked state and a locked state. In the unlocked state, the controller 120 energizes each of the electromagnetic brakc(s) 137 to permit rotation of each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116, thereby allowing the movable plate 110 to translate relative to the plurality of guide columns 106. In the locked state, each electromagnetic brake 137 is not energized such that the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 inhibit rotation of each servomotor 118 of the plurality of actuator assemblies 116. As a result, in the locked state, the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 prevent the movable plate 110 from translating relative to the plurality of guide columns 106. This provides a notable safety feature, because in the event the electrically driven casting system 100 loses power, each electromagnetic brake 137 is consequently not energized, and thus the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 are automatically placed in the locked state to prevent the movable plate 110 from translating relative to the plurality of guide columns 106. Accordingly, the movable plate 110 does not free fall in the event of a power loss. Additionally, the controller 120 may be configured to operate the electromagnetic brakes 137 in the locked state when the movable plate 110 is in the lowered position L to ensure the upper mold 114 remains engaged with the lower mold 112 to define the pail void PV during casting operations. The specific configuration of the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 is not necessarily limited for the purposes of this disclosure. In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, each electromagnetic brake 137 is respectively arranged between the servomotor 1 18 and the threaded nut 126 and configured to selectively engage the adaptor bushing 128 to inhibit rotation of the servomotor 118. It should be appreciated, however, that other arrangements and configurations of the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 are contemplated. Similar to the servomotors 118, the controller 120 may be configured to operate the electromagnetic brake(s) 137 simultaneously to ensure that the four comers of the movable plate 110 are aligned within the desired vertical position tolerance, as described above.COOLING SYSTEM

[0063] The electrically driven casting system 100 may also include one or more cooling systems. For example, the electrically driven casting system 100 may include anupper cooling system 138 for cooling the upper mold 114 during casting operations. Additionally or alternatively, the electrically driven casting system 100 may include a lower cooling system 194 for cooling the lower mold 112 during casting operations. The one or more cooling systems generally circulate cooling fluid through the lower mold 112 and / or upper mold 114 to regulate the temperature of the lower mold 112 and / or upper mold 114 during casting operations. The cooling fluid may be a liquid (such as, but not limited to, water) or a gas (such as, but not limited to, air). The one or more cooling systems may be in communication with the controller 120. Accordingly, the controller 120 may control operation of the one or more cooling systems based on a number of inputs including, but not limited to, inputs from the human machine interface 122, measurements from sensors disposed about the electrically driven casting system 100, and / or other logic, rules, or parameters.

[0064] FIGS. 6A-15 show one exemplary configuration of the one or more cooling systems. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 7, the upper cooling system 138 may be coupled to the movable plate 110 and in fluid communication with a plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140 defined by the upper mold 114 (shown schematically in FIG. 7). As shown in FIGS. 6B and 7, the lower cooling system 194 may be coupled to the lower plate 108 and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196 defined by the lower mold 112 (also shown schematically in FIG. 7). Accordingly, the upper cooling system 138 may circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140 to cool the upper mold 114 during casting operations, and the lower cooling system 194 may circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196 to cool the lower mold 112 during casting operations. Referring to FIG. 7, each of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140 may include a plurality of upper mold cooling path inlets 142 in fluid communication with the upper cooling system 138 that receive the cooling fluid from the upper cooling system 138, and a plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets 144 in communication with a drain path DP that drains the cooling fluid from the electrically driven casting system 100. Likewise, each of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196 may include a plurality of lower mold cooling path inlets 198 in fluid communication with the lower cooling system 194 that receive the cooling fluid from thelower cooling system 194, and a plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets 199 in communication with the drain path DP. As illustrated schematically in FIG. 7 and described in further detail below, one or more thermal energy recuperation systems 182 may be disposed between the plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets 144 and / or the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets 199 and the drain path DP to capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196 and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.

[0065] Referring to FIGS. 8A-8C and 9A, the upper cooling system 138 may include an upper air supply 146, an upper water supply 148, and one or more upper cooling manifolds 150. The one or more upper cooling manifolds 150 may be coupled to the movable plate 110 and configured to adjustably supply air from the upper air supply 146 and / or water from the upper water supply 148 to the plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140. Likewise, the lower cooling system 194 may include a lower air supply 200, a lower water supply 202, and one or more lower cooling manifolds 204. As best shown in FIG. 9B, the one or more lower cooling manifolds 204 may be coupled to the lower plate 108 and configured to adjustably supply air from the lower air supply 200 and / or water from the lower water supply 202 to the plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196.

[0066] As best shown in FIGS. 9A through 10, both the upper cooling manifold(s) 150 and the lower cooling manifold(s) 204 may each include a manifold water inlet 152 in fluid communication with the upper water supply 148 and lower water supply 202, respectively. Additionally, both upper cooling manifold(s) 150 and the lower cooling manifold(s) 204 may each also include a manifold air inlet 154 in fluid communication with the upper air supply 146 and the lower air supply 200, respectively. Both the upper cooling manifold(s) 150 and the lower cooling manifold(s) 204 may also include a plurality of valves 156. For the upper cooling manifold(s) 150, each of the plurality of valves 156 may be configured to adjustably supply air from the upper air supply 146 and / or water from the upper water supply 148 to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140. Likewise, for the lower cooling manifold(s) 204, each of the plurality of valves 156 may be configured to adjustably supply air from the lower air supply 200 and / or water from the lower water supply 202 to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196.

[0067] To effectuate the adjustable supply of air and / or water to one or more of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196 as described above, the controller 120 may be in communication with the plurality of valves 156 and operate the plurality of valves 156 to control distribution of water and / or air based on a number of inputs including, but not limited to, inputs from a human machine interface 122 arranged for engagement by an operator, measurements from sensors disposed about the electrically driven casting system 100, and / or other logic, rules, or parameters. In other words, the controller 120 may be configured to independently adjust and control the flowrate of cooling fluid through each of the plurality of valves 156 based on the determined cooling needs of each of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. For example, if the controller 120 ascertains that the temperature of a particular region of one of the upper mold 114 and / or the lower mold 112 is above a desired temperature, the controller 120 may operate the plurality of valves 156 to direct more cooling fluid to the mold cooling path(s) 140,196 corresponding to the overheated area. Advantageously, because the plurality of valves 156 are disposed relatively close to the upper mold 114 and / or the lower mold 112 as compared to conventional cooling systems (which include valves arranged in a separate cabinet spaced from the casting system), the cooling systems 138, 194 are able to adjust the cooling conditions of upper mold 114 and / or the lower mold 112 comparatively quickly, thereby reducing cycle time and improving mechanical properties of the casted pail CP.

[0068] As best shown in FIGS. 10-13B, each of the plurality of valves 156 may include a valve water inlet 158 in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet 152, a valve air inlet 160 in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet 154, and a valve outlet 162 in fluid communication with one of the upper mold cooling path inlets 142 or one of the lower mold cooling path inlets 198 for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. Accordingly, each of the plurality of valves 156 of the upper cooling manifold(s) 150 is configured to adjustably supply air from the upper air supply 146 and / or water from the upper water supply 148 to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140. Likewise, each of the plurality of valves 156 of the lower cooling manifold(s) 204 is configured to adjustably supply air from the lower air supply 200 and / orwater from the lower water supply 202 to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196.

[0069] FIGS. 12 and 13A illustrate a cross-sectional representation of an exemplary configuration of one of the plurality of valves 156. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13A, each of the plurality of valves 156 may include a valve body 164 supported by one of the cooling manifolds 150, 204. Each of the plurality of valves 156 may also include a valve cartridge 166 supported by the valve body 164. The valve cartridge 166 may define a cartridge air passage 168 in fluid communication with the valve air inlet 160 and a cartridge water passage 170 in fluid communication with the valve water inlet 158. Each of the plurality of valves 156 may further include a hollow selection shaft 172 disposed in the valve cartridge 166. The hollow selection shaft 172 may define a shaft outlet 174 in fluid communication with the valve outlet 162, a shaft air passage 176, and a shaft water passage 178 that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage 176.

[0070] Each of the plurality of valves 156 may also further include a valve servomotor 180 coupled to the hollow selection shaft 172. The valve servomotor 180 may rotate the hollow selection shaft 172 between an air supply position, a water supply position, and an off position. Where the valve servomotor 180 rotates the hollow selection shaft 172 to the air supply position, the shaft air passage 176 is aligned with the cartridge air passage 168 such that air flows from the valve air inlet 160 to the valve outlet 162 to supply air to one of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. Where the valve servomotor 180 rotates the hollow selection shaft 172 to the water supply position, the shaft water passage 178 is aligned with the cartridge water passage 170 such that water flows from the valve water inlet 158 to the valve outlet 162 to supply water to one of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. Where the valve servomotor 180 rotates the hollow selection shaft 172 to the off position, neither the shaft air passage 176 is aligned with the cartridge air passage 168 and the shaft water passage 178 is aligned with the cartridge water passage 170. Accordingly, in the off position, the valve 156 does not supply the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196.

[0071] It should be appreciated that each valve servomotor 180 of the plurality of valves 156 may be configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage 176 and thecartridge air passage 168 to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. In other words, the valve servomotor 180 may make fine adjustments to the rotation of the hollow selection shaft 172 to vary the cross-sectional alignment of the shaft air passage 176 and the cartridge air passage 168 to adjust the flowrate of air through each of the plurality of valves 156 and, ultimately, to the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. Likewise, each valve servomotor 180 of the plurality of valves 156 may also be configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage 178 and the cartridge water passage 170 to adjust the flowrate of water through each of the plurality of valves 156 and, ultimately, to the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196.

[0072] To effectuate the adjustment described above, each valve servomotor 180 of the plurality of valves 156 may be in communication with the controller 120 such that the controller 120 operates each valve servomotor 180 to control distribution of water and / or air to one or more of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196 based on a number of inputs including, but not limited to, inputs from a human machine interface 122 arranged for engagement by an operator, measurements from sensors disposed about the electrically driven casting system 100, and / or other logic, rules, or parameters. In other words, the controller 120 may be configured to independently adjust and control the flowrate of cooling fluid through each of the plurality of valves 156 by adjusting the position of each valve servomotor 180 to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage 176 and the cartridge air passage 168 or adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage 178 and the cartridge water passage 170 based on the determined cooling needs of each of the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196. Additionally, each valve servomotor 180 may be configured to provide a valve status signal to the controller 120. The valve status signal may correspond to an angular position of the valve servomotor 180, which, for example, may be ascertained by the controller 120 by an encoder (not shown) in communication with each valve servomotor 180. Based on the valve status signal, the controller 120 may be able to detect if one or more of the plurality of valves 156 is experiencing a clog. Where a clog is detected, the controller 120 may be configured to suspend operation of the electrically driven casting system 100 and / or display an error message on the human machine interface 122.

[0073] In the examples illustrated in FIGS. 6A-15, the upper cooling system 138 includes three upper cooling manifolds 150, with each upper cooling manifold 150 including twelve valves 156. Likewise, in the examples illustrated in FIGS. 6A-15, the lower cooling system 194 includes two lower cooling manifolds 204, with each lower cooling manifold 204 including twelve valves 156. It should be appreciated, however, that the number of upper cooling manifolds 150, lower cooling manifolds 204, and / or the number of valves 156 per cooling manifold can vary based on the requirements of the application.

[0074] Referring back to FIG. 6A and FIG. 8A, in some examples, the upper cooling system 138 is a first upper cooling system 138a coupled to the movable plate 110 on a first lateral side 110a of the movable plate 110. The first upper cooling system 138a may be in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140a defined by a first lateral portion 114a of the upper mold 114. In these examples, the electrically driven casting system 100 may further include a second upper cooling system 138b coupled to the movable plate 110 on a second lateral side 110b of the movable plate 110, opposite the first lateral side 110a. The second upper cooling system 138b may be in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths 140b defined by a second lateral portion 114b of the upper mold 114, opposite the first lateral portion 114a. The first upper cooling system 138a and the second upper cooling system 138b may each include the components described above. Also, it should be appreciated that each of the first upper cooling system 138a and the second upper cooling system 138b may include three upper cooling manifolds 150 (as described above), for a total of six upper cooling manifolds 150. Referring to FIG. 8B, the upper air supply 146 may include a first lateral upper air supply 146a and a second lateral upper air supply 146b for supplying air to the first upper cooling system 138a and the second upper cooling system 138b, respectively. Likewise, the upper water supply 148 may include a first lateral upper water supply 148a and a second lateral upper water supply 148b for supplying water to the first upper cooling system 138a and the second upper cooling system 138b, respectively.

[0075] Similarly, in some examples, the lower cooling system 194 is a first lower cooling system 194a coupled to the lower plate 108 on a first lateral side 108a of the lowerplate 108. The first lower cooling system 194a may be in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196a defined by a first lateral portion 112a of the lower mold 112. In these examples, the electrically driven casting system 100 may further include a second lower cooling system 194b coupled to the lower plate 108 on a second lateral side 108b of the lower plate 108, opposite the first lateral side 108a. The second lower cooling system 194b may be in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths 196b defined by a second lateral portion 112b of the lower mold 112, opposite the first lateral portion 112a. The first lower cooling system 194a and the second lower cooling system 194b may each include the components described above. Also, it should be appreciated that each of the first lower cooling system 194a and the second lower cooling system 194b may include two lower cooling manifolds 204 (as described above), for a total of four lower cooling manifolds 204. Referring to FIG. 8B, the lower air supply 200 may include a first lateral lower air supply 200a and a second lateral lower air supply 200b for supplying air to the first lower cooling system 194a and the second lower cooling system 194b, respectively. Likewise, the lower water supply 202 may include a first lateral lower water supply 202a and a second lateral lower water supply 202b for supplying water to the first lower cooling system 194a and the second lower cooling system 194b, respectively.

[0076] The upper cooling system(s) 138 and / or the lower cooling system(s) 194 may further include one or more thermal energy recuperation systems 182 disposed between the plurality of mold cooling path outlets 144, 199 and the drain path DP. The one or more thermal energy recuperation systems 182 may capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196 and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity. In some examples, the controller 120 may be configured to direct the electricity to an energy storage device (not shown) for later use. The energy storage device may be any suitable device for storing electrical energy including but not limited to a battery or capacitor.

[0077] FIGS. 14 and 15 show one exemplary configuration of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems 182. In the illustrated example, each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems 182 includes a heat exchanger 184. The heatexchanger 184 may include one or more heat exchanger inlets 186 in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of mold cooling path outlets 144, 199, and a heat exchanger outlet 188 in fluid communication with the drain path DP. Each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems 182 may also include a cooling plate 190 and a thermoelectric generator 192 disposed between the heat exchanger 184 and the cooling plate 190. The thermoelectric generator 192 may convert thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet 186 to the heat exchanger outlet 188. In other words, the side of the thermoelectric generator 192 facing the cooling plate 190 and the opposing side of the thermoelectric generator 192 facing the heat exchanger 184 experience significantly different temperatures. As a result of this temperature difference, the thermoelectric generator 192 generates an electrical current that can be directed to the energy storage device for later use. The thermoelectric generator 192 may include devices such as, but not limited to, Peltier devices, Peltier heat pumps, solid state refrigerators, thermoelectric coolers (TEC), Seebeck generators, and the like. Of course, other configurations for capturing thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of mold cooling paths 140, 196 and converting the captured thermal energy into electricity a e contemplated.

[0078] It should also be appreciated that employment of upper cooling system(s) 138 and / or the lower cooling system(s) 194 is / are not necessarily limited to use with the electrically driven casting system 100 as described herein. In other words, the upper cooling system(s) 138 and / or the lower cooling system(s) 194 may be implemented in conjunction with a conventional casting system to realize the advantages described herein.PART EJECTION SYSTEM

[0079] The electrically driven casting system 100 may further include a pail ejection system 300 that ejects the casted part CP from the upper mold 114 upon completion of casting operations. One exemplary configuration of the part ejection system 300 is shown in FIGS. 16A-19B. In the illustrated example, the part ejection system 300 includes an ejection plate 302 disposed between the upper mold 114 and the movable plate 110. In some examples, the ejection plate 302 may be assembled together with the uppermold 114, and, thus, removable from the electrically driven casting system 100 with the upper mold 114. The part ejection system 300 may further include a plurality of ejection pins 304 extending from the ejection plate 302 and through the upper mold 114. Upon completion of casting operations, the ejection plate 302 pushes the ejection pins 304 through the upper mold 114 as the movable plate 110 moves toward the raised position R such that the plurality of ejection pins 304 push the casted part CP from the upper mold 114.

[0080] With continued reference to FIGS. 16A-19B, the part ejection system 300 may include a plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 coupled to the movable plate 110. Each lower bayonet assembly 306 may include a lower bayonet 308 (best shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B) extending between a lower end 308a engaged with the ejection plate 302 and a top end 308b facing the upper plate 104. As best shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the ejection plate 302 may define a plurality of engagement slots 310. Each engagement slot 310 may be configured to receive the lower end 308a of one of the lower bayonets 308 to couple each lower bayonet 308 to the ejection plate 302. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 18A and 18B, the lower end 308a of each lower bayonet 308 may define a lower stepped portion 312. As indicated by arrow 1 in FIG. 18A, the lower stepped portion 312 may be configured to first engage one of the engagement slots 310 of the ejection plate 302. Next, as indicated by arrow 2 in FIG. 18A, the lower stepped portion 312 may be configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate 302 to fix the lower stepped portion 312 within one of the engagement slots 310, thereby coupling each lower bayonet 308 of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 to the ejection plate 302 (as shown in FIG. 18B).

[0081] Referring to the sequence between FIGS. 16B through 16D, each lower bayonet 308 of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 may be configured to move between a retracted position RP (shown in FIG. 16B) and an ejection position EP (shown in FIGS. 16C and 16D. Where each lower bayonet 308 is in the retracted position RP, each lower bayonet 308 may be arranged relative to the upper mold 114 such that the ejection plate 302 is spaced from the upper mold 114. Where each lower bayonet 308 is in the ejection position EP, each lower bayonet 308 moves the ejection plate 302 toward the upper mold 114 such that the plurality of ejection pins 304 push the casted part CP away fromthe upper mold 114, as shown in FIG. 16D. Referring to FIGS. 17A and 17B, each of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 may include a biasing member 314 configured to urge each lower bayonet 308 of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 toward the retracted position RP.

[0082] As illustrated in FIGS. 16A-19B, the part ejection system 300 may also include a plurality of upper bayonet assemblies 316 coupled to the upper plate 104. As best shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, each upper bayonet assembly 316 may include an upper bayonet 318 having a bottom end 318a extending toward the movable plate 110. Referring to the sequence between FIGS. 16A and 16B, the bottom end 318a of each upper bayonet 318 may be configured to engage one of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 as the movable plate 110 reaches an engagement position E between the lowered position L and the raised position R. As best shown FIGS. 19A-19B, the bottom end 318a of each upper bayonet 318 may define an upper stepped portion 320. Referring again to the sequence between FIGS. 16A and 16B, the top end 308b of each lower bayonet 308 of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies 306 may define a slotted catch 322 configured to receive the upper stepped portion 320 of one of the upper bayonets 318 of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies 316 as the movable plate 110 reaches the engagement position E.

[0083] Referring to arrow 3 in FIG. 16C, upon the movable plate 110 reaching the engagement position E, each upper bayonet 318 may be configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate 302 in a first direction such that each upper stepped portion 320 is fixed within the slotted catch 322 of one of the lower bayonets 308. As a result, each upper bayonet 318 is coupled to one of the lower bayonets 308. As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, to effectuate rotation of each upper bayonet 318, each upper bayonet assembly 316 may include an upper servomotor 324 coupled to each upper bayonet 318 and configured to rotate the upper bayonet 318 relative to the ejection plate 302. Each upper servomotor 324 may be in communication with the controller 120 such that the controller 120 may be configured to operate each upper servomotor 324 during the ejection cycle.

[0084] Referring again to the sequence between FIGS. 16C and 16D, after each upper bayonet 318 is coupled to one of the lower bayonets 308 as described above, eachupper bayonet 318 is configured to abut the top end 308b of one of the lower bayonets 308 to the lower bayonets 308 relative to the upper mold 114 toward the ejection position EP as the movable plate 110 moves from the engagement position E toward the raised position R. As a result, the lower bayonets 308 move the ejection plate 302 to move the plurality of ejection pins 304 relative to the upper mold 114 to push the casted part CP from the upper mold 114. Referring now to the sequence between FIGS. 16D and 16E, after the casted part CP has been ejected, the movable plate 110 returns to the engagement position E from the raised position R. As a result, the lower bayonets 308 return to the retracted position RP. Referring now to the sequence between FIGS. 16E and 16F, once the movable plate 110 returns to the engagement position E, as indicated by arrow 4, the upper servomotor 324 may rotate each upper bayonet 318 relative to the ejection plate 302 in a second direction, opposite the first direction, such that each upper stepped portion 320 is released from the slotted catch 322 of one of the lower bayonets 308 As a result, each upper bayonet 318 is uncoupled from its respective lower bayonet 308. In other words, each upper bayonet 318 is configured to disengage from its respective lower bayonet 308 after the plurality of ejection pins 304 push the casted part CP from the upper mold 114 such that the movable plate 110 is permitted to move to the lowered position L. Referring lastly to the sequence between FIGS. 16F and 16G, after each upper bayonet 318 is uncoupled from its respective lower bayonet 308 as described above, the movable plate 110 is free to return to the lowered position L as shown in FIG. 16G to prepare for another casting cycle.

[0085] Although not shown in the illustrated configurations, it should be appreciated that the electrically driven casting system 100 may further include another pail ejection system for ejecting the casted part CP from the lower mold 112. This part ejection system may be implemented similar to the part ejection system 300 described above, or may be realized in other forms suitable for ejecting the casted part CP from the lower mold 112.

[0086] It should also be appreciated that employment of the pail ejection system 300 is not necessarily limited to use with the electrically driven casting system 100 as described herein. In other words, the part ejection system 300 may be implemented in conjunction with a conventional casting system to realize the advantages described herein.CASTING OPERATIONS

[0087] As best shown in FIG. 1, to supply molten metal MM for casting operations, the electrically driven casting system 100 may include a furnace 400. In the illustrated example, the furnace 400 is arranged between the base assembly 102 and the lower plate 108, but other locations are contemplated. The furnace 400 may store molten metal MM and feed the molten metal MM through riser tubes 402 defined by the lower mold 112 into the part void PV to form the casted part CP. One exemplary furnace 400 is supplied by Pyrotek, but other furnaces are contemplated. The electrically driven casting system 100 may be capable of conducting a number of different types of casting operations, including but not limited to, pressure assisted casting operations such as low pressure casting, vacuum-pressure riserless casting (VRC / PRC), counter pressure casting (CPC), and micro-counter pressure casting (described in further detail below).

[0088] FIG. 20A generally illustrates a low pressure casting operation. In a low pressure casting operation the furnace 400 stores the molten metal MM and is pressurized to feed the molten metal MM through the riser tubes 402 defined by the lower mold 112 to the part void PV to form the casted part CP. Of course, FIG. 20A is one example of a suitable low pressure casting arrangement and other arrangements are contemplated. FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6 and 20C-1 through 20C-6 respectively illustrate a sequence of a vacuum-pressure riserless casting (VRC / PRC) operation (FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6), and a sequence of a counter pressure casting (CPC) operation (FIGS. 20C-1 through 20C- 6). In these examples, the electrically driven casting system 100 may also include a hermetic chamber 404 surrounding the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112. In both operations, the furnace 400 is pressurized at a first pressure and the hermetic chamber 404 surrounding the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112 is pressurized at a second pressure, less than the first pressure, such that the molten metal MM through the riser tubes 402 defined by the lower mold 112 to the part void PV to form the casted pail CP.

[0089] Referring to FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6, in the vacuum- pressure riseriess casting (VRC / PRC) operation, as indicated in step 1 of FIG. 20B-1, the movable plate 110 is moved to the lowered position L such that the upper mold 114 engages the lower mold112 to cumulatively define the part void PV. At this point, the hermetic chamber 404 and the part void PV are at atmospheric pressure. Next, as indicated in step 2 of FIG. 20B-2, the second pressure is applied as a vacuum to the hermetic chamber, thereby reducing the pressure in the part void PV. Accordingly, as indicated in step 3 of FIG. 20B-3, while the hermetic chamber 404 remains subject to the second pressure, the molten metal MM travels up the risers 402 defined by the lower mold 112 such that the molten metal MM fills the part void PV. As a result, as indicated in step 4 of FIG. 20B-4, while the hermetic chamber 404 remains subject to the second pressure, the molten metal MM solidifies in the part void PV to form the casted part CP. As indicated in step 5 of FIG. 20B-5, once the molten metal MM solidifies into the casted part CP, the second pressure is removed from the hermetic chamber 404 and the movable plate 110 moves toward the raised position R, and the ejection system 300 may eject the casted part CP from the part void PV. Lastly, as indicated in step 6 of FIG. 20B-6, once the casted part CP is removed from the electrically driven casting system 100, any feed gates remaining on the casted part CP may be machined off.

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 20C-1 through 20C-6, in the counter pressure casting (CPC) operation, as indicated in step 1 of FIG. 20C-1, the movable plate 110 is moved to the lowered position L such that the upper mold 114 engages the lower mold 112 to cumulatively define the pail void PV. At this point, the hermetic chamber 404 and the pail void PV are at atmospheric pressure. Next, as indicated in step 2 of FIG. 20C-2, the second pressure is applied as a positive pressure (still less than the first pressure of the furnace 400) to the hermetic chamber 404. Accordingly, as indicated in step 3 of FIG. 20C-3, while the hermetic chamber 404 remains subject to the second pressure, the molten metal MM travels up the risers 402 defined by the lower mold 112 such that the molten metal MM fills the part void PV. As a result, as indicated in step 4 of FIG. 20C-4, while the hermetic chamber 404 remains subject to the second pressure, the molten metal MM solidifies in the part void PV to form the casted part CP. As indicated in step 5 of FIG. 20C-5, once the molten metal MM solidifies into the casted pail CP, the second pressure is removed from the hermetic chamber 404 and the movable plate 110 moves toward the raised position R, and the ejection system 300 may eject the casted part CP from the pailvoid PV. Lastly, as indicated in step 6 of FIG. 20C-6, once the casted part CP is removed from the electrically driven casting system 100, any feed gates remaining on the casted part CP may be machined off.

[0091] Referring to FIGS. 21 A-24B, the electrically driven casting system 100 may include a micro-counter pressure system 406 that eliminates the need for the hermetic chamber 404 described above in the context of FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6 and 20C-1 through 20C-6. The micro-counter pressure system 406 may be operatively attached to one or more vent slots 408 defined by the upper mold 114 and / or the lower mold 112. The one or more vents slot 408 are in fluid communication with the part void PV. Accordingly, the micro-counter pressure system 406 may adjust the pressure of the part void PV during casting operations. This is advantageous when compared to the operations described above in the context of FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6 and 20C-1 through 20C-6 because the microcounter pressure system 406 does not pressurize a hermetic chamber that surrounds the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112. Instead, the micro-counter pressure system 406 adjusts the pressure specifically in the part void PV. As a result, mechanical complexity, air consumption, and heat pollution are reduced significantly as compared to the operations described above in the context of FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6 and 20C-1 through 20C-6.

[0092] As best shown in FIGS. 21A-21C, instead of the hermetic chamber 404 as described above in the context of FIGS. 20B-1 through 20B-6 and 20C-1 through 20C-6, the electrically driven casting system 100 may include a seal 410 arranged between the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 1 12 to hermitize the part void PV to allow the microcounter pressure system 406 to adjust the pressure of the part void PV during casting operations. In other words, the seal 410 inhibits air from escaping or entering the part void PV through the parting line between the upper mold 114 and the lower mold 112 as the micro-counter pressure system 406 adjusts the pressure of the part void PV during casting operations. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 21D, the electrically driven casting system 100 may further include a plurality of pin seals 412. Each of the plurality of pin seals 412 may be disposed between one of the plurality of ejection pins 304 and the upper mold 114 to inhibit air from escaping or entering the part void PV as the micro-counter pressure system 406 adjusts the pressure of the part void PV during casting operations.

[0093] As best shown in FIGS. 21A-23B, the micro-counter pressure system 406 may include one or more connection members 416. Each of the one or more connection members 416 may be in fluid communication with one of the one or more vent slots 408. The micro-counter pressure system 406 may also include an air supply 418, an air dryer 420 in fluid communication with the air supply 418 for removing moisture from the air supply 418, and a vacuum pump 422. As shown in FIG. 22, the air supply 418, air dryer 420, and vacuum pump 422 may be disposed on the top surface 104a of the upper plate 104, but other arrangements are contemplated. The micro-counter pressure system 406 may further include one or more control valves 424 disposed in fluid communication with the air dryer 420, the vacuum pump 422, and the one or more connection members 416. For example, the one or more control valves 424 may each be connected to one of the one or more connection members 416 via a hose 414. The controller 120 may be in communication with the one or more control valves 424 to operate the one or more control valves 424 to supply one of air from the air dryer 420 and a vacuum from the vacuum pump 422 to the part void PV to adjust the pressure of the part void PV during casting operations.

[0094] In some examples, the one or more vent slots 408 is a plurality of vent slots 408. Each of the plurality of vent slots 408 may be in fluid communication with different portions of the part void PV. For example, part void PV may be a plurality of part voids PV for receiving molten metal to cast multiple casted parts CP simultaneously. Additionally, the one or more connection members 416 may include a plurality of connection members 416. Each of the plurality of connection members 416 in fluid communication with one of the plurality of vent slots 408. Furthermore, the one or more control valves 424 may be a plurality of control valves 424. Each of the plurality of control valves 424 may be in fluid communication with one of the connection members 416 and configured to supply one of air from the air dryer 420 and a vacuum from the vacuum pump 422 to the part void PV to adjust the pressure of the part void PV during casting operations. In this example, the controller 120 may operate each of the plurality of control valves 424 independently to adjust the pressure of the different portions of the part void PV independently during casting operations. Additionally, the controller 120 may adjust the pressure of the pail void PV during casting operations based on a number of inputsincluding, but not limited to, inputs from a human machine interface 122 arranged for engagement by an operator, measurements from sensors disposed about the electrically driven casting system 100, and / or other logic, rules, or parameters.

[0095] FIG. 24A illustrates one example of operating the electrically driven casting system 100 including the micro-counter pressure system 406. In this example, the microcounter pressure system 406 provides positive pressure via the air supply 418 to the pail void PV during casting operations to effect the behavior of the molten metal MM as the molten metal MM flows through the risers 402 and into the part void PV. As described above in the context of counter pressure casting operations, the pressure applied by the micro-counter pressure system 406 to the part void may be a second pressure that is less than the first pressure of the furnace 400. Meanwhile, FIG. 24B illustrates another example of operating the electrically driven casting system 100 including the micro-counter pressure system 406. In this example, the micro-counter pressure system 406 provides negative pressure via the vacuum pump 422 to the part void PV during casting operations to effect the behavior of the molten metal MM as the molten metal MM flows through the risers 402 and into the part void PV. As illustrated by FIGS. 24A and 24B, use of the micro-counter pressure system 406 disclosed herein instead of the hermetic chamber is advantageous because the amount of air and energy needed to adjust the pressure in the part void PV is greatly reduced, and the controller 120 is able to adjust the pressure in the part void PV in real time based on a number of inputs including, but not limited to, inputs from a human machine interface 122 arranged for engagement by an operator, measurements from sensors disposed about the electrically driven casting system 100, and / or other logic, rules, or parameters. Furthermore, it is notable that the micro-counter pressure system 406 is advantageously capable of providing a vacuum, positive pressure, or no pressure to the part void, allowing flexibility in design choice for casting operations.

[0096] It should be appreciated that employment of the micro-counter pressure system 406 is not necessarily limited to use with the electrically driven casting system 100 as described herein. In other words, the micro-counter pressure system 406 may be implemented in conjunction with a conventional casting system to realize the advantages described herein.

[0097] It will be further appreciated that the terms “include,” “includes,” and “including” have the same meaning as the terms “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising.”

[0098] Several embodiments have been discussed in the foregoing description. However, the embodiments discussed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to any particular’ form. The terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings and the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

[0099] The present disclosure also comprises the following clauses, with specific features laid out in dependent clauses, that may specifically be implemented as described in greater detail with reference to the configurations and drawings above.CLAUSESI. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface; an upper plate spaced above the base assembly; a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, and a lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such thatthe upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; and a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position.II. The electrically driven casting system of clause I, wherein the plurality of actuator assemblies comprises four actuator assemblies.III. The electrically driven casting system of clause II, wherein each actuator assembly is coupled to the upper plate at a respective quadrant of the upper plate and operatively attached to the movable plate at a respective quadrant of the movable plate.IV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses I to III, wherein each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies defines a hollow output shaft, and each of the actuator assemblies includes: a threaded nut coupled to the hollow output shaft for rotation with the hollow output shaft; a foot mounted to the movable plate; and a screw shaft extending between a threaded upper portion engaged with the threaded nut and a bottom portion that is coupled to the foot such that the screw shaft is fixed relative to the foot; wherein the servomotor mounted to the upper plate and is configured to be energized to rotate the hollow output shaft to rotate the threaded nut relative to the screw shaft to move the screw shaft vertically relative to the upper plate, thereby moving the movable plate relative to the upper plate.V. The electrically driven casting system of clause IV, wherein each of the actuator assemblies further includes one or more bellows that shield the screw shaft from debris.VI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses I to V, further comprising a controller in communication with each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies, the controller configured to energize each servomotor of the plurality ofactuator assemblies synchronously to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to move the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position.VII. The electrically driven casting system of clause VI, wherein the controller is configured to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to regeneratively brake as the movable plate moves from the raised position to the lowered position to capture kinetic energy and convert the captured kinetic energy into electricity.VIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause VII, wherein the controller is configured to direct the electricity to an energy storage device.IX. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses VI to VIII, wherein each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies are configured to provide an operational status signal to the controller.X. The electrically driven casting system of clause IX, wherein the operational status signal includes a displacement signal corresponding to the angular displacement of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies.XI. The electrically driven casting system of clause X, wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies where the difference between the angular displacement of any of the servomotors exceeds a threshold value.XII. The electrically driven casting system of clause IX, wherein the operational status signal includes a load signal corresponding to the load exerted by of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies.XIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XII, wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies where the difference between the load exerted by any of the servomotors exceeds a threshold value.XIV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses VI to XIII, wherein each of the actuator assemblies further includes an electromagnetic brake in communication with the controller, wherein the controller is configured to operate the electromagnetic brakes between:an unlocked state where the electromagnetic brake is energized to permit rotation of the servomotor to move the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns, and a locked state where the electromagnetic brake is not energized and inhibits rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns.XV. The electrically driven casting system of clause XIV, wherein the electromagnetic brake is configured to engage an adaptor bushing coupled to the servomotor in the locked state to inhibit rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns.XVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses I to XV, further comprising an upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by the upper mold, the upper cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of upper mold cooling paths to cool the upper mold during casting operations.XVII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XVI, wherein the cooling fluid at least one of water and air.XVIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XVI, wherein each of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths includes: a plurality of upper mold cooling path inlets in fluid communication with the upper cooling system that receive the cooling fluid from the upper cooling system; and a plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets in communication with a drain path that drains the cooling fluid.XIX. The electrically driven casting system of clause XVIII, wherein the upper cooling system includes: an upper air supply; an upper water supply; one or more upper cooling manifolds, each upper cooling manifold including: a manifold water inlet in fluid communication with the upper water supply; a manifold air inlet in fluid communication with the upper air supply; a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves including:a valve water inlet in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet; a valve air inlet in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet; and a valve outlet in fluid communication with one of the upper mold cooling path inlets for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; wherein each of the plurality of valves of each of one or more of the upper cooling manifolds is configured to adjustably supply one of air from the upper air supply and water from the upper water supply to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.XX. The electrically driven casting system of clause XIX, wherein the plurality of valves includes twelve valves.XXI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XIX or XX, wherein the one or more upper cooling manifolds includes three upper cooling manifolds.XXII. The electrically driven casting system any one of clauses XIX to XXI, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to be independently adjustable.XXIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XIX to XXII, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjust the flowrate of the cooling fluid.XXIV. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXIII, wherein each of the plurality of valves further includes: a valve body supported by one of the upper cooling manifolds; a valve cartridge supported by the valve body and defining a cartridge air passage in fluid communication with the valve air inlet and a cartridge water passage in fluid communication with the valve water inlet; a hollow selection shaft disposed in the valve cartridge and defining: a shaft outlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; a shaft air passage; and a shaft water passage that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage; anda valve servomotor coupled to the hollow selection shaft and configured to rotate the hollow selection shaft between: an air supply position where the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage such that air flows from the valve air inlet to the valve outlet to supply air to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; a water supply position where the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage such that water flows from the valve water inlet to the valve outlet to supply water to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; and an off position where neither the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage and the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage.XXV. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXIV, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage and the cartridge air passage to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.XXVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXIV or XXV, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage and the cartridge water passage to adjust the flowrate of water to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.XXVII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XVIII to XXVI, wherein the upper cooling system further includes one or more thermal energy recuperation systems disposed between the plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets and the drain path that capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of upper mold cooling paths and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.XXVIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXVII, wherein the electricity is directed to an energy storage device.XXIX. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXVII or XXVIII, wherein each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems includes: a heat exchanger including:a heat exchanger inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets; and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the drain path; a cooling plate; and a thermoelectric generator disposed between the heat exchanger and the cooling plate that converts thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet to the heat exchanger outlet.XXX. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XVI to XXIX, wherein: the upper cooling system is a first upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate on a first lateral side of the movable plate and in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by a first lateral portion of the upper mold; and the electrically driven casting system further comprises a second upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate on a second lateral side of the movable plate, opposite the first lateral side, and in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by a second lateral portion of the upper mold, opposite the first lateral portion.XXXI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses I toXXXI, further comprising a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold, the lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.XXXII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXXI, wherein the cooling fluid is at least one of water and air.XXXIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXXII, wherein each of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths includes: a plurality of lower mold cooling path inlets in fluid communication with the lower cooling system that receive the cooling fluid from the lower cooling system; anda plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets in communication with a drain path that drains the cooling fluid.XXXIV. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXXIII, wherein the lower cooling system includes: a lower air supply; a lower water supply; one or more lower cooling manifolds, each lower cooling manifold including: a manifold water inlet in fluid communication with the lower water supply; a manifold air inlet in fluid communication with the lower air supply; a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves including: a valve water inlet in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet; a valve air inlet in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet; and a valve outlet in fluid communication with one of the lower mold cooling path inlets for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjustably supply one of air from the lower air supply and water from the lower water supply to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.XXXV. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXXIV, wherein the plurality of valves includes twelve valves.XXXVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXXIV or XXXV, wherein the one or more lower cooling manifolds includes two lower cooling manifolds.XXXVII. The electrically driven casting system any one of clauses XXXIV to XXXVI, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to be independently adjustable.XXXVIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXXIV to XXXVII, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjust the flowrate of the cooling fluid.XXXIX. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXXVIII, wherein each of the plurality of valves further includes: a valve body supported by one of the lower cooling manifolds; a valve cartridge supported by the valve body and defining a cartridge air passage in fluid communication with the valve air inlet and a cartridge water passage in fluid communication with the valve water inlet; a hollow selection shaft disposed in the valve cartridge and defining: a shaft outlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; a shaft air passage; and a shaft water passage that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage; and a valve servomotor coupled to the hollow selection shaft and configured to rotate the hollow selection shaft between: an air supply position where the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage such that air flows from the valve air inlet to the valve outlet to supply air to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; a water supply position where the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage such that water flows from the valve water inlet to the valve outlet to supply water to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; and an off position where neither the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage and the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage.XL. The electrically driven casting system of clause XXXIX, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage and the cartridge air passage to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.XLI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXXIX or XL, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage and the cartridge water passage to adjust the flowrate of water to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.XLII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXXIII to XLI, wherein the lower cooling system further includes one or more thermal energy recuperation systems disposed between the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets and the drain path that capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of lower mold cooling paths and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.XLIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XLII, wherein the electricity is directed to an energy storage device.XLIV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XLII or XLIII, wherein each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems includes: a heat exchanger including: a heat exchanger inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets; and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the drain path; a cooling plate; and a thermoelectric generator disposed between the heat exchanger and the cooling plate that converts thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet to the heat exchanger outlet.XLV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XXXI to XLIV, wherein: the lower cooling system is a first lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate on a first lateral side of the lower plate and in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by a first lateral portion of the lower mold; and the electrically driven casting system further comprises a second lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate on a second lateral side of the lower plate, opposite thefirst lateral side, and in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by a second lateral portion of the lower mold, opposite the first lateral portion.XLVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses I to XLV, further comprising a pail ejection system that ejects the casted part from the upper mold, the part ejection system including: an ejection plate disposed between the upper mold and the movable plate; and a plurality of ejection pins extending from the ejection plate and through the upper mold; wherein the ejection plate pushes the ejection pins through the upper mold as the movable plate moves toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.XLVII.The electrically driven casting system of clause XLVI, further comprising a plurality of pin seals, each of the pin seals disposed between one of the plurality of ejection pins and the upper mold to prevent egress of fluid from the part void.XLVIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XLV or XLVI, wherein the part ejection system further includes a plurality of lower bayonet assemblies coupled to the movable plate, each lower bayonet assembly including a lower bayonet extending between a lower end engaged with the ejection plate and a top end facing the upper plate.XLIX. The electrically driven casting system of clause XLVIII, wherein the ejection plate defines a plurality of engagement slots, each engagement slot configured to receive the lower end of one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to couple each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to the ejection plate.L. The electrically driven casting system of clause XLIX, wherein the lower end of each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies defines a lower stepped portion configured to engage one of the engagement slots of the ejection plate, wherein each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies is configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate to fix the lower stepped portion within one of theengagement slots to couple each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to the ejection plate.LI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XLVIII to L, wherein each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies is configured to move between: a retracted position where the ejection plate is spaced from the upper mold; and an ejection position where each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies moves the ejection plate toward the upper mold such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.LIL The electrically driven casting system of clause LI, wherein each of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies include a biasing member configured to urge each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies toward the retracted position.LIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clause LI or LII, wherein the pail ejection system further includes a plurality of upper bayonet assemblies coupled to the upper plate, each upper bayonet assembly including an upper bayonet having a bottom end extending toward the movable plate and configured to engage one of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies as the movable plate moves reaches an engagement position between the lowered position and the raised position.LIV. The electrically driven casting system of clause LIII, wherein: the bottom end of the upper bayonet of each of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies defines an upper stepped portion; and the top end of each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies defines a slotted catch configured to receive the upper stepped portion of one of the upper bayonets of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies as the movable plate moves reaches the engagement position.LV. The electrically driven casting system of clause LIV, wherein each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate in a first direction such that each upper stepped portion is fixed within the slotted catch of one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies such that each upper bayonet is coupled to one of the lower bayonets.LVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LIV or LV, wherein each of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies includes an upper servomotor configured to rotate the upper bayonet relative to the ejection plate.LVII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LIII to LVI, wherein each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to urge one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies toward the ejection position as the movable plate moves from the engagement position toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.LVIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LVI, wherein the movable plate is configured to return to the engagement position and each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to disengage from each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies after the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold such that the movable plate is permitted to move to the lowered position.LIX. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses I to LVIII, further comprising a furnace arranged between the base assembly and the lower plate, wherein the furnace stores molten metal and feed the molten metal through riser tubes defined by the lower mold into the part void to form the casted part.LX. The electrically driven casting system of clause LIX, wherein furnace is pressurized at a first pressure to feed molten metal through the riser tubes to the part void to form the casted pail.LXI. The electrically driven casting system of clause LX, further comprising a hermetic chamber surrounding the upper mold and the lower mold, the hermetic chamber configured to be pressurized at a second pressure, less than the first pressure of the furnace.LXII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXI, wherein the second pressure is a vacuum.LXIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LIX, further comprising: a seal arranged between the upper mold and the lower mold to hermitize the pail void,a micro-counter pressure system operatively attached to one or more vents slots defined by one of the upper mold and the lower mold that are in fluid communication with the part void, wherein the micro-counter pressure system adjusts the pressure of the pail void during casting operations.LXIV. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXIII, wherein the microcounter pressure system includes; a controller; one or more connection members, each of the one or more connection members in fluid communication with one of the one or more vent slots; an air supply; an air dryer in fluid communication with the air supply for removing moisture from the air supply; a vacuum pump; and one or more control valves disposed in fluid communication with the air dryer, the vacuum pump, and the one or more connection members; wherein the controller is configured to operate the one or more control valves to supply one of air from the air dryer and a vacuum from the vacuum pump to the pail void to adjust the pressure of the part void during casting operations.LXV. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXIV, wherein: the one or more vent slots comprises a plurality of vent slots, each of the plurality of vent slots in fluid communication with different portions of the part void; and the one or more connection members comprises a plurality of connection members, each of the plurality of connection members in fluid communication with one of the plurality of vent slots.LXVI. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXV, wherein the one or more control valves is a plurality of control valves, each of the plurality of control valves in fluid communication with one of the connection members and configured to supply one of air from the air dryer and a vacuum from the vacuum pump to the part void to adjust the pressure of the part void during casting operations.LXVII.The electrically driven casting system of clause LXVI, wherein the controller is configured to operate each of the plurality of control valves independently to adjust the pressure of the different portions of the pail void independently during casting operations.LXVIII. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface; an upper plate spaced above the base assembly; a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, and a lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a plurality of actuator assemblies, where each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies includes: a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and an electromagnetic brake operatively coupled to the servomotor and operable between:an unlocked state where the electromagnetic brake is energized to permit rotation of the servomotor to move the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns, and a locked state where the electromagnetic brake is not energized and inhibits rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns; and a controller in communication with each servomotor and electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies, the controller configured to: energize each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies synchronously to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to move the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and operate each electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies between the unlocked state the locked state.LXIX. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXVIII, wherein each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies defines a hollow output shaft, and each of the actuator assemblies includes: a threaded nut coupled to the hollow output shaft for rotation with the hollow output shaft; a foot mounted to the movable plate; and a screw shaft extending between a threaded upper portion engaged with the threaded nut and a bottom portion that is coupled to the foot such that the screw shaft is fixed relative to the foot; wherein the servomotor mounted to the upper plate and is configured to be energized to rotate the hollow output shaft to rotate the threaded nut relative to the screw shaft to move the screw shaft vertically relative to the upper plate, thereby moving the movable plate relative to the upper plate.LXX. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXIX, wherein each of the actuator assemblies further includes one or more bellows that shield the screw shaft from debris.LXXI. The electrically driven casting system any one of clauses LXIX or LXX, wherein the electromagnetic brake is configured to engage an adaptor bushing extending between the servomotor and the threaded nut in the locked state to inhibit rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns.LXXII.The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXVIII to LXXI, wherein the controller is configured to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to regeneratively brake as the movable plate moves from the raised position to the lowered position to capture kinetic energy and convert the captured kinetic energy into electricity.LXXIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXII, wherein the controller is configured to direct the electricity to an energy storage device.LXXIV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXVIII to LXXIII, wherein each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies are configured to provide an operational status signal to the controller.LXXV. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXIV, wherein the operational status signal includes a displacement signal corresponding to the angular displacement of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies; and wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies where the difference between the angular displacement of any of the servomotors exceeds a threshold value.LXXVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXIV or LXXV, wherein the operational status signal includes a load signal corresponding to the load exerted by of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies; and wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies where the difference between the load exerted by any of the servomotors exceeds a threshold value.LXXVII. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface; an upper plate spaced above the base assembly;a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, and a lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position; an upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by the upper mold, the upper cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of upper mold cooling paths to cool the upper mold during casting operations; and a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold, the lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.LXXVIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXVII, wherein each of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths includes: a plurality of upper mold cooling path inlets in fluid communication with the upper cooling system that receive the cooling fluid from the upper cooling system; anda plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets in communication with a drain path that drains the cooling fluid.LXXIX. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXVIII, wherein the upper cooling system includes: an upper air supply; an upper water supply; one or more upper cooling manifolds, each upper cooling manifold including: a manifold water inlet in fluid communication with the upper water supply; a manifold air inlet in fluid communication with the upper air supply; a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves including: a valve water inlet in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet; a valve air inlet in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet; and a valve outlet in fluid communication with one of the upper mold cooling path inlets for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; wherein each of the plurality of valves of each of one or more of the upper cooling manifolds is configured to adjustably supply one of air from the upper air supply and water from the upper water supply to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.LXXX. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXIX, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to be independently adjustable.LXXXI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXIX or LXXX, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjust the flowrate of the cooling fluid.LXXXII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXXI, wherein each of the plurality of valves further includes: a valve body supported by one of the upper cooling manifolds;a valve cartridge supported by the valve body and defining a cartridge air passage in fluid communication with the valve air inlet and a cartridge water passage in fluid communication with the valve water inlet; a hollow selection shaft disposed in the valve cartridge and defining: a shaft outlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; a shaft air passage; and a shaft water passage that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage; and a valve servomotor coupled to the hollow selection shaft and configured to rotate the hollow selection shaft between: an air supply position where the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage such that air flows from the valve air inlet to the valve outlet to supply air to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; a water supply position where the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage such that water flows from the valve water inlet to the valve outlet to supply water to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; and an off position where neither the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage and the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage.LXXXIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXXII, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage and the cartridge air passage to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.LXXXIV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXXII or LXXXIII, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage and the cartridge water passage to adjust the flowrate of water to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.LXXXV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXVII to LXXXIV, wherein the upper cooling system further includes one or more thermal energy recuperation systems disposed between the plurality of upper mold cooling path outletsand the drain path that capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of upper mold cooling paths and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.LXXXVI. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXXV, wherein each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems includes: a heat exchanger including: a heat exchanger inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets; and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the drain path; a cooling plate; and a thermoelectric generator disposed between the heat exchanger and the cooling plate that converts thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet to the heat exchanger outlet.LXXXVII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXVII to LXXXVI, wherein: the upper cooling system is a first upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate on a first lateral side of the movable plate and in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by a first lateral portion of the upper mold; and the electrically driven casting system further comprises a second upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate on a second lateral side of the movable plate, opposite the first lateral side, and in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by a second lateral portion of the upper mold, opposite the first lateral portion.LXXXVIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXVII to LXXXVII, further comprising a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold, the lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.LXXXIX. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXXVIII, wherein each of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths includes: a plurality of lower mold cooling path inlets in fluid communication with the lower cooling system that receive the cooling fluid from the lower cooling system; and a plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets in communication with a drain path that drains the cooling fluid.XC. The electrically driven casting system of clause LXXXIX, wherein the lower cooling system includes: a lower air supply; a lower water supply; one or more lower cooling manifolds, each lower cooling manifold including: a manifold water inlet in fluid communication with the lower water supply; a manifold air inlet in fluid communication with the lower air supply; a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves including: a valve water inlet in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet; a valve air inlet in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet; and a valve outlet in fluid communication with one of the lower mold cooling path inlets for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjustably supply one of air from the lower air supply and water from the lower water supply to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.XCI. The electrically driven casting system of clause XC, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to be independently adjustable.XCII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XC or XCI, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjust the flowrate of the cooling fluid.XCIII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XCII, wherein each of the plurality of valves further includes: a valve body supported by one of the lower cooling manifolds; a valve cartridge supported by the valve body and defining a cartridge air passage in fluid communication with the valve air inlet and a cartridge water passage in fluid communication with the valve water inlet; a hollow selection shaft disposed in the valve cartridge and defining: a shaft outlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; a shaft air passage; and a shaft water passage that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage; and a valve servomotor coupled to the hollow selection shaft and configured to rotate the hollow selection shaft between: an air supply position where the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage such that air flows from the valve air inlet to the valve outlet to supply air to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; a water supply position where the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage such that water flows from the valve water inlet to the valve outlet to supply water to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; and an off position where neither the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage and the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage.XCIV. The electrically driven casting system of clause XCIII, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage and the cartridge air passage to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.XCV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XCIII or XCIV, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage and the cartridge water passage to adjust the flowrate of water to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.XCVI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXXIX to XCV, wherein the lower cooling system further includes one or more thermal energy recuperation systems disposed between the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets and the drain path that capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of lower mold cooling paths and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.XCVII. The electrically driven casting system of clause XCVI, wherein each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems includes: a heat exchanger including: a heat exchanger inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets; and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the drain path; a cooling plate; and a thermoelectric generator disposed between the heat exchanger and the cooling plate that converts thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet to the heat exchanger outlet.XCVIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses LXXXVIII to XCVII, wherein: the lower cooling system is a first lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate on a first lateral side of the lower plate and in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by a first lateral portion of the lower mold; and the electrically driven casting system further comprises a second lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate on a second lateral side of the lower plate, opposite the first lateral side, and in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by a second lateral portion of the lower mold, opposite the first lateral portion.XCIX. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface;an upper plate spaced above the base assembly; a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, and a lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position; and a pail ejection system that ejects the casted pail from the upper mold, the pail ejection system including: an ejection plate disposed between the upper mold and the movable plate; and a plurality of ejection pins extending from the ejection plate and through the upper mold; wherein the ejection plate pushes the ejection pins through the upper mold as the movable plate moves toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.C. The electrically driven casting system of clause XCIX, wherein the pail ejection system further includes a plurality of lower bayonet assemblies coupled to themovable plate, each lower bayonet assembly including a lower bayonet extending between a lower end engaged with the ejection plate and a top end facing the upper plate.CI. The electrically driven casting system of clause C, wherein the ejection plate defines a plurality of engagement slots, each engagement slot configured to receive the lower end of one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to couple each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to the ejection plate.CII. The electrically driven casting system of clause CI, wherein the lower end of each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies defines a lower stepped portion configured to engage one of the engagement slots of the ejection plate, wherein each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies is configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate to fix the lower stepped portion within one of the engagement slots to couple each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to the ejection plate.CIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses C to CII, wherein each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies is configured to move between: a retracted position where the ejection plate is spaced from the upper mold; and an ejection position where each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies moves the ejection plate toward the upper mold such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.CIV. The electrically driven casting system of clause CIII, wherein each of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies include a biasing member configured to urge each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies toward the retracted position.CV. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clause CIII or CIV, wherein the pail ejection system further includes a plurality of upper bayonet assemblies coupled to the upper plate, each upper bayonet assembly including an upper bayonet having a bottom end extending toward the movable plate and configured to engage one of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies as the movable plate moves reaches an engagement position between the lowered position and the raised position.CVI. The electrically driven casting system of clause CV, wherein:the bottom end of the upper bayonet of each of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies defines an upper stepped portion; and the top end of each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies defines a slotted catch configured to receive the upper stepped portion of one of the upper bayonets of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies as the movable plate moves reaches the engagement position.CVII. The electrically driven casting system of clause CVI, wherein each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate in a first direction such that each upper stepped portion is fixed within the slotted catch of one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies such that each upper bayonet is coupled to one of the lower bayonets.CVIII. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses CVI or CVII, wherein each of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies includes an upper servomotor configured to rotate the upper bayonet relative to the ejection plate.CIX. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses CV to CVIII, wherein each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to urge one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies toward the ejection position as the movable plate moves from the engagement position toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.CX. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses CVIII or CIX, wherein the movable plate is configured to return to the engagement position and each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to disengage from each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies after the plurality of ejection pins push the casted pail from the upper mold such that the movable plate is permitted to move to the lowered position.CXI. The electrically driven casting system of any one of clauses XCIX to CX, further comprising a plurality of pin seals, each of the pin seals disposed between one of the plurality of ejection pins and the upper mold to prevent egress of fluid from the pail void.CXII. A casting system comprising: a lower plate that supports a lower mold; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate configured for movement relative to the lower plate between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the upper mold is spaced from the lower mold, and a lowered position where the upper mold engages the lower mold such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a furnace configured to pressurized at a first pressure to feed molten metal through riser tubes defined by the lower mold into the part void to form the casted part; a seal coupled to one of the upper mold and the lower mold arranged to abut the other of the upper mold and the lower mold to hermitize the part void where the movable plate is in the lowered position; and a micro-counter pressure system operatively attached to one or more vents slots defined by one of the upper mold and the lower mold and in fluid communication with the pail void, wherein the micro-counter pressure system adjusts the pressure of the part void during casting operations.CXIII. The casting system of clause CXII, wherein the micro-counter pressure system includes: a controller; one or more connection members, each of the one or more connection members in fluid communication with one of the one or more vent slots; an air supply; an air dryer in fluid communication with the air supply for removing moisture from the air supply; a vacuum pump; and one or more control valves disposed in fluid communication with the air dryer, the vacuum pump, and the one or more connection members;wherein the controller is configured to operate the one or more control valves to supply one of air from the air dryer and a vacuum from the vacuum pump to the part void to adjust the pressure of the part void during casting operations.CXIV. The casting system of clause CXIII, wherein: the one or more vent slots comprises a plurality of vent slots, each of the plurality of vent slots in fluid communication with different portions of the part void; and the one or more connection members comprises a plurality of connection members, each of the plurality of connection members in fluid communication with one of the plurality of vent slots.CXV. The casting system of clause CXIV, wherein the one or more control valves is a plurality of control valves, each of the plurality of control valves in fluid communication with one of the connection members and configured to supply one of air from the air dryer and a vacuum from the vacuum pump to the part void to adjust the pressure of the part void during casting operations.CXVI. The casting system of clause CXV, wherein the controller is configured to operate each of the plurality of control valves independently to adjust the pressure of the different portions of the pail void independently during casting operations.CXVII. The casting system of any one of clauses CXII to CXVI, further comprising a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position.CXVIII. An actuator assembly for an electrically driven casting system as disclosed and described herein, including equivalents of the actuator assembly and components not specifically recited herein.CXIX. A cooling system for an electrically driven casting system as disclosed and described herein, including equivalents of the cooling system and components not specifically recited herein.CXX. A pail ejection system for an electrically driven casting system as disclosed and described herein, including equivalents of the cooling system and components not specifically recited herein.CXXI. A method of ejecting casted parts, including equivalents of the method of conducting casting operations not specifically recited herein.CXXII. A micro-counter pressure system for an electrically driven casting system as disclosed and described herein, including equivalents of the micro-counter pressure system and components not specifically recited herein.CXXIII. A method of conducting casting operations, including equivalents of the method of conducting casting operations not specifically recited herein.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface; an upper plate spaced above the base assembly; a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, and a lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a plurality of actuator assemblies, where each actuator assembly of the plurality of actuator assemblies includes: a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and an electromagnetic brake operatively coupled to the servomotor and operable between: an unlocked state where the electromagnetic brake is energized to permit rotation of the servomotor to move the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns, anda locked state where the electromagnetic brake is not energized and inhibits rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns; and a controller in communication with each servomotor and electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies, the controller configured to: energize each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies synchronously to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to move the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and operate each electromagnetic brake of the plurality of actuator assemblies between the unlocked state the locked state.

2. The electrically driven casting system of claim 1, wherein each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies defines a hollow output shaft, and each of the actuator assemblies includes: a threaded nut coupled to the hollow output shaft for rotation with the hollow output shaft; a foot mounted to the movable plate; and a screw shaft extending between a threaded upper portion engaged with the threaded nut and a bottom portion that is coupled to the foot such that the screw shaft is fixed relative to the foot; wherein the servomotor mounted to the upper plate and is configured to be energized to rotate the hollow output shaft to rotate the threaded nut relative to the screw shaft to move the screw shaft vertically relative to the upper plate, thereby moving the movable plate relative to the upper plate.

3. The electrically driven casting system of claim 2, wherein each of the actuator assemblies further includes one or more bellows that shield the screw shaft from debris.

4. The electrically driven casting system any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the electromagnetic brake is configured to engage an adaptor bushing extending between theservomotor and the threaded nut in the locked state to inhibit rotation of the servomotor and movement of the movable plate along the plurality of guide columns.

5. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the controller is configured to operate each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies to regeneratively brake as the movable plate moves from the raised position to the lowered position to capture kinetic energy and convert the captured kinetic energy into electricity.

6. The electrically driven casting system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to direct the electricity to an energy storage device.

7. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies are configured to provide an operational status signal to the controller.

8. The electrically driven casting system of claim 7, wherein the operational status signal includes a displacement signal corresponding to the angular displacement of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies; and wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies where the difference between the angular displacement of any of the servomotors exceeds a threshold value.

9. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the operational status signal includes a load signal corresponding to the load exerted by of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies; and wherein the controller is configured to suspend operation of each servomotor of the plurality of actuator assemblies where the difference between the load exerted by any of the servomotors exceeds a threshold value.

10. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface; an upper plate spaced above the base assembly; a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arr anged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, and a lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position; an upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by the upper mold, the upper cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of upper mold cooling paths to cool the upper mold during casting operations; and a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold, the lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.

11. The electrically driven casting system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths includes: a plurality of upper mold cooling path inlets in fluid communication with the upper cooling system that receive the cooling fluid from the upper cooling system; and a plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets in communication with a drain path that drains the cooling fluid.

12. The electrically driven casting system of claim 11, wherein the upper cooling system includes: an upper air supply; an upper water supply; one or more upper cooling manifolds, each upper cooling manifold including: a manifold water inlet in fluid communication with the upper water supply; a manifold air inlet in fluid communication with the upper air supply; a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves including: a valve water inlet in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet; a valve air inlet in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet; and a valve outlet in fluid communication with one of the upper mold cooling path inlets for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; wherein each of the plurality of valves of each of one or more of the upper cooling manifolds is configured to adjustably supply one of air from the upper air supply and water from the upper water supply to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.

13. The electrically driven casting system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to be independently adjustable.

14. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjust the flowrate of the cooling fluid.

15. The electrically driven casting system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of valves further includes: a valve body supported by one of the upper cooling manifolds; a valve cartridge supported by the valve body and defining a cartridge air passage in fluid communication with the valve air inlet and a cartridge water passage in fluid communication with the valve water inlet; a hollow selection shaft disposed in the valve cartridge and defining: a shaft outlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; a shaft air passage; and a shaft water passage that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage; and a valve servomotor coupled to the hollow selection shaft and configured to rotate the hollow selection shaft between: an air supply position where the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage such that air flows from the valve air inlet to the valve outlet to supply air to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; a water supply position where the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage such that water flows from the valve water inlet to the valve outlet to supply water to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths; and an off position where neither the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage and the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage.

16. The electrically driven casting system of claim 15, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage and the cartridge air passage to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.

17. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 15 or 16, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves arc configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage and the cartridge water passage to adjust the flowrate of water to one of the plurality of upper mold cooling paths.

18. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the upper cooling system further includes one or more thermal energy recuperation systems disposed between the plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets and the drain path that capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of upper mold cooling paths and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.

19. The electrically driven casting system of claim 18, wherein each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems includes: a heat exchanger including: a heat exchanger inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of upper mold cooling path outlets; and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the drain path; a cooling plate; and a thermoelectric generator disposed between the heat exchanger and the cooling plate that converts thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet to the heat exchanger outlet.

20. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 10 to 19, wherein: the upper cooling system is a first upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate on a first lateral side of the movable plate and in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by a first lateral portion of the upper mold; and the electrically driven casting system further comprises a second upper cooling system coupled to the movable plate on a second lateral side of the movable plate, oppositethe first lateral side, and in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of upper mold cooling paths defined by a second lateral portion of the upper mold, opposite the first lateral portion.

21. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 10 to 20, further comprising a lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate and in fluid communication with a plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by the lower mold, the lower cooling system configured to circulate a cooling fluid through the plurality of lower mold cooling paths to cool the lower mold during casting operations.

22. The electrically driven casting system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths includes: a plurality of lower mold cooling path inlets in fluid communication with the lower cooling system that receive the cooling fluid from the lower cooling system; and a plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets in communication with a drain path that drains the cooling fluid.

23. The electrically driven casting system of claim 22, wherein the lower cooling system includes: a lower air supply; a lower water supply; one or more lower cooling manifolds, each lower cooling manifold including: a manifold water inlet in fluid communication with the lower water supply; a manifold air inlet in fluid communication with the lower air supply; a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves including: a valve water inlet in fluid communication with the manifold water inlet; a valve air inlet in fluid communication with the manifold air inlet; anda valve outlet in fluid communication with one of the lower mold cooling path inlets for supplying the cooling fluid to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjustably supply one of air from the lower air supply and water from the lower water supply to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.

24. The electrically driven casting system of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to be independently adjustable.

25. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 23 or 24, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to adjust the flowrate of the cooling fluid.

26. The electrically driven casting system of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of valves further includes: a valve body supported by one of the lower cooling manifolds; a valve cartridge supported by the valve body and defining a cartridge air passage in fluid communication with the valve air inlet and a cartridge water passage in fluid communication with the valve water inlet; a hollow selection shaft disposed in the valve cartridge and defining: a shaft outlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; a shaft air passage; and a shaft water passage that is angularly spaced from the shaft air passage; and a valve servomotor coupled to the hollow selection shaft and configured to rotate the hollow selection shaft between: an air supply position where the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage such that air flows from the valve air inlet to the valve outlet to supply air to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths;a water supply position where the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage such that water flows from the valve water inlet to the valve outlet to supply water to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths; and an off position where neither the shaft air passage is aligned with the cartridge air passage and the shaft water passage is aligned with the cartridge water passage.

27. The electrically driven casting system of claim 26, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft air passage and the cartridge air passage to adjust the flowrate of air to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.

28. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 26 or 27, wherein each valve servomotor of the plurality of valves are configured to adjust the alignment of the shaft water passage and the cartridge water passage to adjust the flowrate of water to one of the plurality of lower mold cooling paths.

29. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 22 to 28, wherein the lower cooling system further includes one or more thermal energy recuperation systems disposed between the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets and the drain path that capture thermal energy from the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid exits the plurality of lower mold cooling paths and convert the captured thermal energy into electricity.

30. The electrically driven casting system of claim 29, wherein each of the one or more thermal energy recuperation systems includes: a heat exchanger including: a heat exchanger inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of lower mold cooling path outlets; and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the drain path; a cooling plate; anda thermoelectric generator disposed between the heat exchanger and the cooling plate that converts thermal energy to electricity as the cooling fluid flows from the heat exchange inlet to the heat exchanger outlet.

31. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 21 to 30, wherein: the lower cooling system is a first lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate on a first lateral side of the lower plate and in fluid communication with a first lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by a first lateral portion of the lower mold; and the electrically driven casting system further comprises a second lower cooling system coupled to the lower plate on a second lateral side of the lower plate, opposite the first lateral side, and in fluid communication with a second lateral plurality of lower mold cooling paths defined by a second lateral portion of the lower mold, opposite the first lateral portion.

32. An electrically driven casting system comprising: a base assembly that supports the electrically driven casting system on a floor surface; an upper plate spaced above the base assembly; a plurality of guide columns extending between the base assembly and the upper plate; a lower plate that supports a lower mold, the lower plate arranged between the base assembly and the upper plate and coupled to the plurality of guide columns; a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate arranged between the lower plate and the upper plate and engaged with the plurality of guide columns for movement along the plurality of guide columns between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a first distance, anda lowered position where the movable plate is spaced from the upper plate at a second distance that is greater than the first distance such that the upper mold engages the lower mold when the movable plate is in the lowered position such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position; and a pail ejection system that ejects the casted pail from the upper mold, the pail ejection system including: an ejection plate disposed between the upper mold and the movable plate; and a plurality of ejection pins extending from the ejection plate and through the upper mold; wherein the ejection plate pushes the ejection pins through the upper mold as the movable plate moves toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.

33. The electrically driven casting system of claim 32, wherein the part ejection system further includes a plurality of lower bayonet assemblies coupled to the movable plate, each lower bayonet assembly including a lower bayonet extending between a lower end engaged with the ejection plate and a top end facing the upper plate.

34. The electrically driven casting system of claim 33, wherein the ejection plate defines a plurality of engagement slots, each engagement slot configured to receive the lower end of one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to couple each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to the ejection plate.

35. The electrically driven casting system of claim 34, wherein the lower end of each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies defines a lower stepped portion configured to engage one of the engagement slots of the ejection plate, wherein each lowerbayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies is configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate to fix the lower stepped portion within one of the engagement slots to couple each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies to the ejection plate.

36. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 33 to 35, wherein each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies is configured to move between: a retracted position where the ejection plate is spaced from the upper mold; and an ejection position where each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies moves the ejection plate toward the upper mold such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.

37. The electrically driven casting system of claim 36, wherein each of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies include a biasing member configured to urge each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies toward the retracted position.

38. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 36 or 37, wherein the part ejection system further includes a plurality of upper bayonet assemblies coupled to the upper plate, each upper bayonet assembly including an upper bayonet having a bottom end extending toward the movable plate and configured to engage one of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies as the movable plate moves reaches an engagement position between the lowered position and the raised position.

39. The electrically driven casting system of claim 38, wherein: the bottom end of the upper bayonet of each of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies defines an upper stepped portion; and the top end of each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies defines a slotted catch configured to receive the upper stepped portion of one of the upper bayonets of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies as the movable plate moves reaches the engagement position.

40. The electrically driven casting system of claim 39, wherein each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to rotate relative to the ejection plate in a first direction such that each upper stepped portion is fixed within the slotted catch of one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies such that each upper bayonet is coupled to one of the lower bayonets.

41. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 39 or 40, wherein each of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies includes an upper servomotor configured to rotate the upper bayonet relative to the ejection plate.

42. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 38 to 41, wherein each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to urge one of the lower bayonets of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies toward the ejection position as the movable plate moves from the engagement position toward the raised position such that the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold.

43. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 41 or 42, wherein the movable plate is configured to return to the engagement position and each upper bayonet of the plurality of upper bayonet assemblies is configured to disengage from each lower bayonet of the plurality of lower bayonet assemblies after the plurality of ejection pins push the casted part from the upper mold such that the movable plate is permitted to move to the lowered position.

44. The electrically driven casting system of any one of claims 32 to 43, further comprising a plurality of pin seals, each of the pin seals disposed between one of the plurality of ejection pins and the upper mold to prevent egress of fluid from the part void.

45. A casting system comprising: a lower plate that supports a lower mold;a movable plate supporting an upper mold, the movable plate configured for movement relative to the lower plate between a plurality of movable plate positions including: a raised position where the upper mold is spaced from the lower mold, and a lowered position where the upper mold engages the lower mold such that the upper mold and the lower mold cumulatively define a part void therebetween shaped to receive molten metal to form a casted part; a furnace configured to pressurized at a first pressure to feed molten metal through riser tubes defined by the lower mold into the pail void to form the casted part; a seal coupled to one of the upper mold and the lower mold arranged to abut the other of the upper mold and the lower mold to hermitize the part void where the movable plate is in the lowered position; and a micro-counter pressure system operatively attached to one or more vents slots defined by one of the upper mold and the lower mold and in fluid communication with the part void, wherein the micro-counter pressure system adjusts the pressure of the part void during casting operations.

46. The casting system of claim 45, wherein the micro-counter pressure system includes: a controller; one or more connection members, each of the one or more connection members in fluid communication with one of the one or more vent slots; an air supply; an air dryer in fluid communication with the air supply for removing moisture from the air supply; a vacuum pump; and one or more control valves disposed in fluid communication with the air dryer, the vacuum pump, and the one or more connection members;wherein the controller is configured to operate the one or more control valves to supply one of air from the air dryer and a vacuum from the vacuum pump to the part void to adjust the pressure of the part void during casting operations.

47. The casting system of claim 46, wherein: the one or more vent slots comprises a plurality of vent slots, each of the plurality of vent slots in fluid communication with different portions of the part void; and the one or more connection members comprises a plurality of connection members, each of the plurality of connection members in fluid communication with one of the plurality of vent slots.

48. The casting system of claim 47, wherein the one or more control valves is a plurality of control valves, each of the plurality of control valves in fluid communication with one of the connection members and configured to supply one of air from the air dryer and a vacuum from the vacuum pump to the part void to adjust the pressure of the pail void during casting operations.

49. The casting system of claim 48, wherein the controller is configured to operate each of the plurality of control valves independently to adjust the pressure of the different portions of the pail void independently during casting operations.

50. The casting system of any one of claims 45 to 49, further comprising a plurality of actuator assemblies each including a servomotor operatively attached to the movable plate for moving the movable plate between the raised position and the lowered position.

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