Adjustable casting apparatus for aluminium mould
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOY OTVETSTVENNOSTYU OBEDINENNAYA KOMPANIYA RUSAL INZHENERNO TEKHNOLOGICHESKIY TSENTR
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[0001] SLIDING CASTING TOOLING FOR ALUMINUM CRYSTALLIZER
[0002] Field of technology to which the invention relates
[0003] The invention relates to the metallurgical industry, specifically the production of aluminum and its alloys. As is well known, aluminum and its alloys are cast into ingots for subsequent transportation, storage, and industrial use. In the modern world, the range of aluminum ingot cross-sections has expanded, leading to an increase in the tooling inventory. To reduce this range, a sliding aluminum mold tooling system has been developed for use in vertical casting to produce flat rolled ingots (slabs) of various sizes from aluminum and its alloys.
[0004] State of the art
[0005] The proposed invention is a sliding casting tooling system used for the production of aluminum slab ingots. In metallurgy, a slab ingot is a semi-finished product of metallurgical production in the form of a cast blank, typically of rectangular cross-section. The rectangular cross-section of a slab ingot is purely arbitrary; it refers to the visual shape of the slab ingot formed during casting, referring to the dimensional difference between its width and thickness.
[0006] Vertical semi-continuous casting with direct ingot cooling is widely used to produce aluminum slabs. This method involves continuously feeding liquid metal into a special water-cooled mold, or crystallizer, with a vertically movable bottom, which serves as a movable tray (starting head), and casting tooling. Typically, to produce a slab of a single cross-section, foundries use casting tooling of a specific cross-section, corresponding to the required slab cross-section.
[0007] As the range of slab ingots produced expands, so does the amount of tooling used in production. This, in turn, increases foundry costs due to additional expenses for the acquisition and manufacture of casting tooling, as well as maintenance and storage. To reduce these costs and reduce the inventory of casting tooling, a growing trend is developing universal sliding casting tooling capable of producing slab ingots of various cross-sections on a single tooling system. Most often, changing the cross-section of the casting tooling for a new slab ingot size is achieved by adjusting the end faces of the mold. Typically, the expansion of such molds is limited to no more than 300 mm, due to the shrinkage characteristics of aluminum and its alloys.
[0008] Fig. 1 shows a typical design of sliding casting tooling for an aluminum crystallizer. The design consists of a set of longitudinal and end chamber blocks, with the end blocks being able to slide and be secured along the longitudinal blocks, thereby changing the cross-section across the width of the ingot. Structurally, the elements are either fastened together to form a single unit or secured to a separate frame.
[0009] Patent CN 215467953 describes a sliding crystallizer. A distinctive feature of this design is the ability to vary the geometry of both the cast slab ingot width by sliding the end faces apart, and the cast slab thickness by swapping end faces of different sizes. The crystallizer geometry can be adjusted using an electric drive. The first and second cooling chambers form a closed, sealed passageway. The disadvantages of this design include the difficulty of creating a closed, sealed passageway, the need for a fleet of end beams of alternative thicknesses, and the time required for replacement.
[0010] US Patent 6,857,464 describes a sliding casting tooling system comprising a crystallizer with sliding end blocks pivoting relative to one of the ends of a longitudinal block, a wedge for setting the casting size by pressing the longitudinal blocks relative to the end blocks, and pallets (lower block) adjustable along the ingot width, with a half-bath and attached end elements, with the missing portion of the pallet bath molded into them. The crystallizer is single-chambered. The disadvantages of this design include the need to create a separate casting table to supply water, lubricant, and compressed air, a significant number of crystallizer components, the need to create special pallet half-baths for different standard sizes, and the need to create special end pieces that fit the pallet half-bath, which in turn creates a significant number of pallet (lower block) components and the complexity of their manufacture and assembly.
[0011] Patent RU 2482937 describes casting equipment with a movable end block and bendable longitudinal blocks. The bending of the longitudinal blocks is accomplished by electric drives with gearboxes via rods and hinges. The disadvantages of this design include the need for complex drive mechanisms, bending of the long mold block, and the need for frequent replacement of the working surface due to work hardening, as well as the need to build a custom frame or casting machine on which the block of multiple molds with drives is mounted.
[0012] Patent EP 0679460 describes a sliding crystallizer equipped with a feedback system. Only the end blocks move, while the longitudinal blocks are stationary. The end blocks are driven by electric drives with gearboxes through screw pairs. The working surface of the crystallizer is represented as a separate element mounted on a screw connection. The disadvantage of this design, as with the solutions mentioned above, is the significant number of components, the need to create a custom frame or casting machine on which a block of several crystallizers with drives is mounted, and the need for automation.
[0013] The technical solution for the crystallizer according to patent US 6857464 is accepted as the closest analogue.
[0014] All of the above-mentioned alternatives to sliding casting tooling, in order to reduce the inventory of casting tooling and its replacement parts, require addressing deficiencies and further improvements to both the design and auxiliary systems of the crystallizer. Specifically, it is necessary to develop sliding casting tooling that can be used on existing casting tables not designed for sliding casting tooling without modification, while maintaining the ability to slide the tooling along both the width and thickness of the ingot.
[0015] Brief description of the drawings
[0016] The invention is illustrated by drawings which depict:
[0017] Fig. 1 - general view of the sliding equipment design;
[0018] Fig. 2 - corner radius part;
[0019] Fig. 3 - types of possible end blocks;
[0020] Fig. 4 - types of possible pallet end caps;
[0021] Fig. 5 - general view, expansion of the equipment;
[0022] Fig. 6 - bottom view in intermediate position of end blocks;
[0023] Fig. 7 - spring retainer;
[0024] Fig. 8 - tray and end plates;
[0025] Fig. 9 - general view of the pallet; Fig. 10 - assembled pallet;
[0026] Fig. 11 - assembled equipment.
[0027] Conventional designations on drawings:
[0028] 1 - Longitudinal block, where
[0029] 101 - Left longitudinal block;
[0030] 102 - Right longitudinal block;
[0031] 103 - Guide ruler with a marking scale applied to it;
[0032] 104 - Pneumatic levelers;
[0033] 2 - End block, where the following are present:
[0034] 201 - Changeable radius corner;
[0035] 202 - Retainer;
[0036] 3 - Copier;
[0037] 301 - Guides;
[0038] 4 - Water distributor;
[0039] 5 - Pallet body;
[0040] 501 - Bath tray;
[0041] 502 - Cone bushing;
[0042] 503 - Screws for fastening the lining;
[0043] 6 - Replaceable end plate for the tray;
[0044] 601 - Liquid drain hole;
[0045] 602 - Channels for the removal of steam and liquid;
[0046] 7 - Sliding / moving system;
[0047] 8 - Caliber.
[0048] Disclosure of the essence of the invention
[0049] The proposed invention addresses the problem of reducing the number of foundry tooling and replacement parts, increasing the number of cross-sectional sizes cast on a single tooling (i.e., versatility) by expanding the casting range, reducing acquisition, storage, and maintenance costs, and achieving the customer's desired geometric ingot dimensions. These are also the technical results achieved by the proposed invention.
[0050] The solution to the stated problem and the achievement of the technical result according to the proposed invention are ensured by the implementation of sliding casting equipment with the ability to change the cross-section of the cast ingots-slabs in width and thickness by means of shifting the end sliding blocks. The surface of the working face of the longitudinal block at the junction of the end part and the longitudinal part is inclined. The use of an inclined surface of the working face of the longitudinal block at the junction of the end part and the longitudinal part allows the use of a single beam for an increased range of tooling expansion, including more than 350 mm.
[0051] The use of radius corner pieces on the end block allows for fine-tuning of the cast slab ingot size. An additional benefit of radius corner pieces is their ease of repair, as the corner pieces wear out quickly (Fig. 2).
[0052] The inclined surface mentioned above refers to a non-parallel section of the longitudinal beam's working surface relative to the longitudinal axis. The end beam moves along this section. The two inclined surfaces on the longitudinal beams form an angle α, Fig. 5. The inclined surface is not adjustable and is always at a predetermined angle α (alpha).
[0053] An optional additional tooling element is the ability to use end blocks with various configurations: straight, round, trapezoid, etc., but not limited to those listed (Fig. 3), which provides a variety of end shapes (trapezoid, triangular, round). End users have their own requirements for ingots, and various end configurations are dictated by the slab ingot consumer. For ingots with a round end shape, the shape is determined by the alloy series. Some alloys are prone to cracking, so to reduce stress concentrations, sharp corners are rounded to the maximum possible radius.
[0054] A new pallet design has also been proposed, allowing the use of end caps of various shapes without changing the base configuration of the pallet (Fig. 4). It is advisable to use at least two and no more than five pallets to ensure adequate clearance between the crystallizer and the pallet at various angles, thereby reducing the number of caps and pallets.
[0055] Unlike the prototype, the ingot thickness is adjusted by moving the end block 2 along longitudinal blocks 101 and 102 along guide rulers 103, which are positioned at a specific angle a. Fine thickness adjustment can be achieved by replacing the radius part 201 on the end block (Fig. 2), thereby changing the end block length, since the radius parts have different dimensions (protrusion). The end block length, namely, the distance between the radius corner parts, determines the ingot slab thickness. The curvature of the mold profile and its deflection are selected depending on a number of parameters, such as the ingot alloy characteristics, casting speed, casting level, initial alloy temperature, etc. The geometry is selected based on the ingot shrinkage. Since the metal that is initially fed into the crystallizer is molten, it then crystallizes (and cools) due to cooling and, accordingly, shrinks, forming a certain shape of the required cross-section.The initial deflection is also affected by the specific alloy, as they may have different properties and shrink differently.
[0056] The tray (starting head, etc.) (Fig. 8) and its end caps are designed to create a gap between the tooling and the tray, preventing metal spillage at the start of casting, while also preventing damage to the mold surface during thermal expansion of the tray. Since liquid metal is fed into the tray during start-up, it heats up, causing it to expand. A gap is required to prevent jamming in the mold. The gap size is usually selected based on linear expansion, as a large gap will result in metal spillage at start-up.
[0057] The pallet is a single-piece tray with a set of cover plates for each slab size. Replaceable end plates are calculated based on the planned number of sizes to be cast on the tooling, the shape of the replaceable end plate, and the design clearance between the pallet and the tooling work surface. Replaceable end plates are used on various pallet bodies and can be used on tooling with other extension ranges (Fig. 9).
[0058] The assembled equipment is shown in Fig. 11.
[0059] A cover plate is a removable end piece on a pallet. A single cover plate, installed on different pallet bodies (5), produces different widths of the assembled pallet. It can also be used on pallets designed for a crystallizer with a different expansion range. In such a case, for example, two crystallizers with different expansion ranges require different pallet bodies, but the same cover plates can be used on both. Cover plates are selected based on the tooling geometry.
[0060] The tray basin 501 (the recess in the body 5) is stationary, and the end caps 6 are straight. Controlled constriction of the bottom cap may occur during casting, which is corrected by the casting process. Constriction of the bottom cap is also present in a standard tray design without end caps, but is more pronounced with caps. This constriction is controlled by process parameters during casting, depending, for example, on the supplied water, the metal level, or the metal feed rate. The end caps 6 of the tray are secured to the tray body with screws 503 and are centered to ensure proper installation and minimize assembly errors using a tapered threaded bushing 502, a pin, or the use of conical screws, but are not limited to the aforementioned centering methods. At the same time, a zero gap is formed with the pallet body to avoid moisture from the caisson getting onto the pallet surface when subsequent casting begins (Fig. 10).
[0061] On the overlays, primarily those thicker than 75 mm, there are channels 601 for draining liquid during the coolant distribution check in the mold before casting. If the overlay is thicker than 75 mm, drainage channels are installed to prevent moisture accumulation. All moisture drains down the mold and then into the caisson.
[0062] Channels 602 are designed to drain steam and liquid after the pallet is removed from the caisson, preventing liquid from remaining on the pallet's working surface. The channels are designed to prevent moisture from lingering in the pallet's bath or on its surfaces. The number of channels depends on the ingot's dimensions.
[0063] Fig. 8-10 illustrate preferred embodiments of the pallet, but the design of the pallet is not limited to the examples shown.
[0064] To control the size and install the end blocks in the correct position, unlike the prototype, guide rulers with markings 103 are used. The ruler is marked with the cross-section. Depending on the selected cross-section, the end beam is positioned at the required mark. The ruler is available in various designs. The end blocks / beams are additionally positioned relative to the markings on the ruler using the lock 202. Therefore, to move and install the end beam in the correct position, a ruler marked with the cross-section is used. Depending on the selected cross-section, the end beam will be positioned at the required mark.
[0065] In order to eliminate stress during assembly and to prevent damage to the equipment during operation of the sliding and shifting system 7, a copier device 3 is used, which is a conical bar with a repeating angle a, connected to the end block 2 so that during movement, a clamp occurs in the guides of the copier 301 and thereby, working as a stop, prevents the displacement of the longitudinal blocks 101 and 102 by no more than a specified amount, i.e. functionally, the copier 3 is a wedge.
[0066] The limiting bars are gauges 8, which are designed to eliminate bending forces on longitudinal blocks 101 and 102 during operation of the sliding and extending system 7 by limiting and clamping blocks 101 and 102 together. Gauges 8 are also used to position template 3 during assembly and tooling manufacture. As already noted, template 3 functions as a wedge that replicates the calculated / specified angle α of the mold, which is directly connected to the end block and offset from it by a certain distance (determined during tooling assembly). When the end block is moved along a notched ruler to a certain size, template 3 moves the same distance, maintaining a tight connection between the longitudinal blocks. Gauges are used to position template 3 during tooling assembly.Once the gauge is in place, the longitudinal beams can no longer be compressed against each other, preventing them from being deformed. The distance between the guides for pattern 3 becomes fixed. It is then possible to position pattern 3 so that it compresses the guides.
[0067] To connect coolant from casting machines, water distributor 4 is used. It distributes the flow of liquid to end blocks 2 and longitudinal blocks 101 and 102. Depending on the number and types of coolant connections from the casting machine being connected to, water distributor 4 can be replaced and installed on the tooling to achieve a different configuration, thereby allowing connection to existing casting machines without modification. Depending on the casting machine, there may be more than two water connection hoses, specifically three. In this case, the connection block (distributor) can be replaced and the water supply system can be connected without replacing the longitudinal blocks.
[0068] As noted, a pre-applied marking scale is used to set the required slab size. The scale is located on rulers 103, mounted on longitudinal blocks 101 and 102, which in turn serve as a guide. The scale placement is determined based on the slab ingot shrinkage, and the ruler pitch is selected based on the number of possible tooling sizes.
[0069] Rulers are replaced and designed to fit the range of sizes specified in a single tooling setup. The ruler allows for the correct positioning of the end blocks relative to the longitudinal blocks. Depending on the alloy and casting parameters, the ruler position is adjusted to ensure the desired size is achieved during metal shrinkage during casting. The ruler pitch is determined by the number of cross-sections the tooling will accommodate, but since the range of required ingot sizes from the customer typically has a pitch of 10 mm, each ruler has a pitch of 5 mm (the overall pitch will be exactly 10 mm). The pitch may also vary, as shrinkage may vary for larger ingots.
[0070] After determining the required size, the end blocks 2 of the tooling are moved along ruler 103 to the corresponding value on the scale. The longitudinal block moves perpendicularly due to the angle a pre-selected in the design, which changes the distance L. As the end blocks move along guide rulers 103, the thickness of the tooling T changes. The optimal values of L and T are selected depending on the metal shrinkage.
[0071] When the end block, which has a fixed Y dimension, is moved, the center of the tooling and its entire "barrel" curve profile move proportionally by a certain amount due to the alpha angle. This compensates for aluminum shrinkage at different dimensions. The greater the tooling movement, the greater the difference in T. Similar tooling systems known today require changing the end block to change T. In the proposed invention, it is sufficient to simply move it left or right, in accordance with the design value of the ingot size and alloy. The angle a (alpha) is necessary; without it, T will not change.
[0072] The value of angle α is determined during the design stage of the casting tooling, depending on the casting alloy and the tooling's tilt range. Angle α is preferably in the range of 1.5 degrees, symmetrically relative to the centerline. For smaller required tilt ranges, a smaller angle α is used. Three tilt angle ranges have been experimentally identified: preferably up to 1.5 degrees, most preferably from 1.5 to 3 degrees, and acceptable from 3 to 5 degrees.
[0073] When moving along two rulers 103, the end blocks 2 are positioned relative to the required marking scale on the ruler using the lock 202, which helps avoid errors and improves accuracy when assembling the tooling to the required standard size. The lock 202 is typically a spring-loaded ball, and the mating part has grooves located at the required locations so that when moving the end block, it is positioned in the required position relative to the scale on ruler 103, thereby achieving the required size T and the correct ingot shrinkage during casting (Fig. 7).
[0074] The presented casting tooling allows for the distance T to be adjusted by changing the distance L, and can be universally applied to virtually any existing casting table without any significant design modifications. This is achieved through its compact size, its independence from the frame, its simplicity, and the inclusion of internal distribution systems, such as water distributor 4, described above.
[0075] In order to prevent damage to the working surface of the longitudinal blocks 1 when moving the end blocks 2, the equipment can be extended using the extension system 7, which has a lever that allows both longitudinal beams to be simultaneously extended and moved relative to each other, which allows for the necessary clearance to be obtained for moving the end block 2. By means of such an eccentric lever, the longitudinal blocks are extended and moved relative to each other; similar devices are known for this type of equipment.
[0076] The equipment can be optionally equipped with the following known systems of a non-extending crystallizer, similar to those specified in patent RU 2742553:
[0077] - pneumatic system for aligning the crystallizer relative to the pallet; - system for supplying lubricant to the crystallizer;
[0078] - a system for retaining lubricant in the crystallizer when the table is raised;
[0079] - a two-chamber system for supplying water to the crystallizer (4 water supplies via quick-release couplings).
[0080] Pneumatic levelers 104 are designed to align the mold relative to the pallet, which is also part of the tooling. The blocks themselves are not adjustable, but only change their relative positions. The inclined surface is also not adjustable and is always at a preset alpha angle during casting. The slab end can be adjusted according to customer requirements (Fig. 3). Radius set elements are essentially a forming component on the edge of the end blocks; they determine the resulting slab radius. Furthermore, since these parts are removable, the radius part can be replaced with a larger or smaller size, thereby adjusting the end block length and, consequently, the slab thickness.
[0081] Taking into account the description, the scope of legal protection is claimed for sliding equipment of an aluminum crystallizer for the production of ingots-slabs, containing longitudinal and end blocks, as well as pallets with set end plates, while the equipment is designed with the possibility of changing the cross-section of the cast ingots-slabs in width and thickness due to the shift of the end movable blocks, the surface of the working face of the longitudinal block at the junction of the end part and the longitudinal is inclined
[0082] It is advisable to additionally use prefabricated radius corner elements on the end block in the tooling to adjust the cross-section of the cast ingots / slabs. It is advisable to make the end blocks replaceable and molded to a specified configuration for casting the ingot / slab. The pallet is a single-piece pan with a set of cover plates for each ingot / slab size; the end plates are standardized for tooling with a specified expansion range. The end block is typically positioned using a clamp. It is advisable to use a follower device to eliminate stress during assembly and prevent damage to the tooling during adjustment. Typically, at least two pallets, preferably no more than five, are used to ensure the required clearance between the mold and the pallet at different adjustment angles.To set the required size of the cast slab, a marking scale is used, taking into account the shrinkage of the cast slab. After determining the required slab size, the tooling end blocks are moved lengthwise to the corresponding value on the marking scale. The longitudinal block is moved perpendicularly at a pre-selected angle, α, determined during the tooling design stage based on the casting alloy and the tooling expansion range. Angle α is preferably between 1.5 and 3 degrees. End blocks of various shapes are available, including, but not limited to, straight, round, and trapezoidal.
Claims
CLAUSES OF THE INVENTION 1. Sliding casting equipment for an aluminum crystallizer, containing longitudinal and end blocks, as well as pallets with assembled end plates, characterized in that it is designed with the possibility of changing the cross-section of the cast ingots-slabs in width and thickness due to the shift of the end movable blocks, the surface of the working face of the longitudinal block at the junction of the end part and the longitudinal part is inclined.
2. The sliding casting equipment according to paragraph 1, in which additionally set radius corner elements are used on the end block to adjust the cross-section of the cast ingots-slabs, the distance between the radius corner elements sets the thickness of the ingot-slab.
3. A sliding casting tooling according to claim 1, in which the end blocks are made replaceable with a shape of a given configuration for casting a slab.
4. The sliding casting equipment according to paragraph 1, in which the pallet is a solid bath with a set of overlays for each standard size of the ingot-slab, the end overlays are standardized for the equipment with a given range of expansion.
5. A sliding casting tool according to claim 1, in which the positioning of the end block occurs using a lock.
6. The sliding casting tooling according to paragraph 1, in which a copier device is used to eliminate stress during assembly and to prevent damage to the tooling during adjustment.
7. A sliding casting tooling according to claim 1, which provides for the use of at least two pallets, preferably no more than five, to provide a technological gap between the crystallizer and the pallet.
8. The sliding casting tooling according to item 1, in which a marking scale is used to set the required size of the ingot-slab, taking into account the shrinkage value of the cast ingot-slab, the end blocks are moved along to the corresponding value on the marking scale, the longitudinal block is moved in the perpendicular direction due to the angle a pre-selected in the design, determined at the stage of designing the tooling depending on the casting alloy and the range of expansion of the tooling, the angle a is preferably from 1.5 to 3 degrees.