Gravity Casting Die Tilting for Cavity Filling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gravity casting methods face challenges in ensuring the molten metal reaches the top end of complex-shaped products, such as automobile knuckles, leading to poor yield and defects like misrun and shrinkage cavities, particularly when using stationary or turnover casting methods, where the feeder portion needs to be oversized or the runner excessively long, or when tilting the die results in turbulent flow and oxide generation.

Innovation Solution

A gravity casting method where the molding die is initially positioned horizontally with a feeder above the cavity, tilted at a predetermined angle during pouring to ensure molten metal reaches the cavity, and then returned to horizontal after pouring is complete, allowing for controlled solidification and reducing misrun and shrinkage cavities by managing temperature and timing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If the runner length is shortened to reduce non-product portion, then the yield is improved, but the molten metal cannot reach the feeder portion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenon-product portionVSAvoidmolten metal filling

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The molding die is tilted at a predetermined angle during the pouring process to dynamically adjust the flow path of molten metal, enabling it to reach the feeder portion even with a shortened runner. After pouring completes, the die returns to horizontal position for solidification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The die is tilted in advance during the pouring phase to facilitate molten metal flow to the feeder portion, then returned to horizontal position before solidification begins, preparing the optimal orientation for each process stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If the runner inclination angle is increased to ensure molten metal reaches the feeder portion, then the filling is improved, but turbulent flow occurs causing blow or oxide defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemolten metal fillingVSAvoidblow or oxide

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a fixed steep runner angle that causes turbulence, the system dynamically tilts the entire molding die at a controlled predetermined angle during pouring. This dynamic approach allows the molten metal to flow smoothly along the tilted runner-cavity interface without generating turbulent flow, blow, or oxide defects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Quantity of substance

If the molding die is tilted during pouring to improve filling, then the molten metal reaches the cavity, but the gravitational effect cannot prevail molten metal to top end portions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemolten metal fillingVSAvoidtop end filling

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs dynamic tilting where the die is positioned at a predetermined angle during pouring to enable filling, then automatically returned to a horizontal state before solidification begins. This temporal separation allows gravitational feeding to work effectively in the horizontal position while achieving complete cavity filling during the tilted pouring phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Quantity of substance

If a vibration mechanism is added to the casting apparatus to improve filling, then the molten metal distribution is improved, but the device cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemolten metal distributionVSAvoidvibration mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex vibration mechanisms with a simple dynamic tilting system. By tilting the molding die at a predetermined angle during pouring and then returning it to horizontal position, the system achieves improved molten metal distribution and filling without requiring any vibration equipment, thereby avoiding increased device complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method improves yield and product quality by ensuring complete filling of the cavity without excessive feeder or runner length, reducing defects like misrun and shrinkage cavities, and maintaining product quality comparable to existing methods while minimizing production costs.

Implementation Method 1

filling a melt (molten metal) poured from a runner (112) so as to prevail to the top end in a cavity (114) by the gravitational force of the molten metal filled in a feeder portion (116)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitational force: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

cooling to solidify the filled molten metal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCooling and solidification: Freezing

Data Source

PatentUS8141616B2Gravity casting method

Publication Date: 2012.03.27 ASTEMO LTD

AI summary

A gravity casting method includes: situating a molding die having a feeder portion in communication with a cavity above the cavity to a horizontal state and pouring a molten metal from a runner in communication with the cavity; putting the molding die to a state inclined at a predetermined angle during pouring of the molten metal from a stage where the molten metal is filled in the runner and prevailing the molten metal while pouring to the inside of the cavity and the feeder portion; and returning the molding die to the horizontal state after the molten metal has been poured completely, and solidifying the molten metal.