Casting Apparatus Gas-Ejecting Member Sprue Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gravity-casting methods face inefficiencies due to the need to fill and separate unnecessary sprue and runner portions, and the transition from gravity-pouring to gas-blowing steps is not well-timed, leading to defects like cold shut and pull down in castings.
Innovation Solution
A casting apparatus with a gas-ejecting member placed above the sprue that moves downward to connect with the sprue after pouring ends, allowing for quick switching to a gas-blowing step to fill the product-forming cavity with a gas, thereby avoiding stagnation of melt supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a melt head in the sprue becomes high enough to fill a product-forming cavity, then the pouring of the melt is finished, but the sprue and runner pose large problems in increasing efficiency in gravity casting
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the sprue and runner portions from the final casting product. By using a detachable sprue and runner system, these unnecessary portions can be separated from the main casting, reducing material waste and improving pouring efficiency without compromising the integrity of the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The sprue and runner are designed as disposable or recoverable components. After the casting process, these portions can be discarded or recovered and reused, reducing material loss and improving overall productivity by eliminating the need to preserve unnecessary melt-filled portions.
2Productivity
If compressed gas is supplied to the cavity through a sprue before the melt fills the desired cavity portion, then it is expected to make it substantially unnecessary to fill a sprue and a runner with a melt, but necessary switching from a gravity-pouring step to a gas-blowing step is not well timed, resulting in stagnant melt supply to the product-forming cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates a timing control system that monitors the melt filling process and triggers the gas-blowing step at the optimal moment. This feedback mechanism ensures that compressed gas is supplied only when the melt has adequately filled the cavity, preventing stagnant melt supply and avoiding defects like cold shut and pull down while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sprue and runner are pre-filled with melt during the gravity-pouring step before the gas-blowing step begins. This preliminary action ensures that the melt is already in position and ready to be pushed into the cavity by the compressed gas, preventing stagnant melt supply and ensuring continuous, defect-free filling.
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 solution enables efficient filling of the product-forming cavity with minimal stagnation, reducing defects such as cold shut and pull down, and improving production efficiency by allowing for quicker switching between gravity-pouring and gas-blowing steps.
Implementation Method 1
supplies a compressed gas to the cavity through a sprue before the melt fills the desired cavity portion
Implementation Method 2
pouring a metal melt into a gas-permeable casting mold by gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A casting apparatus for producing a casting by pouring a metal melt into a gas-permeable casting mold by gravity, comprising: a gas-permeable casting mold comprising a cavity including a sprue composed of a tubular portion and a cup portion having a larger diameter than that of the tubular portion to receive the metal melt, a runner constituting a flow path of the metal melt supplied through the sprue, and a product-forming cavity to be filled with the metal melt sent through the runner; a means for pouring the metal melt into the sprue by gravity; a gas-blowing unit comprising a gas-ejecting member to be connected to the sprue; and a mechanism for moving the gas-ejecting member; the gas-ejecting-member-moving mechanism placing the gas-ejecting member at a position just above the tubular portion and not interfering with gravity pouring of the metal melt, and moving it downward for connection to the tubular portion; the gas-blowing unit having blowing a gas to fill the product-forming cavity with the metal melt.