Ladle Pouring Control via Automatic Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling the pouring movement of a casting ladle in metal casting processes do not account for changes in ladle geometry, requiring empirical adjustments and increased set-up times when switching ladle geometries, which hampers automation and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining ladle-specific pouring characteristics based on volume and inclination, automatically generating the pouring movement, and integrating mold-specific and spoon-specific characteristics to ensure continuous speed control across axes, allowing for fully automated and optimized pouring movements, even with changes in ladle geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If empirical adjustment is used for pouring movement control, then the pouring process can be adapted to different ladle geometries, but the set-up time increases and automation is hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The pouring characteristics are determined in advance through automatic calibration before actual production. The system pre-calculates and stores the pouring characteristic curve specific to each ladle geometry, so that when production starts, the optimal pouring movement is already ready and can be executed immediately without time-consuming empirical adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-calibration by automatically determining the pouring characteristics based on the specific ladle geometry. The calibration process uses the ladle's own geometric parameters and pouring behavior to generate its specific pouring characteristic curve, eliminating the need for manual empirical adjustment and reducing set-up time.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual recording of pouring curves is used, then the pouring movement can be optimized for a given ladle geometry, but the automation level decreases and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical process of recording pouring curves through physical observation and empirical adjustment is replaced by an automated control system. The system automatically determines pouring characteristics using computational methods, processes geometric data, and generates optimized pouring movements without human intervention, thereby increasing automation level and productivity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes from manual parameter determination to automated parameter calculation. By inputting the ladle's geometric parameters (volume, surface area, pouring cross-section) into the control system, it automatically calculates the pouring characteristic curve and generates the optimized pouring movement program, eliminating manual recording while maintaining or improving optimization quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If pouring characteristics are determined empirically, then the control method is simple to implement, but the adaptability to changed ladle geometries is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses changes in geometric parameters (volume, surface area, pouring cross-section) as input to automatically determine pouring characteristics. When ladle geometry changes, the system simply requires new geometric parameters to be input, and it automatically recalculates the pouring characteristic curve, providing excellent adaptability while maintaining ease of use through automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital model (copy) of the ladle's geometric parameters and uses this virtual representation to calculate pouring characteristics. Instead of physically measuring or empirically testing each ladle, the system copies the geometric data into its database and automatically generates the appropriate pouring curve, simplifying the process while improving adaptability to different ladle designs.
Data Source
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Figure 2a~2c
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AI summary
The method for controlling a pouring movement of a spoon (18) for pouring a molten material (12) e.g. molten metal into a casting mold (14) e.g. cast, comprises predetermining a mold-specific casting characteristic (A) with respect to a volume of the molten product in the mold via a time course and storage of the casting characteristic, determining a spoon-specific pouring characteristic as function of a volume of the molten product from the spoon over the inclination of the spoon and storage of the pouring characteristic, and automatically generating the progress of the pouring movement. The method for controlling a pouring movement of a spoon (18) for pouring a molten material (12) e.g. molten metal into a casting mold (14) e.g. cast, comprises predetermining a mold-specific casting characteristic (A) with respect to a volume of the molten product in the mold via a time course and storage of the casting characteristic, determining a spoon-specific pouring characteristic as function of a volume of the molten product from the spoon over the inclination of the spoon and storage of the pouring characteristic, and automatically generating the progress of the pouring movement, where the volume of the molten product is determined on the basis of the casting characteristic at each time, and is equated to an optimal volume of the molten product, so that an optimal inclination is regulated to each time via the pouring characteristic. The casting characteristic is simulated as function of the volume of the molten product over the time course by simulation software or manually simulated. The pouring characteristic is empirically determined as a function of the pouring volume of the molten-product over the spoon inclination, where a full-filled spoon is gradually inclined in an automatic calibration procedure until completely emptying the spoon. During the tilting motion, the filled quantity is measured by an electronic balance and the measured value is transferred to a controller (32), in which the measured values are recorded and are created under the knowledge of the specific density of the molten product. The pouring characteristic is analytically calculated as a function of the pouring volume of the molten-product over the spoon inclination that is accumulated volume, under the knowledge of spoon geometry such as three-dimensional-model and under a condition of a horizontally lying molten-product reflector. After a change of spoon geometry, the pouring characteristic is determined according to the new spoon geometry. The mold is moved from an inclined initial position into a vertical end position, where the progress of the movement of the mold in a characteristic for the tilting motion (mold characteristic) is determined and stored as function of the mold position over a time course. The mold characteristic is determined by a simulation method and with external control by recording the mold movement using a coupled position detector (34) during a casting process. The pouring movement of the spoon and the movement of the mold are controlled by the same control. The casting characteristic and the mold characteristic lie in a common time axis. The mold position on the basis of the casting characteristic at each time during the casting process from the mold characteristic and the spoon inclination on the basis of the optimal casting volume over the pouring characteristic are determined so that an automatic control of the inclination of the spoon and the mold takes place. The mold is controlled by an independent controller. The actual position of the mold is detected by the position detector and is transferred to the control of the spoon, where a casting-melt volume is obtained from the casting characteristic at each time and is determined via the associated pouring-melt volume by the pouring characteristic of the associated spoon position. The tracking of the pouring movement of the spoon takes place by a kinematic transformation, where the actual position of the mold is considered and a tool center point is adjusted in such a way that a curvature of the spoon is moved over a charging hole of the mold. Intermediate values are interpolated between discretely measured characteristic values and are provided by controlling the casting machine at a drive of the mold and/or a spoon drive, so that it results a continuous movement. An off-line program generation is carried out, where a movement program for controlling the automation equipment is produced over an algorithm from information of the casting characteristic, pouring characteristic and optionally mold characteristic. An on-line movement generation is carried out, where the position of the spoon and/or the mold is continuously determined via a time course from the given characteristic data and/or characteristic tables and is immediately adjusted by controlling the automation equipment as casting machine.