Heating method for casting mold, and casting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11638951-B2
Application number	US-202217681940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A casting mold is provided with a cavity portion and an overflow portion, and the overflow portion is connected to a gas flow path (suction path). A valve (an on-off valve, a shut-off valve) is provided between the gas flow path and the overflow portion. A heating method for a casting mold includes a step of setting the pressure in the cavity portion to a second pressure by sucking gas in the overflow portion and in the cavity portion while the valve is kept open for a second time period shorter than a first time period during casting. The heating method further includes a step of heating the casting mold by supplying molten metal into the cavity portion set at the second pressure, and solidifying the molten metal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a casting mold for heating the casting mold before casting is performed, wherein
the casting mold includes, on an inside thereof, a cavity portion, and an overflow portion connected to the cavity portion,
the overflow portion is connected to a gas flow path provided inside or outside the casting mold,
a valve is provided between the gas flow path and the overflow portion, and wherein
the method comprising:
a first suction step of setting a pressure in the gas flow path to a predetermined pressure in a state in which the valve is closed;
a second suction step of setting the pressure in the cavity portion to a first pressure by sucking the gas in the overflow portion and in the cavity portion through the gas flow path set at the predetermined pressure while keeping the valve open for a first time period shorter than a second time period;
a step of supplying molten metal into the cavity portion set at the first pressure and solidifying the molten metal to heat the casting mold; and
a step of taking out, as a test article, a cast article obtained by solidifying the molten metal,
a step of performing the casting comprises:
a third suction step of setting the pressure in the gas flow path to the predetermined pressure by sucking gas in the gas flow path in the state in which the valve is closed;
a fourth suction step of setting a pressure in the cavity portion to a second pressure by sucking gas in the overflow portion and in the cavity portion through the gas flow path set at the predetermined pressure while keeping the valve open for the second time period;
a step of supplying the molten metal into the cavity portion set at the second pressure, and solidifying the molten metal; and
a step of taking out, as a product, a cast article obtained by solidifying the molten metal.

2. The method for the casting mold according to claim 1 , wherein
the first pressure is 40 kPa or more and 90 kPa or less.

3. The method for the casting mold according to claim 1 , wherein
the first time period is 0.1 seconds or more and 0.5 seconds or less.

4. The method for the casting mold according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of inspecting the test article to determine whether a state of filling of the overflow portion with the molten metal is good, wherein
the casting is performed when the state of filling is determined to be good in the determining step.

5. The method for the casting mold according to claim 1 , wherein in the method
the step of setting the pressure in the gas flow path to the predetermined pressure, the step of setting the pressure in the cavity portion to the first pressure, the step of supplying the molten metal, and the step of taking out the cast article as the test article are repeated a plurality of times.

6. The method for the casting mold according to claim 1 , wherein
the casting mold includes, on the inside thereof, a first gas flow path including one end connected to the cavity portion via the overflow portion, and a first valve disposed between the overflow portion and the first gas flow path and configured to open and close the first gas flow path,
a second gas flow path connected to another end of the first gas flow path is provided outside the casting mold, and
a second valve is provided between the first gas flow path and the second gas flow path, and wherein
in the third suction step, one of the first valve or the second valve is opened and another of the first valve and the second valve is closed,
in the fourth suction step, the pressure in the cavity is set to the second pressure while the another of the first valve and the second valve is kept open for the first time period in a state in which the one of the first valve or the second valve is opened,
in the first suction step, the one of the first valve or the second valve is opened, and the another of the first valve and the second valve is closed, and
in the second suction step, the pressure in the cavity portion is set to the first pressure while the another of the first valve and the second valve is kept open for the first time period in the state in which the one of the first valve or the second valve is opened.

7. A casting device that heats a casting mold before casting is performed,
the casting mold including, on an inside thereof, a cavity portion, and an overflow portion connected to the cavity portion,
the casting device comprising:
a gas suction unit configured to suck gas in the overflow portion and in the cavity portion through a gas flow path provided inside or outside the casting mold;
a valve provided between the gas flow path and the overflow portion;
a molten metal supply unit configured to supply molten metal into the cavity portion; and
a control unit configured to control the valve, the gas suction unit, and the molten metal supply unit, wherein
during heating, the control unit causes the casting mold to be heated by executing:
a first suction step of setting a pressure in the gas flow path to a predetermined pressure by controlling the gas suction unit and the valve to cause the gas suction unit to suck the gas in the gas flow path in a state in which the valve is closed;
a second suction step of setting the pressure in the cavity portion to a first pressure by controlling the gas suction unit and the valve to cause the gas suction unit to suck the gas in the overflow portion and in the cavity portion through the gas flow path set at the predetermined pressure while the valve is kept open for a first time period shorter than a second time period; and
a step of controlling the molten metal supply unit to supply the molten metal into the cavity portion set at the first pressure and solidify the molten metal, and
during casting, the control unit executes:
a third suction step of setting a pressure in the gas flow path to the predetermined pressure by controlling the gas suction unit and the valve to cause the gas suction unit to suck gas in the gas flow path in a state in which the valve is closed;
a fourth suction step of setting the pressure in the cavity portion to a second pressure by controlling the gas suction unit and the valve to cause the gas suction unit to suck gas in the overflow portion and in the cavity portion through the gas flow path set at the predetermined pressure while the valve is kept open for the second time period; and
a step of controlling the molten metal supply unit to supply molten metal into the cavity portion set at the second pressure and solidify the molten metal.

8. The casting device according to claim 7 , wherein
the first pressure is 40 kPa or more and 90 kPa or less.

9. The casting device according to claim 7 , wherein
the first time period is 0.1 seconds or more and 0.5 seconds or less.

10. The casting device according to claim 7 , wherein
the casting mold includes, on the inside thereof, a first gas flow path including one end connected to the cavity portion via the overflow portion, and a first valve disposed between the overflow portion and the first gas flow path and configured to open and close the first gas flow path,
the casting device further comprises:
a second gas flow path connected to another end of the first gas flow path and provided outside the casting mold; and
a second valve disposed between the first gas flow path and the second gas flow path, and wherein
in the third suction step, the control unit controls the first valve and the second valve to open one of the first valve or the second valve and close another of the first valve and the second valve;
in the fourth suction step, the control unit controls the first valve and the second valve to set the pressure in the cavity

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yuki Kenji
• Onishi Ryo
• Kimura Satoru

Classifications

• B22D18/06 Primary

  Vacuum casting, i.e. making use of vacuum to fill the mould · CPC title

• B22C9/065 Primary

  Cooling or heating equipment for moulds · CPC title

• B22C9/08

  Features with respect to supply of molten metal, e.g. ingates, circular gates, skim gates · CPC title

• B22C9/067

  Venting means for moulds · CPC title

• B22D18/08

  Controlling, supervising, e.g. for safety reasons (controlling or regulating in general G05) · CPC title