Pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus and pulling-up-type continuous casting method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751127-B2
Application number	US-201415037925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2014
Priority date	Nov 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal, and a shape defining member disposed above a molten-metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast as molten metal passes through an opening formed in the shape defining member. The opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member. With this configuration, a cast-metal article having excellent surface quality can be produced even when molten metal is drawn up in an oblique direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pulling-up continuous casting apparatus comprising:
a holding furnace that holds molten metal;
a shape defining member disposed above a molten-metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast as the molten metal passes through an opening formed in the shape defining member;
an image pickup unit that takes an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member; and
an image analysis unit that detects a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determines a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, wherein
the opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member, and
a shape of the opening is modified based on a position of the solidification interface determined by the image analysis unit and a pulling-up angle of the molten metal.

2. The pulling-up continuous casting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a cut-out or an inclined part is formed on a periphery of the opening on the top surface of the shape defining member.

3. A pulling-up continuous casting method comprising:
disposing a shape defining member above a molten-metal surface of molten metal held in a holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast;
pulling up the molten metal while making the molten metal pass through an opening formed in the shape defining member;
taking an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member; and
detecting a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determining a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, wherein
the opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member, and
a shape of the opening is modified based on a position of the solidification interface determined based on the presence/absence of the fluctuation and a pulling-up angle of the molten metal.

4. The pulling-up continuous casting method according to claim 3 , wherein a cut-out or an inclined part is formed on a periphery of the opening on the top surface of the shape defining member.

5. A pulling-up continuous casting method comprising:
disposing a shape defining member above a molten-metal surface of molten metal held in a holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast;
pulling up the molten metal while making the molten metal pass through the shape defining member;
taking an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member; and
detecting a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determining a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, wherein
when the molten metal is pulled up in an oblique direction, a degree of submergence of the shape defining member under the molten-metal surface is increased compared to when the molten metal is pulled up in a vertical direction, and
the degree of submergence is determined based on a position of the determined solidification interface and a pulling-up angle of the molten metal.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• SUGIURA Naoaki
• Yokota Yusuke

Classifications

• B22D11/145 Primary

  for upward casting · CPC title

• B22D46/00

  Controlling, supervising, not restricted to casting covered by a single main group, e.g. for safety reasons (controlling or regulating in general G05) · CPC title

• B22D11/168 Primary

  for adjusting the mould size or mould taper · CPC title

• B22D11/1245

  using specific cooling agents · CPC title

• B22D11/20

  for removing cast stock · CPC title