EP1350586A1 - Gravity casting method in a chill mould pivotable by a robot-controlled hydraulic axis - Google Patents

Gravity casting method in a chill mould pivotable by a robot-controlled hydraulic axis Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1350586A1
EP1350586A1 EP03425167A EP03425167A EP1350586A1 EP 1350586 A1 EP1350586 A1 EP 1350586A1 EP 03425167 A EP03425167 A EP 03425167A EP 03425167 A EP03425167 A EP 03425167A EP 1350586 A1 EP1350586 A1 EP 1350586A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
robot
chill
axis
hydraulic
rotation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP03425167A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1350586B1 (en
Inventor
Giuseppe Regosini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tiesse Robot SpA
Original Assignee
Tiesse Robot SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tiesse Robot SpA filed Critical Tiesse Robot SpA
Publication of EP1350586A1 publication Critical patent/EP1350586A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1350586B1 publication Critical patent/EP1350586B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D15/00—Casting using a mould or core of which a part significant to the process is of high thermal conductivity, e.g. chill casting; Moulds or accessories specially adapted therefor
    • B22D15/04—Machines or apparatus for chill casting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D23/00—Casting processes not provided for in groups B22D1/00 - B22D21/00
    • B22D23/006—Casting by filling the mould through rotation of the mould together with a molten metal holding recipient, about a common axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D39/00—Equipment for supplying molten metal in rations
    • B22D39/02—Equipment for supplying molten metal in rations having means for controlling the amount of molten metal by volume
    • B22D39/026—Equipment for supplying molten metal in rations having means for controlling the amount of molten metal by volume using a ladler
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D41/00—Casting melt-holding vessels, e.g. ladles, tundishes, cups or the like
    • B22D41/06—Equipment for tilting

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of gravity casting systems and in particular, it refers to a new method for casting a molten material by a robot into a chill, whose horizontal pivoting motion is actuated by a hydraulic axis controlled by the robot.
  • the chilling process provides for the molten material to be cast into the chill while the latter is rotating, generally by 90°, on a hydraulically controlled axis.
  • the casting may be carried out either manually by an operator, or in automatic mode by a robot.
  • the cup containing the molten material must follow the rotation of the chill and rotate simultaneously.
  • the speed of revolution of the chill is set on the basis of the type of metal used and of the piece to be obtained, but it can undergo alterations due to several factors, such as for example the room temperature, the features of the fluid used for the hydraulic actuator, etc., and it is therefore changeable according to the chilling process or even into a same chilling process.
  • the trajectory it must follow is divided into a multiplicity of intervals, and when the robot reaches each of them, it compares its own position with that of the chill, detected by an encoder, calculates any errors, and derives a new transfer function accordingly, to apply it to its driving axes for the next interval, so as to keep such error into account and cancel it.
  • the robot tracks the chill.
  • Such tracking system is efficient when the chilling process takes place over relatively long periods, for example as it happens for aluminium alloys, but it has proved unsuitable for faster processes, as required for casting brass, since the time required by the robot to perform the complex computations mentioned above imply a discontinuous motion of the robot system that is not acceptable for the casting process.
  • Object of the present invention is that of proposing a new method of chill casting where the chill is served by robots, which should allow a perfect synchronisation between the cup containing the molten material and the chill, also in fast casting processes.
  • Another object of the finding is that of providing a hydraulic axis for the rotation of the chill in chilling processes carried out by a robot, which should allow obtaining rotations of the chill and of the molten material cup perfectly synchronised with one another, without considerably altering the system structure and costs.
  • reference numeral 10 schematically indicates a chill pivoting around an axis X by a hydraulic actuator 11.
  • An encoder 12 is associated to said hydraulic axis X for detecting the chill position.
  • the chill is intended to receive a molten metal cast therein from a cup 13 moved by a multiple axis robot, globally and schematically indicated with reference numeral 14.
  • the hydraulic actuator 11 is controlled by a proportional valve 15 controlled by robot 14.
  • the latter moreover, is capable of detecting the position of chill 10 by encoder 12 and thereby calculate its speed.
  • the casting method proposed herein provides for robot 14 to follow a preset trajectory with a predetermined speed, according to the chilling process.
  • the correction of the rotation speed of chill 10 occurs after comparing the position of said chill 10 to the position of cup 13.
  • the robot opens or closes the proportional valve 15 according to whether the chill is still back, and must therefore be accelerated, or has surpassed the cup, and must therefore be slowed down.
  • the calculation of this error requires infinitesimal times, so the correction of the speed of rotation of the chill virtually occurs in real time, thereby meeting the strict requirements of very fast chilling processes.
  • the chill tracks the robot, as it can be seen in the control ring diagram shown in Fig. 2.
  • the robot is therefore not forced to constantly recalculate the transfer function to apply to its driving axes, but it follows a preset trajectory.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
  • Casting Support Devices, Ladles, And Melt Control Thereby (AREA)
  • Molds, Cores, And Manufacturing Methods Thereof (AREA)
  • Continuous Casting (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gravity casting method by a robot, wherein a molten metal is cast by the robot into the chill while the latter carries out a pivoting on its axis by a hydraulic actuator, wherein the robot follows a previously set trajectory and detects the chill position by an encoder associated to the hydraulic pivoting axis, compares it to the casting cup position and, on the basis of the difference between said two values of position, acts on the flow rate of the fluid fed to the hydraulic actuator for accelerating or slowing down the rotation of said hydraulic axis. The invention also relates to a hydraulic axis for the rotation of the chill in the chilling process served by the robot, characterised in that it is controlled by a proportional valve controlled by the robot for adjusting the speed of rotation of the chill.

Description

    Field of application
  • The present invention relates to the field of gravity casting systems and in particular, it refers to a new method for casting a molten material by a robot into a chill, whose horizontal pivoting motion is actuated by a hydraulic axis controlled by the robot.
    • Prior Art
  • As known, the chilling process provides for the molten material to be cast into the chill while the latter is rotating, generally by 90°, on a hydraulically controlled axis. The casting may be carried out either manually by an operator, or in automatic mode by a robot. In both cases, the cup containing the molten material must follow the rotation of the chill and rotate simultaneously. The speed of revolution of the chill is set on the basis of the type of metal used and of the piece to be obtained, but it can undergo alterations due to several factors, such as for example the room temperature, the features of the fluid used for the hydraulic actuator, etc., and it is therefore changeable according to the chilling process or even into a same chilling process. Then, in case a robot is used, the trajectory it must follow is divided into a multiplicity of intervals, and when the robot reaches each of them, it compares its own position with that of the chill, detected by an encoder, calculates any errors, and derives a new transfer function accordingly, to apply it to its driving axes for the next interval, so as to keep such error into account and cancel it.
  • In other words, the robot tracks the chill. Such tracking system is efficient when the chilling process takes place over relatively long periods, for example as it happens for aluminium alloys, but it has proved unsuitable for faster processes, as required for casting brass, since the time required by the robot to perform the complex computations mentioned above imply a discontinuous motion of the robot system that is not acceptable for the casting process.
    • Objects and summary of the invention
  • Object of the present invention is that of proposing a new method of chill casting where the chill is served by robots, which should allow a perfect synchronisation between the cup containing the molten material and the chill, also in fast casting processes.
  • Another object of the finding is that of providing a hydraulic axis for the rotation of the chill in chilling processes carried out by a robot, which should allow obtaining rotations of the chill and of the molten material cup perfectly synchronised with one another, without considerably altering the system structure and costs.
  • Such objects are achieved by a casting method according to claim 1 and by a relative hydraulic axis according to claim 3.
    • Brief description of the drawings
  • The present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached indicative and non-limiting drawings, wherein:
    • Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the hydraulic axis;
    • Fig. 2 shows the control ring of the hydraulic axis; and
    • Fig. 3 shows an example of a gravity chilling system.
    Detailed description of the invention
  • In said drawings, reference numeral 10 schematically indicates a chill pivoting around an axis X by a hydraulic actuator 11. An encoder 12 is associated to said hydraulic axis X for detecting the chill position. The chill is intended to receive a molten metal cast therein from a cup 13 moved by a multiple axis robot, globally and schematically indicated with reference numeral 14.
  • According to the finding, the hydraulic actuator 11 is controlled by a proportional valve 15 controlled by robot 14. The latter, moreover, is capable of detecting the position of chill 10 by encoder 12 and thereby calculate its speed.
  • The casting method proposed herein provides for robot 14 to follow a preset trajectory with a predetermined speed, according to the chilling process. The correction of the rotation speed of chill 10 occurs after comparing the position of said chill 10 to the position of cup 13. On the basis of the deviation detected, if any, the robot opens or closes the proportional valve 15 according to whether the chill is still back, and must therefore be accelerated, or has surpassed the cup, and must therefore be slowed down. The calculation of this error requires infinitesimal times, so the correction of the speed of rotation of the chill virtually occurs in real time, thereby meeting the strict requirements of very fast chilling processes.
  • In the practice, contrary to what occurs in current chilling processes wherein the robot tracks the chill, in this case the chill tracks the robot, as it can be seen in the control ring diagram shown in Fig. 2. The robot is therefore not forced to constantly recalculate the transfer function to apply to its driving axes, but it follows a preset trajectory.

Claims (3)

  1. Gravity casting method by a robot, wherein a metal is cast by the robot into the chill while the latter carries out a pivoting on its axis by a hydraulic actuator, characterised in that the robot
    follows a previously set trajectory; and
    detects the chill position by an encoder associated to the hydraulic pivoting axis, compares it to the casting cup position and, on the basis of the difference between said two values of position, acts on the flow rate of the fluid fed to the hydraulic actuator for accelerating or slowing down the rotation of said hydraulic axis.
  2. Method according to claim 1, wherein for acting on the flow rate of the fluid fed to the hydraulic actuator, the robot controls a proportional valve associated to said actuator.
  3. Hydraulic axis for the pivoting of a chill for a chilling process served by a robot according to the method of the previous claims, characterised in that it is controlled by a proportional valve controlled by the robot for adjusting the speed of rotation of the chill so as to allow the same to track the robot in real time with appropriate accuracy.
EP03425167A 2002-03-19 2003-03-19 Gravity casting method in a chill mould pivotable by a robot-controlled hydraulic axis Expired - Lifetime EP1350586B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT2002BS000025A ITBS20020025A1 (en) 2002-03-19 2002-03-19 CASTING METHOD FOR GRAVITY IN SHELL GOVERNED BY A HYDRAULIC AXIS CONTROLLED BY ROBOT
ITBS20020025 2002-03-19

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1350586A1 true EP1350586A1 (en) 2003-10-08
EP1350586B1 EP1350586B1 (en) 2006-01-18

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ID=27840304

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03425167A Expired - Lifetime EP1350586B1 (en) 2002-03-19 2003-03-19 Gravity casting method in a chill mould pivotable by a robot-controlled hydraulic axis

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1350586B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE315972T1 (en)
DE (1) DE60303284T2 (en)
IT (1) ITBS20020025A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005095025A1 (en) * 2004-03-31 2005-10-13 Rautenbach-Guss Wernigerode Gmbh Method and device for casting components from light alloys according to the tilt pouring concept
CN1321782C (en) * 2004-11-22 2007-06-20 苏州工业园区明志铸造装备有限公司 Metal casting method and apparatus
DE102006040944A1 (en) 2006-08-31 2008-03-06 Volkswagen Ag Gravity die casting machine, especially for production of cylinder heads, has die which can be swiveled with respect to outlet of casting vessel
FR2921282A1 (en) * 2007-09-20 2009-03-27 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa Filling foundry mold with molten metal or metal alloy for manufacturing cylinder head of internal combustion engine, comprises progressively tilting the mold during its filling using pourer, which ensures flow of molten product in the mold
ES2785088A1 (en) * 2019-04-01 2020-10-05 Blasco Maria Gimenez PROCEDURE FOR CONTROLLING A MOLDING MACHINE THROUGH A ASSOCIATED ROBOT (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10255233B4 (en) * 2002-11-26 2008-03-06 Grohe Ag Schwerkraftgießsystem

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH05337632A (en) * 1992-06-11 1993-12-21 Toyota Autom Loom Works Ltd Tilting casting machine
GB2308559A (en) * 1995-12-27 1997-07-02 Mando Machine Co Ltd Removing aluminium films from a ladle of a gravity die casting machine using high pressure air
US5704413A (en) * 1993-11-30 1998-01-06 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Rotary-mold gravity casting process
JPH11291022A (en) * 1998-04-15 1999-10-26 Sintokogio Ltd Tilting molten metal pouring method and device thereof

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH05337632A (en) * 1992-06-11 1993-12-21 Toyota Autom Loom Works Ltd Tilting casting machine
US5704413A (en) * 1993-11-30 1998-01-06 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Rotary-mold gravity casting process
GB2308559A (en) * 1995-12-27 1997-07-02 Mando Machine Co Ltd Removing aluminium films from a ladle of a gravity die casting machine using high pressure air
JPH11291022A (en) * 1998-04-15 1999-10-26 Sintokogio Ltd Tilting molten metal pouring method and device thereof

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 018, no. 168 (M - 1580) 22 March 1994 (1994-03-22) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 01 31 January 2000 (2000-01-31) *

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005095025A1 (en) * 2004-03-31 2005-10-13 Rautenbach-Guss Wernigerode Gmbh Method and device for casting components from light alloys according to the tilt pouring concept
CN1321782C (en) * 2004-11-22 2007-06-20 苏州工业园区明志铸造装备有限公司 Metal casting method and apparatus
DE102006040944A1 (en) 2006-08-31 2008-03-06 Volkswagen Ag Gravity die casting machine, especially for production of cylinder heads, has die which can be swiveled with respect to outlet of casting vessel
DE102006040944B4 (en) 2006-08-31 2018-09-06 Volkswagen Ag Apparatus for producing metallic castings
FR2921282A1 (en) * 2007-09-20 2009-03-27 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa Filling foundry mold with molten metal or metal alloy for manufacturing cylinder head of internal combustion engine, comprises progressively tilting the mold during its filling using pourer, which ensures flow of molten product in the mold
ES2785088A1 (en) * 2019-04-01 2020-10-05 Blasco Maria Gimenez PROCEDURE FOR CONTROLLING A MOLDING MACHINE THROUGH A ASSOCIATED ROBOT (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE60303284T2 (en) 2006-11-16
DE60303284D1 (en) 2006-04-06
ITBS20020025A1 (en) 2003-09-19
EP1350586B1 (en) 2006-01-18
ATE315972T1 (en) 2006-02-15

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