EP1626830A1

EP1626830A1 - Production line and method for the continuous production of cast parts from a molten metal, in particular a molten light alloy

Info

Publication number: EP1626830A1
Application number: EP04820597A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Herbert Smetan
Original assignee: Hydro Aluminium Alucast GmbH
Current assignee: Nemak Dillingen GmbH
Priority date: 2003-12-19
Filing date: 2004-12-17
Publication date: 2006-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-17
Also published as: CA2528474A1; DE10360694B3; US20070169912A1; US7588070B2; DE20320923U1; MXPA06000096A; DE502004000896D1; WO2005061156A1; PL1626830T3; AU2004305239A1; BRPI0414936A; ES2268667T3; WO2005061156A8; EP1626830B1; ATE331582T1; JP2007514549A; CN1822912A; RU2006104714A; ZA200510103B

Abstract

The invention relates to a production line for the continuous production of cast parts (M) from a molten metal, in particular a molten light alloy. Said line comprises several functional units including a core production unit (2) for producing cast cores, a mould assembly unit (3) for mounting casting moulds (G) that are configured as core packets, a casting unit for casting the molten metal into the casting moulds (G), a cooling unit (5a) for cooling the molten metal that is contained in the respective casting moulds (G) and a demoulding unit (5b) for removing the casting mould (G) from the cast part (M), during which process the mould is destroyed. A production line of this type permits the economic and flexible production of heavy-duty cast parts with complex forms, in particular motor blocks. To achieve this, the successive continuous functional units (2 5b) are directly interconnected by a respective transport unit (12,19) and the rate at which the production line (1) ejects the finished cast parts (M) depends on the rate at which the core manufacture unit (2) delivers the cast cores it has produced.

Description

Production line and process in continuous

Continuous production of castings from a metallic melt, in particular a light metal melt

The invention relates to a production line for taking place in the continuous flow production of cast parts from a metal melt, in particular ^'of a light metal melt, having a plurality of

Functional units including a core shooting and curing unit for manufacturing cores, a mold mounting unit for mounting molds formed as core packs, a pouring unit for pouring the molten metal into the molds, a cooling unit for solidifying the molten metal contained in the mold, a cooling unit for quenching in terms of heat treatment and demoulding unit for early destructive removal of the mold from the casting.

The invention likewise relates to a method for continuously casting castings from a molten metal, in which casting cores are first produced and then a casting mold designed as a core package is built from the casting cores. In this mold, the molten metal is poured. Subsequently, the melt contained in the mold is cooled controlled at least until the casting is solidified to a sufficient dimensional stability. Thereupon can start demolding the casting, which destroys the mold. The heat treatment of the casting is done directly from the casting heat by quenching.

Production lines and methods of the type mentioned above are usually used in large-scale series production of castings. For example, the applicant operates a production line with which motor blocks are cast in large quantities in the manner described in an automated process. In the known production line, a number of core shooting machines are linearly linked with each other. The number of core shooting machines necessary for this corresponds to the respectively available tool set for a complete core package of a specific type of engine block.

The shot and completely hardened cores are removed via removal pallets and successively mounted on a parallel to the core shooter assembly line to a core package. To ensure the cost-effectiveness of such a production line, cycle times of less than 60 seconds must be maintained with a corresponding level of automation.

As molding material for the production of the cores, a molding material mixed from a known organic binder and a likewise conventional molding sand is used in the known production line. This molding material is solidified in the so-called "cold-box process", in which by gassing with a reaction gas, the curing of the organic binder is effected finished cores are mounted to the molds, stored in a storage facility for outgassing and then mechanically clamped together in the casting unit and poured.

After pouring the molten metal, the respective casting mold is brought into a solidification position, starting from which, depending on the casting, it passes through a cooling section for a time greater than 15 minutes in the clamped state. After solidification, the molds are loaded on pallets and driven into a heat treatment furnace. In this furnace, the castings (engine blocks) are thermally sanded and solution annealed in a process lasting several hours.

During thermal desanding, the organic binder of the casting molds is decomposed at temperatures in the casting just below the solidus temperature of the alloy used, so that the sand mold breaks up into coarse fragments. By further heating, mechanical conveyor and screens and the use of elaborate sand coolers and bunkers Kernmacherei is then fed back to fine-grained recycled sand. Due to the lengthy, thermal process, large quantities of sand and long transport routes are necessary.

From DE 40 15 112 C2 an automated foundry plant is also known, wherein a plurality of functional units are provided, which are connected by intermediate conveyor to a production line.

Known production lines of the type described above make it possible to produce motor blocks cost-effectively in large quantities. However, this is offset by operational disadvantages, in particular make noticeable if smaller quantities are to be produced or the models of the parts to be cast change frequently. Thus, a high, caused by a number of machines and tools technical effort for the core production is required. The large number of complex machine units with the need to drive cycle times of less than 60 seconds brings with a tool change, which is required as a result of a model change, long set-up times and time-consuming assembly work, which in turn cause loss of availability. These losses require little flexibility of the known production line, since a quick adaptation to changing operating conditions or model types high set-up costs and new investment costs preclude additional investment costs. For each product, all facilities must be designed for the realization of a short cycle time.

The use of organic binder bonded cores also poses the problem that the tools used to make the cores need to be periodically cleaned outside the core making shop. Expensive air extraction systems are also required to capture and clean the gases that occur during the curing of the cores in the "cold-box process" and in the thermal incineration process.These gases also lead to corresponding strain on the personnel Cores casting errors arise.

Another, high operating costs associated with the disadvantage of the known production lines is the need to use for heat treatment and desanding a furnace with long treatment times, the like high temperatures provide that the binder of the casting molds is decomposed and at the same time a solution annealing treatment is carried out. The flexibility with regard to a variation of the heat treatment parameters is severely restricted by the coupling to the thermal desanding.

Pure thermal desanding proves to be problematic in the case of sand retention (penetration, organic condensates), especially in the inner channels of an engine block.

High costs for the sand cycle due to high sand temperatures, large amounts of sand, the need to cool the sand down to a defined temperature and the very large space required for the furnace also contribute to the fact that the known production lines can only be operated economically, if over a long time Production cycle same engine blocks are produced in large quantities. This

Economic considerations face the fact that development times in the redesign of castings, especially in the field of

Engine development, ever shorter and accordingly the model changes are becoming more frequent.

On the basis of the above-described prior art, there was therefore the requirement to provide a production line and a method for producing castings made of light metal, in particular aluminum-based alloys, which enable economical and flexible production of complex-shaped, heavy-duty cast parts, in particular Engine blocks, allow. This object has been achieved by a production line of the type described above, in which according to the invention the successive successive functional units are connected directly to each other by a conveyor and in which the clock at which the production line ejects finished castings, is determined by the clock, with which the core production unit supplies the cores it produces.

In a corresponding manner, the above-mentioned object has been achieved by a method for producing molded parts from a molten metal, in particular a light metal melt, in which the following work steps are carried out in a continuous production sequence:

Casting of cores in a core mold from a masterbatch and a binder mixed molding material,

Hardening of the casting cores in a core tool at stations of the core production unit,

Transfer of the casting cores to a mold assembly unit,

Mounting the casting cores to form a core package,

Transfer of the casting mold to a casting unit,

Controlled mold filling (casting) of molten metal into the casting mold,

Turning the casting mold in solidification position, Transferring the molten metal filled casting mold to a cooling unit,

Solidification of the molten metal contained in the casting mold,

Transferring the casting mold with the solidified casting to a demolding unit,

Demolding of the casting, with destruction of the casting mold in the demolding unit,

Quenching the casting from the casting heat,

- dispensing the finished casting,

the time at which the finished castings are dispensed is determined by the rate at which the cores are shot,

- Preparation and recycling of the molding material in the nuclear plant.

The invention provides a modular process chain in which the processing stations Kernmacherei, Kernpaketmontage, foundry, solidification, Entkernung and quenching for the respective casting are passed through in a continuous process. The individual workstations are completed directly consecutively. The term "direct" in this context does not mean the shortest spatial distance, but rather it is essential according to the invention that the individual functional units are passed through one after the other without interruption instead, in which the individual work steps are directly interlinked. Molds and castings are conveyed in a continuous flow through the production line.

Interim storage or other storage, as they are still unavoidable in the prior art, are not present in a production line according to the invention. To achieve this, in a production line according to the invention, the conveying path over which the casting cores and then the casting molds are initially conveyed, of course, be guided so that an optimal workflow is ensured regardless of whether the respective parts on the shortest route to each next workstation be transported.

With the direct succession of the individual functional units according to the invention, it is possible to carry out the process of casting production from the core shop to the demoulding of the casting "just in time ^{" Λ} as "one piece flow", ie in each case only the casting cores and casting molds are produced. currently required in the production line, the provision of casting cores or casting molds, which is unavoidable in the prior art, is eliminated.

In order to ensure this "just in time ^" production, the cycle of the production process ^according to the invention is determined by the time-critical unit of production, namely core shooting. The curing times are distributed to several stations in the core production plant.

In this way, it is ensured that there is always a sufficient number of cores available, from which core packages are then assembled without interruption as casting molds. At the same time it is ensured that in each case sufficient quantities of molten metal are present for the filling of the casting molds and that the capacity of the cooling unit for solidification, the demolding unit and the quenching unit is sufficient to one hand in each case to obtain a perfect casting in terms of its structure and on the other hand as waste each incurred molding material of Prepare mold and return for reuse.

The cores output from the core manufacturing unit are taken over by the mold mounting device and assembled into a core package. The respectively present at the transfer cores form a Gießkernsatz, from each of which a core forming the mold can be assembled without special sorting. In this way it is possible to assemble molds fully automatically, without the need for elaborate control devices.

At the same time, as a result of the fact that the individual units of the production line are coupled directly to one another, optimized transport paths are secured, which as a result contribute to a shortening of the overall production time.

With the invention, such highly complex castings, particularly engine blocks, can be produced economically without the need for complex equipment and high expenditure on equipment. At the same time, the fact that the casting molds are designed as core packages can react quickly and flexibly to model changes of the castings to be produced, since the production of the cores takes place in a core manufacturing plant that can be easily converted. A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention provides that an inorganic, in particular a water glass-based binder is used as the binder. Binders of this type ensure a high dimensional stability of the cores after curing when exposed to heat. By using an inorganic binder, it is also possible to thin-wall the casting cores, which are exposed to larger specific loads in the core package forming the casting mold. In addition, practical experiments have shown that inorganic bonded molding materials can be easily dissolved in water and have good disintegration properties.

Core package molds constructed from cores produced using inorganic binders thus not only prove to be robust, but have additional beneficial properties for performing the method of the present invention.

Overall, the resulting in a production line according to the invention core sand volume is reduced, as is cored in a short way after pouring into water and the mold can be formed as a thin-walled core package with the advantages mentioned.

The parts required for holding and transporting the core package (clamping devices, cooling iron, mold segments, support elements, clamping devices, etc.) can be easily cleaned and reused in circulation.

The invention is particularly suitable for the production of complex shaped engine blocks of aluminum-based alloys. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the core production plant comprises a core shooting station, a plurality of hardening and _one conveyor, which then conveys the core tools in the circulation of the shooting station, the hardening stations to the transfer stations to the mold assembly device and back to the shooting station.

In such a core production plant, the. required tools (number depends on the product) of the conveyor unit in the working cycle further promoted. The infeed and discharge during tool change can be done in time, since only small distances must be covered. Since several curing stations are arranged along the conveying path, the cycle time of the core size and the curing behavior of the binder is largely independent.

According to another particularly practical embodiment of the invention, which supports the automatic production process, the core production unit has a device for the automated changing of the shot hoods in the shooting station assigned to the individual tools required for the shooting of the cores.

In addition, an automatic tool cleaning is integrated. Core breakage can be automatically removed at a position on the conveyor system.

The automatic mold assembly in the mold assembly unit can be facilitated by the fact that the finished cores are taken directly to transfer stations on the conveyor system of the core manufacturing plant. Typically, the mold mounting unit used according to the invention comprises more than one assembly station and a conveying device conveys the mold to be produced in succession to the assembly stations in succession. Each of the assembly stations can perform a specific task and optionally has intermediate storage, core adhesive stations, LinerZuführung, screwing devices, etc.

This makes it possible to use relatively simple, adapted to a specific assembly process machines for the assembly of the molds.

Should additional components be poured into the molten metal, such as cylinder reinforcements (liners) or

Bearing chair reinforcements, it is advantageous if the production line comprises a heating device for heating these zuzugießenden in the casting components. It is favorable for the desired continuity of the production process, if the

Heating device is integrated into the casting unit and the heating takes place in the plant cycle.

In that the heating takes place immediately before the controlled mold filling (casting), the risk of uncontrolled cooling is reduced to a minimum. The temperature of the components to be infused can be adjusted specifically with little expenditure of energy and can be coordinated with the mold filling and solidification process of the entire casting.

This can be done easily, in particular, when the heating device works inductively. The incorporation of the casting unit into the working cycle predetermined by the core manufacturing unit can be realized by the casting unit comprising a turntable which takes over the casting mold conveyed from the mold assembly unit to the casting unit at a transfer station from the conveying device connecting the die assembly unit to the casting unit promotes a pivoting movement to a casting station and the mold after the done in the casting station controlled mold filling process with melt further promotes to a transfer station at which it passes the respective mold to the cooling unit leading to conveyor.

The controlled mold filling can be done by coupling the molds to a known low-pressure casting furnace, gas-pressure-controlled melt transport into the mold cavity, closing the pouring opening and subsequent 180 ° rotation in solidification position (roll-over). Alternatively, the rotational movement can be used to control the mold filling process.

A special advantage of core packages made of inorganic binders are hardly any gases when in contact with the melt, since the binder does not burn.

If necessary, local cooling molds can be used to remove heat from the area of holes, storage chairs, accumulations of material, etc. in a targeted manner.

The solution annealing, which can only be carried out with great difficulty in the prior art, can be avoided by quenching the cast pieces starting from a specific temperature. To make this possible, one sees Another embodiment of the invention that the cooling unit has a quenching station for quenching the casting from the casting heat out.

The gutting of the solidified casting can be done in a conventional manner by liquid jets. For this purpose, the demolding unit preferably has a liquid jet device for destroying the casting mold. With such a liquid jet device, the casting cores sitting in the casting can be flushed out.

The demolding unit can also comprise a liquid-fillable basin into which the casting mold can be inserted. By moving the casting mold with the casting in the liquid or by arranging water jet nozzles in the basin, the disintegration of the casting mold can be accelerated. For this purpose, a movement device for moving the mold immersed in the basin can be assigned to the liquid basin. The molded parts caught in the liquid further disintegrate into finely granular molding material and can be easily removed from the liquid tank.

As a liquid for destroying the casting mold and rinsing out the molding material, in particular water is optionally suitable with additives, which may be heated to a certain, the decay of the molding material of the mold additionally supporting temperature.

A particularly practical embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the cooling unit and the demolding unit are combined to form a combined cooling and demolding unit. The problems caused by the use of organic binders in the prior art can be eliminated by using an inorganic binder as the binder of the molding material. Such known from the prior art binder system can be cured by heat, without causing the environment or the machine personnel polluting gases.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing illustrating an exemplary embodiment.

The single figure shows schematically a production line 1 for the fully automatic production of engine blocks made of an aluminum alloy in a plan view. The production line comprises a core production unit 2 for manufacturing casting cores, a mold mounting unit 3 for mounting core molds G, a casting unit 4 for casting molten aluminum into the casting molds G, a cooling unit 5a for solidifying the molten metal contained in the casting mold G, and a demoulding unit 5b for destructive removal of the respective casting mold G and a quenching unit 5c of the casting M.

The core production unit 2 has a core shooting station 6 and a conveying device 7 designed as a conveying path. The transport device 7 is divided into four sections 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, which are arranged at right angles to each other such that they form the side line of a rectangle in plan view. About a parallel to the shorter sections 7a, 7c arranged conveyor track 7e, the Core tool shells WO are conveyed to the section 7d. The core shooting station 6 is positioned in a corner region of the transport device 7, on which the sections 7a and 7d of the transport device abut one another. In the core shooting station 6 casting cores are shot in a conventional manner from an inorganic binder and a quartz sand or synthetic sand mixed molding material.

The core shooting station 6 is a

Assorted shot changing device 8, which provides the gun used in the core shooting station 6 each shot hood tool specific.

To harden the cores by heat exposure and purging air, the tools W are positioned in the curing stations A. In the middle of the section 7b, the tool shells WO are lifted and transferred to the conveying path 7e.

Subsequently, a first assembly robot 11 is associated with the mold assembly unit 3, which takes over from the curing station A and transported over the section 7b cores from the lower tool part WU.

Further assembly robots 10 of the mold mounting unit 3 corresponding to the takeover robot 11 are positioned along the portion 7c of the transport device 7 arranged opposite the portion 7a. A last assembly robot 9 of the assembly unit 3 is positioned in the conveying direction F at the beginning of the section 7b opposite arranged section 7d. At the sections 7b, 7c, 7d, the transport device 7 transfer stations are formed in this way, where the finished casting cores are transferred to the mold assembly unit 3. The mounting robots 9-11 of the mold mounting unit 3, which respectively form an assembly station, put together casting molds G formed as core packages from the respective casting cores taken over by them.

The casting molds G are conveyed via a conveying device 12 designed as a conveying path and conveyed along the assembly robots 9-11. The conveyor 12 has three linearly extending sections 13,14,15, of which in plan view the first section 13 at right angles to the second section 14 and the third section 15 is again arranged at right angles to the second section 15, so that the sections 13- 15 are arranged in a top view U-shaped.

On the first section 13 of the transport device 12, the first casting cores 11 of the respective casting mold G are assembled by the first assembly robot 11. Subsequently, the casting molds G, which are partly finished in this state, reach the section 14 of the conveyor 12 and are conveyed along the assembly robots 10, 9, adding the respective further casting cores G to the respective casting mold until the mold has been finished when leaving the mold assembly unit 3 is.

From section 14 of the transport device 12, the casting molds G reach the section 15, which guides them to a turntable 16. The turntable 16 takes over the respective casting mold G and transports in a 90 ° rotation to a heating station 17 in the inserts to be cast into the engine block to be manufactured (eg liners etc.) or mold parts (eg brass quills for bore area, etc.) are heated inductively.

By a further 90 ° rotation of the turntable 16, the casting mold G is conveyed to the casting station 18 of the casting unit 4. There, the molten aluminum is conveyed into the respective casting mold G. Subsequently, the turntable 16 again conveys the casting mold G filled with melt to a transfer station, at which the casting mold G is transferred to a further conveying device 19 designed as a conveying path.

During the cooling, the casting mold G is transported on via a straight-line conveying section 20 of the cooling unit 5a. At the end of the conveyor line 20, the solidification of the molten aluminum in the mold G is completed so far that the casting M formed in it has received a solid shape.

From the exit of the cooling unit 5a, the casting mold G, which still has its original shape, is formed into a conveying device 21 which is likewise designed as a conveying path and is arranged at right angles to the conveying path 20 of the cooling unit 5a

Transfer station of demolding 5b transported. There, a Gießformmanipulator (robot) 22 takes the respective mold G and dips it into a pool of water 23rd

In the water basin 23 filled with tempered water, the casting mold G is moved in order to accelerate its decomposition. In addition, by means of non-illustrated water jet devices, the casting mold G can be acceleratedly destroyed and cores lying inside the solidified casting M can be rinsed out. The fragments of the mold G are caught in the water basin 23 and disintegrate, since the inorganic binder dissolves in the water basin 23. This results in fine-grained molding material. The molding material is mixed with new inorganic binder again to new molding material and fed back to the core production unit 2.

In contrast, the inorganic binder is partially dissolved in the water of the water basin 23. The water contained in the binder is also fed to a treatment and returned to the production cycle.

After removal from the mold, the casting (engine block) M, which is now free from casting core residues, is fed via a conveyor line 25 to a post-processing unit 26 in which it is deburred, sawn and, if necessary, subjected to further finishing operations.

The tact with which the castings M are ejected from the production line 1 is determined by the tact with which the core production unit 2 supplies the casting cores produced by it to the mold mounting unit 3. For the transport of the castings, their treatment in the individual functional units 2-6 of the production line 1, only a small number of casting manipulators (robots) is required due to the direct linking of these units 2-6, the rapid cooling and the desanding combined directly with the cooling , This also means that the production line according to the invention can produce high quality castings in relatively small quantities in a particularly economical manner with little effort on machines and costs. Reference number:

1 production line

2 core production unit

3 mold mounting unit

4 casting unit 5a cooling unit

5b demoulding unit

5c quenching unit

6 ^' nuclear shooting station

7 transport device

7a - 7d sections of the transport device

8 Shot cap changing device 9 - 11 Assembly robot

12 conveyor

13-15 sections of the conveyor 12

16 turntable

17 heating station (inductive)

18 casting station of the casting unit 4

19 conveyor

20 conveying path of the cooling unit 5a

21 conveyor

22 Mold manipulator of the demolding 5b

23 Water basin of the demolding unit 5b

24 processing unit

25 conveyor line

26 post-processing unit

F conveying direction of the transport device 7

G casting molds

M castings

W core tools

WO core tool shell

WU core tool base

A curing station

Claims

P A T E N T S P R O C H E

Production line for the continuous production of castings (M) from a metallic melt, in particular a light metal melt, with a plurality of functional units, among which a core production unit (2) for producing casting cores, a mold assembly unit (3) for assembling casting molds designed as core packages (G), a pouring unit for pouring the molten metal into the molds (G), a cooling unit (5a) for cooling the molten metal contained in the molds (G) and a demoulding unit (5b) for destructively removing the mold (G) from the mold Casting (M) are, characterized in that the successive successive running functional units (2-5b) by a respective conveyor (12,19) are directly connected to each other and that the clock with which the production line (1) finished castings (M) is determined by the tact with which the core is ready (2) supplies the cores it produces.

2. Production line according to claim 1, characterized in that the core production unit (2) has a transfer station for Transferring the finished cores to the mold mounting device (3) and a conveyor (7), which promotes the core shooting tools in circulation from the transfer station to a core shooting station and then back to the transfer station.

3. Production line according to claim 2, characterized in that the conveyor device (7) is designed as a conveyor line and that more than one curing station is arranged along the conveyor line. , Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the core production unit (2) has a device for automatically changing the product-specific core tools required for shooting the cores and that the cycle with which the change takes place is coupled to the cycle with which the Core production unit (2) supplies the cores produced by it.

Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mold assembly unit (3) comprises a transfer station, with which it takes over the finished cores issued by the core production device, and a conveying device (12) which successively forms the casting mold (G) to the assembly stations (3). 9-11).

6. Production line according to claim 5, characterized in that the mold mounting unit (3) comprises more than one assembly station and that the conveying device (12) conveys the respectively to be produced mold (G) successively to the assembly stations.

7. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a heating device for heating components to be cast into the casting (M).

8. Production line according to claim 7, wherein the heating device is integrated into the casting unit and the conveyed casting mold passes through the heating device in time with the mold elements to be inserted into it.

9. Production line according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the heating device operates inductively.

10. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casting unit (4) comprises a turntable (16), each of the mold assembly unit (3) to the casting unit (4) funded casting mold (G) at a transfer station of the Mold mounting unit (3) with the casting unit connecting conveyor takes over, the casting mold (G) promotes in a pivoting movement to a casting station (18) and the casting mold (G) after the done in the casting station controlled fill with melt in solidification position and further promotes to a transfer station, at the it transfers the respective casting mold (G) to the conveying device (19) leading to the cooling unit (5).

11. The production line according to claim 1, wherein the cooling unit has a quenching station for quenching the casting from the casting heat.

12. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the demolding unit (5b) has a liquid jet device for destroying the casting mold (G).

13. The production line as claimed in claim 12, wherein the liquid jet device is designed to rinse out the casting cores from the cast part.

14. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the demolding unit (5b) with a liquid includes fillable basin into which the mold can be inserted.

15. The production line according to claim 14, wherein a movement device for moving the casting mold (G) immersed in the basin is assigned to the liquid basin.

16. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling unit (5c) and the demoulding unit (5b) are combined to form a combined quenching and demoulding unit.

17. A method for the automatic production of moldings (M) from a molten metal, in particular a light metal melt, in which the following steps are performed in a continuous production process: - producing casting cores in a core production unit (2) from a molding material and a binder mixed molding material, - Transfer of the casting cores to a mold assembly unit (3) - Assembly of the cores to form a core package formed as casting mold (G) - Transfer of the mold (G) to a casting unit (4) - Controlled mold filling (casting) of molten metal in the mold (G) Transfer of the casting molds filled with molten metal to a cooling unit, cooling of the molten metal contained in the casting mold, transfer of the casting mold with the cooled casting to a demoulding unit (5b), Demolding of the casting (M) with destruction of the casting mold (G) in the demolding unit (5b) - quenching of the casting from the casting heat - output of the finished casting (M) - the cycle at which the finished castings (M) are dispensed , determined by the clock with which the cores are produced.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the binder of the molding material is an inorganic binder.

19. Method according to claim 17, wherein the respective transfer comprises a transport from the one unit (2-5a) to the next unit (3-5b).

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the casting mold (G) is dipped in the course of cooling in a tank filled with cooling liquid tank.

21. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that a strong relative movement is generated between the casting mold (G) and the cooling liquid.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the casting (M) is removed from the mold by means of a liquid, by means of which the binding of the molding material is dissolved.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the material dissolved in the liquid is collected and fed to a treatment.