US3656535A - Consumable electrode melting using a centrifugal cast electrode - Google Patents
Consumable electrode melting using a centrifugal cast electrode Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3656535A US3656535A US87335A US3656535DA US3656535A US 3656535 A US3656535 A US 3656535A US 87335 A US87335 A US 87335A US 3656535D A US3656535D A US 3656535DA US 3656535 A US3656535 A US 3656535A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- consumable electrode
- electrode
- melting
- consumable
- protective environment
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D18/00—Pressure casting; Vacuum casting
- B22D18/06—Vacuum casting, i.e. making use of vacuum to fill the mould
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D11/00—Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths
- B22D11/14—Plants for continuous casting
- B22D11/141—Plants for continuous casting for vertical casting
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- 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
- B22D23/06—Melting-down metal, e.g. metal particles, in the mould
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D7/00—Casting ingots, e.g. from ferrous metals
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B9/00—General processes of refining or remelting of metals; Apparatus for electroslag or arc remelting of metals
- C22B9/16—Remelting metals
- C22B9/18—Electroslag remelting
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B9/00—General processes of refining or remelting of metals; Apparatus for electroslag or arc remelting of metals
- C22B9/16—Remelting metals
- C22B9/20—Arc remelting
Definitions
- ABSTRACT I A method for producing a metal ingot, which comprises the 13 Claims, No Drawings CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE MELTING USING A CENTRIFUGAL CAST ELECTRODE
- the present invention relates to a method for producing high quality metal and involves a sequence of steps which improves efficiency and reduces costs. It centers around a consumable electrode melting process and the use of a centrifugally cast electrode.
- High quality metal is frequently prepared by consumable electrode melting processes which involve statically casting or forging of an electrode, remelting the electrode in a protective environment and casting of the remelted electrode into an ingot.
- the ingot produced is often characterized by a reduced incidence of non-metallic inclusions, less entrapped gases, less center porosity and segregation, improved hot workability and improved mechanical properties.
- statically cast electrodes results in large yield losses from the melt to remelt stages whereas the use of centrifugally cast electrodes does not.
- Consumable electrode melting processes generally involve the welding of a stub to an electrode to render the electrode suitable for connection to a consumable electrode furnace clamp.
- the welding of a stub to a statically cast electrode involves a cutting operation, as statically cast electrodes have irregular ends.
- a cutting operation is not involved when a centrifugally cast electrode is welded to a stub as centrifugally cast electrodes have substantially flat ends.
- Cutting losses stemming from the use of statically cast electrodes may range from 5 to 12 percent.
- Non-uniform melting and hot topping conditions result from the use of statically cast electrodes.
- the top .portion of a statically cast electrode contains a large portion of pipe.
- This pipe has an irregular configuration which causes erratic are conditions during electrode metal melting; i.e., remelting, and hot topping. Erratic are conditions cause aninterruption in the solidifying pattern and may damage the mold.
- due to the unknown amount of pipe in the top portion of the electrode it is impossible to establish a repetitive time for starting, operating and completing the hot top cycle.
- non-uniform melting and hot topping conditions are minimized with centrifugally cast electrodes as they are substantially devoid of pipe.
- statically cast electrodes can result in the production of a chemically segregated ingot.
- the top section of a statically cast alloy tool steel consumable electrode has a lower carbon content than the remainder of the electrode and this segregation is carried over to the ingot when the electrode metal is subsequently melted; i.e., remelted.
- the loss of ingot material resulting from the segregation can be as high as percent.
- carbon segregation does not present a problem when alloy tool steel ingots are centrifugally cast.
- the present invention comprises the steps of: centrifugally casting metal into a consumable electrode; arranging the consumable electrode within a consumable electrode furnace structure; connecting the consumable electrode to a power supply; melting the consumable electrode in a protective environment by passing electrical current between it and a second electrode; and casting the molten metal into an ingot.
- the consumable electrode is formed by centrifugally casting molten metal. Its formation is not, however, dependent upon any particular method of centrifugal casting as many suitable forms of centrifugal casting are embraced within the invention.
- Centrifugal casting is a pressure casting method in which the force of gravity for pouring molten metal into a mold is increased by spinning the mold assembly. Solidification proceeds from the crucible or mold wall to the center as the liquid metal is directed to and held on the crucible or mold wall by centrifugal force.
- the electrodes produced by centrifugal casting are characterized by being substantially uniform and devoid of pipe and by having substantially flat ends.
- a consumable electrode furnace structure of any suitable or conventional design can be employed.
- Consumable electrode furnaces are well known in the art, are commercially available and form no part per se of this invention.
- the furnaces will ordinarily include means for controlling the gradual lowering of the electrode and a cooled crucible or mold.
- the environment can be an atmosphere of inert gas; e.g., helium or argon, a nitrogen atmosphere, a vacuum or a protective blanket layer of molten slag which covers the molten metal and the tip of the consumable electrode.
- Power for melting can be supplied from either direct or alternating current.
- Direct current can be either straight polarity; i.e., with the consumable electrode serving as cathode, or reverse polarity; i.e., with the consumable electrode serving as anode.
- the crucible or mold generally, but not necessarily, serves as the second electrode.
- a plurality of consumable electrodes can be used to increase efficiency.
- One setup employs three electrodes and three phase alternating current.
- the method of the present invention can embrace the step of centrifugally casting the consumable electrode around the stub.
- the presence of pipe and/or unfavorable melting conditions makes it undesirable to incorporate this technique in static casting methods.
- the method of this invention is particularly beneficial for producing alloy tool steel ingots.
- the top section of a statically cast alloy tool steel consumable electrode has a lower carbon content than the remainder of the electrode.
- the carbon content of a centrifugally cast alloy tool steel consumable electrode is substantially uniform in the melting direction, i.e., the direction perpen dicular to that in which it solidified.
- the carbon segregation present in the statically cast electrode is carried over to the ingot when the electrode metal is subsequently melted; i.e., remelted. Losses of ingot material resulting from the segregation can be as high as 10 percent.
- Typical alloy tool steel compositions are found on page 1,095 of the Eighth Edition of The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel, a book copyrighted in 1964 by United States Steel Corporation.
- a method for producing a metal ingot which comprises the steps of: centrifugally casting metal into a consumable electrode; arranging said consumable electrode within a consumable electrode furnace structure; connecting said consumable electrode to a power supply; melting said consumable electrode in a protective environment by passing electrical current between said consumable electrode and a second electrode; and casting said molten metal into an ingot.
- a method according to claim 1 wherein said melting of said consumable electrode in a protective environment by passing electrical current between said consumable electrode and a second electrode comprises the step of passing direct current between said consumable electrode and said second electrode.
- a method according to claim 1 wherein said melting of said consumable electrode in a protective environment by passing electrical current between said consumable electrode and a second electrode comprises the step of passing alternating current between said consumable electrode and said second electrode.
- a method according to claim 1 wherein said melting of said consumable electrode in a protective environment comprises the step of melting said consumable electrode in an inert atmosphere.
- a method according to claim 1 wherein said melting of said consumable electrode in a protective environment comprises the step of melting said consumable electrode in a nitrogen atmosphere.
- a method according to claim 1 wherein said melting of said consumable electrode in a protective environment comprises the step of melting said consumable electrode in a vacuum.
- a method according to claim 1 wherein said melting of said consumable electrode in a protective environment comprises the step of melting said consumable electrode under a protective molten slag blanket.
- a method according to claim 1 adapted to produce an alloy tool steel ingot.
- centrifugally cast electrode is cast around a member which renders the electrode suitable for connection to a consumable electrode furnace clamp.
- a method for producing a metal ingot which comprises the steps of: arranging a centrifugally cast metallic consumable electrode within a consumable electrode furnace structure; connecting said consumable electrode to a power supply; melting said consumable electrode in a protective environment by passing electrical current between said consumable electrode and a second electrode; and casting said molten metal into an ingot.
Abstract
Description
Claims (13)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US8733570A | 1970-11-05 | 1970-11-05 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3656535A true US3656535A (en) | 1972-04-18 |
Family
ID=22204581
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US87335A Expired - Lifetime US3656535A (en) | 1970-11-05 | 1970-11-05 | Consumable electrode melting using a centrifugal cast electrode |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3656535A (en) |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2640860A (en) * | 1949-10-21 | 1953-06-02 | Allegheny Ludlum Steel | Apparatus for melting titanium to form ingots |
US2890109A (en) * | 1958-05-05 | 1959-06-09 | Titanium Metals Corp | Melting refractory metals |
US2899294A (en) * | 1959-08-11 | Purification melting process for metal- | ||
US3550671A (en) * | 1967-02-27 | 1970-12-29 | Metaltronics | Steel making practice |
-
1970
- 1970-11-05 US US87335A patent/US3656535A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2899294A (en) * | 1959-08-11 | Purification melting process for metal- | ||
US2640860A (en) * | 1949-10-21 | 1953-06-02 | Allegheny Ludlum Steel | Apparatus for melting titanium to form ingots |
US2890109A (en) * | 1958-05-05 | 1959-06-09 | Titanium Metals Corp | Melting refractory metals |
US3550671A (en) * | 1967-02-27 | 1970-12-29 | Metaltronics | Steel making practice |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
Electroslag Remelting, Medovar et al., JPRS 22217, 1963, pg. 168. * |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ALLEGHENY LUDLUM CORPORATION Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:ALLEGHENY LUDLUM STEEL CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004779/0642 Effective date: 19860805 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: PITTSBURGH NATIONAL BANK Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ALLEGHENY LUDLUM CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004855/0400 Effective date: 19861226 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: PITTSBURGH NATIONAL BANK Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. RECORDED ON REEL 4855 FRAME 0400;ASSIGNOR:PITTSBURGH NATIONAL BANK;REEL/FRAME:005018/0050 Effective date: 19881129 |