The foundry production line includes a sand moulding machine, a melt pouring device, a shakeout machine, a finishing apparatus, an inspection station and a computer controlled database system. A pattern plate is provided with a sand mould identification device including a plurality of individually adjustable indicator elements adapted to impress an identification pattern in a sand mould part. Each indicator element has rounded edges and indicates a direction. An automatic image detection system includes an imaging device arranged at the inspection station and being adapted to provide a digital image of an individual identification pattern formed in a cleaned casting. The automatic image detection system includes a computer system running a computer program developed by means of machine learning to analyse the digital image and thereby detect the individual identification pattern.

The foundry production line includes a sand moulding machine, a melt pouring device, a shakeout machine, a finishing apparatus, an inspection station and a computer controlled database system. A pattern plate is provided with a sand mould identification device including a plurality of individually adjustable indicator elements adapted to impress an identification pattern in a sand mould part. Each indicator element has rounded edges and indicates a direction. An automatic image detection system includes an imaging device arranged at the inspection station and being adapted to provide a digital image of an individual identification pattern formed in a cleaned casting. The automatic image detection system includes a computer system running a computer program developed by means of machine learning to analyse the digital image and thereby detect the individual identification pattern.

A mold assembly cell for sand mold production comprising a turntable wherein sand cores and other mold parts (which together cooperate to define the casting cavity of the sand mold) are automatically and progressively assembled following a sequential pre-programmed schedule by programmable robots located in proximal relationship with the turntable and a core shooting machine. The assembly turntable rotates clockwise or counterclockwise to permit placement of progressively more-complete mold packages in each of at least three assembly stations to allow the robots to reach the molds being assembled at different angles for simultaneously setting the sand cores and other parts of the mold according to said pre-programmed assembly schedule. Also a mold assembly line comprising a plurality of the foregoing assembly cells to form sand molds for casting complex-geometry aluminum parts, such as aluminum engine blocks and cylinder heads, with greater flexibility, efficiency and productivity.

A mold assembly cell for sand mold production comprising a turntable wherein sand cores and other mold parts (which together cooperate to define the casting cavity of the sand mold) are automatically and progressively assembled following a sequential pre-programmed schedule by programmable robots located in proximal relationship with the turntable and a core shooting machine. The assembly turntable rotates clockwise or counterclockwise to permit placement of progressively more-complete mold packages in each of at least three assembly stations to allow the robots to reach the molds being assembled at different angles for simultaneously setting the sand cores and other parts of the mold according to said pre-programmed assembly schedule. Also a mold assembly line comprising a plurality of the foregoing assembly cells to form sand molds for casting complex-geometry aluminum parts, such as aluminum engine blocks and cylinder heads, with greater flexibility, efficiency and productivity.

Provided is the technique that allows an operator or the like to grasp a failure of a mold to be worked in the work area. An inspecting device inspects each of a plurality of molds conveyed along a conveyance path with use of image data generated by a sensor that captures an image of each of the plurality of molds. A display control device is configured to carry out: a storage process in which inspection results of the individual molds are stored in a memory; a determination process in which one or more molds satisfying a predetermined condition of a positional relation to a display are determined from among the plurality of molds conveyed along the conveyance path; and a display control process in which one or more inspection results of the respective one or more molds having been determined in the determination process are displayed on the display.

Provided is the technique that allows an operator or the like to easily grasp in which part of a mold a defect has been detected. A display control device is configured to carry out a display process in which a marker indicating a defect of a mold determined by an inspection result, which is obtained by an inspection of molds, is optically displayed on the mold.

Providing a method for reducing occurrences of a mold shift of a cope and a drag that have been molded by a flaskless molding machine and have been assembled by estimating a cause of a mold shift based on measurements and by taking appropriate measures, and a flaskless molding line that uses the method. The method for reducing occurrences of a mold shift of a cope and a drag (1, 2) that have been molded by a flaskless molding machine (200) and have been assembled comprises a step of measuring specific data at positions where a mold shift may occur during a process for manufacturing or taking out the cope and the drag, and a step of determining if the obtained specific data are within an allowable range.

Providing a method for reducing occurrences of a mold shift of a cope and a drag that have been molded by a flaskless molding machine and have been assembled by estimating a cause of a mold shift based on measurements and by taking appropriate measures, and a flaskless molding line that uses the method. The method for reducing occurrences of a mold shift of a cope and a drag (1, 2) that have been molded by a flaskless molding machine (200) and have been assembled comprises a step of measuring specific data at positions where a mold shift may occur during a process for manufacturing or taking out the cope and the drag, and a step of determining if the obtained specific data are within an allowable range.

An indexing transfer station for a sand mold conveyor system, and method of conveying. The indexing transfer station rotates between two or more angled conveyors to position the sand mold for further downstream movement. The indexing transfer station includes resting pads for the sand molds, spaced apart to allow a walking transfer rail of a first conveyor to place the sand mold and, upon rotation, to allow a walking transfer rail of a second conveyor each to position under the sand mold for lifting.

A core inspection device for inspecting a core, the device including a color sensor configured to detect a measured value of each color component of the color of the surface of the core, and a determination unit configured to compare the measured value of at least one color component detected by the color sensor with a threshold prepared corresponding to the at least one color component, thereby determine if a strength property of the core is acceptable or not.