A mold transfer assembly includes a transfer housing providing an interior defined by one or more sidewalls and a top. The transfer housing is sized to receive and encapsulate a mold as the mold is moved between a furnace and a thermal heat sink. An arm is coupled to the transfer housing to move the transfer housing and the mold encapsulated within the transfer housing between the furnace and a thermal heat sink. The transfer housing exhibits one or more thermal properties to control a thermal profile of the mold.

Disclosed is a handle clamp for an exothermic mold. The clamp includes a pair of legs, each having a plurality of rods that are shaped to fit into engagement holes on sections of the mold. The rods of each leg engage with one section of the mold. Engagement brackets are rotatably disposed on one or more or the rods. The brackets each have a thumb bolt that can be extended toward a mold section connected with the clamp. When engaged with the mold section, the thumb bolt stabilizes the mold section on the handle. A detent mechanism is provided between the bracket and the leg of the handle. The detent mechanism releaseably holds the bracket in one of a selected plurality of rotational positions with respect to the rod. By selecting different rotational positions for the brackets, the handle can be configured to engage with different configurations of mold. The thumb bolts that are biased toward the mold section by a spring. The bolts include a key that can be aligned or misaligned with a key slot on the bracket. By aligning the key with the key with the key slot, the bolt can be moved toward or away from the mold section under the biasing force of the spring. By misaligning the key and key slot, the bolt can be locked into engagement with the mold section or else held in a disengaged position.

A system for storage and retrieval of items includes a shelving rack configured to store the items. The shelving rack has a plurality of vertical levels. The system includes at least one robotic carriage operable to move horizontally. The robotic carriage includes an extendable arm that extends horizontally and vertically to lift the items from an input slot and to carry and place the items on the shelving rack. The robotic carriage is also operable to lift the items from the shelving rack and to carry and place the items on a workstation. The workstation is positioned in close proximity to the shelving rack. By locating the workstation in close proximity to the shelving rack, the items may be transferred from the shelving rack to the workstation without requiring conveyors and ram drives.

A system for storage and retrieval of items includes a shelving rack configured to store the items. The shelving rack has a plurality of vertical levels. The system includes at least one robotic carriage operable to move horizontally. The robotic carriage includes an extendable arm that extends horizontally and vertically to lift the items from an input slot and to carry and place the items on the shelving rack. The robotic carriage is also operable to lift the items from the shelving rack and to carry and place the items on a workstation. The workstation is positioned in close proximity to the shelving rack. By locating the workstation in close proximity to the shelving rack, the items may be transferred from the shelving rack to the workstation without requiring conveyors and ram drives.

A core grasping apparatus according to the present disclosure grasps a core including a core main body and a core print provided at one end of the core main body. The core grasping apparatus includes: a first holding device and a second holding device respectively including expandable and contractible first and second holding parts; and a turning suppression part configured to suppress the core from turning upon the core print being grasped by the first holding device and the second holding device. The first holding device and the second holding device grasp the core print by respectively expanding the first holding part and the second holding part, and the turning suppression part applies a force that suppresses a turning moment acting on the core to the core print.

A core grasping apparatus according to the present disclosure grasps a core including a core main body and a core print provided at one end of the core main body. The core grasping apparatus includes: a first holding device and a second holding device respectively including expandable and contractible first and second holding parts; and a turning suppression part configured to suppress the core from turning upon the core print being grasped by the first holding device and the second holding device. The first holding device and the second holding device grasp the core print by respectively expanding the first holding part and the second holding part, and the turning suppression part applies a force that suppresses a turning moment acting on the core to the core print.

The present invention enables confirmation that a mold magnetically adhered by a magnetic clamping device has been magnetically adhered by a sufficient adhesion force so as not to be pulled off from the magnetic clamping device by a mold opening force of a mold handling device. A controller 7 carries out magnetization of a magnetic clamping device 10 such that a magnetic adhesion force weaker than that in normal magnetization is generated in a state where molds M1, M2 are bound together, and carries out a test to determine whether separation of the molds M1, M2 would occur when platens 2, 3 are separated. The controller issues a warning regarding lack of guaranteed adhesion force to an operator when separation is detected, and carries out normal magnetization of the magnetic clamping device 10 when separation is not detected.

The present invention enables confirmation that a mold magnetically adhered by a magnetic clamping device has been magnetically adhered by a sufficient adhesion force so as not to be pulled off from the magnetic clamping device by a mold opening force of a mold handling device. A controller 7 carries out magnetization of a magnetic clamping device 10 such that a magnetic adhesion force weaker than that in normal magnetization is generated in a state where molds M1, M2 are bound together, and carries out a test to determine whether separation of the molds M1, M2 would occur when platens 2, 3 are separated. The controller issues a warning regarding lack of guaranteed adhesion force to an operator when separation is detected, and carries out normal magnetization of the magnetic clamping device 10 when separation is not detected.

A method of removing voids from a casting is disclosed including the steps of introducing molten metal into a die, providing an impact surface and dropping the die containing the molten metal at least once from a predetermined height to strike the impact surface. A device for removing voids from a casting includes a base, a drive means operably coupled to at least one cam, and a guide configured to receive a die, wherein the at least one cam is positioned on the base to contact a die placed on the guide, and wherein rotation of the at least one cam is operable to raise and subsequently release the die to strike a surface of the base, and wherein the guide maintains the die in a stable orientation relative to a horizontal axis of the base.

A method of removing voids from a casting is disclosed including the steps of introducing molten metal into a die, providing an impact surface and dropping the die containing the molten metal at least once from a predetermined height to strike the impact surface. A device for removing voids from a casting includes a base, a drive means operably coupled to at least one cam, and a guide configured to receive a die, wherein the at least one cam is positioned on the base to contact a die placed on the guide, and wherein rotation of the at least one cam is operable to raise and subsequently release the die to strike a surface of the base, and wherein the guide maintains the die in a stable orientation relative to a horizontal axis of the base.