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 process for high integrity castings of metals and their alloys includes the steps of providing at least a sand mold at desired elevated temperatures, delivering a molten metal into the mold, and supplying a predetermined amount of coolant to contact the surfaces of the casting at desired rates, times, and durations to achieve an acceptable level of progressive solidification from the distal end of the casting towards the riser until the casting has reached desired temperatures.

A casting solidification analysis method, which can analyze positions of shrinkage cavities more accurately than in the past, a casting method using the above method, and an electronic program are provided. A following casting solidification analysis method is provided. An amount of expansion/shrinkage for each solidification step length separated by inflection points in a cooling curve is determined, by setting a solid phase ratio at a completion of pouring to 0, setting a solid phase ratio at an end of solidification to 1.0, and determining the expansion/shrinkage amount for the each solidification step length by proportionally distributing the each solidification step length to the total solid phase ratio length.

A casting solidification analysis method, which can analyze positions of shrinkage cavities more accurately than in the past, a casting method using the above method, and an electronic program are provided. A following casting solidification analysis method is provided. An amount of expansion/shrinkage for each solidification step length separated by inflection points in a cooling curve is determined, by setting a solid phase ratio at a completion of pouring to 0, setting a solid phase ratio at an end of solidification to 1.0, and determining the expansion/shrinkage amount for the each solidification step length by proportionally distributing the each solidification step length to the total solid phase ratio length.

Plate condition tool for the measurement of condition data of slide gate valve plates coupled to the slide gate valve of a metallurgic vessel, said slide gate valve comprising a collector nozzle, said plate condition tool comprising: a) a main body comprising an obturator for obturating at least partially the collector nozzle; b) a gas injecting device comprising a pressure regulator for injecting a gas in the collector nozzle through the obturator; c) a gas flow measuring device for measuring the flow of the gas injected by the gas injecting device d) a controller being communicatively connected to the gas flow measuring device and being configured to receive input data relating to the relative position of the slide gate valve plates; and wherein the obturator comprises a seal holder for holding a collector nozzle seal.

Plate condition tool for the measurement of condition data of slide gate valve plates coupled to the slide gate valve of a metallurgic vessel, said slide gate valve comprising a collector nozzle, said plate condition tool comprising: a) a main body comprising an obturator for obturating at least partially the collector nozzle; b) a gas injecting device comprising a pressure regulator for injecting a gas in the collector nozzle through the obturator; c) a gas flow measuring device for measuring the flow of the gas injected by the gas injecting device d) a controller being communicatively connected to the gas flow measuring device and being configured to receive input data relating to the relative position of the slide gate valve plates; and wherein the obturator comprises a seal holder for holding a collector nozzle seal.

System for tracking and assessing the condition of replaceable refractory elements in a metallurgic facility comprising: a) a plurality of identifiable metallurgical vessels, such as ladles, wherein each one of said identifiable metallurgical vessels comprises removable refractory elements, such as slide gate valve plates; b) a plurality of replacement refractory elements, wherein each replacement refractory element comprises a machine-readable identification tag comprising refractory element identification data; c) a reading station, such as an RFID workbench, for reading the machine-readable identification tags of a replacement refractory element positioned in a reading zone of the reading station; d) a refractory condition tool for assessing the condition of refractory elements coupled to anyone of said metallurgical vessels; e) a monitoring unit connectable to the reading station and the refractory condition tool.

System for tracking and assessing the condition of replaceable refractory elements in a metallurgic facility comprising: a) a plurality of identifiable metallurgical vessels, such as ladles, wherein each one of said identifiable metallurgical vessels comprises removable refractory elements, such as slide gate valve plates; b) a plurality of replacement refractory elements, wherein each replacement refractory element comprises a machine-readable identification tag comprising refractory element identification data; c) a reading station, such as an RFID workbench, for reading the machine-readable identification tags of a replacement refractory element positioned in a reading zone of the reading station; d) a refractory condition tool for assessing the condition of refractory elements coupled to anyone of said metallurgical vessels; e) a monitoring unit connectable to the reading station and the refractory condition tool.

A method of controlling sensing level in a liquid ejector is disclosed. The method includes filling a reservoir in communication with a liquid ejector with a printing material to a first level set point, receiving a drop out signal from a laser-based level sensor that reads from a surface of a melt pool in the reservoir, pausing an operation of the liquid ejector, adjusting the printing material level set point to a second level set point of printing material in reservoir that is higher than the first level set point, increasing a quantity of printing material in the reservoir to fill the reservoir to the second level set point, and resuming the operation of the liquid ejector.

A method of controlling sensing level in a liquid ejector is disclosed. The method includes filling a reservoir in communication with a liquid ejector with a printing material to a first level set point, receiving a drop out signal from a laser-based level sensor that reads from a surface of a melt pool in the reservoir, pausing an operation of the liquid ejector, adjusting the printing material level set point to a second level set point of printing material in reservoir that is higher than the first level set point, increasing a quantity of printing material in the reservoir to fill the reservoir to the second level set point, and resuming the operation of the liquid ejector.