The moulding machine includes a moulding chamber having at least one chamber end wall (8) provided with a pattern plate adapted to form a pattern in a mould part and associated with a reference pattern block positioned in fixed relationship to a pattern of said pattern plate and adapted to form a reference pattern in an external face of a mould part. A detection system detects the position of a pattern face of the reference pattern of the sand mould part. A transverse and/or a rotational compaction position of a pattern plate is adjustable by means of at least one actuator (91, 92, 119). Said actuators are controlled by means of a control system on the basis of successive position detections performed by the detection system of pattern faces of reference patterns of compacted sand mould parts travelling along said path of travel.

The moulding machine includes a moulding chamber having at least one chamber end wall (8) provided with a pattern plate adapted to form a pattern in a mould part and associated with a reference pattern block positioned in fixed relationship to a pattern of said pattern plate and adapted to form a reference pattern in an external face of a mould part. A detection system detects the position of a pattern face of the reference pattern of the sand mould part. A transverse and/or a rotational compaction position of a pattern plate is adjustable by means of at least one actuator (91, 92, 119). Said actuators are controlled by means of a control system on the basis of successive position detections performed by the detection system of pattern faces of reference patterns of compacted sand mould parts travelling along said path of travel.

A core blowing device comprises a hopper, a fluidizer, a shooting head, and a robotic arm fitting. The core blowing device is configured to removeably couple to a free end of a robotic arm and is configurable to implement a variety of core casting processes using different aggregate materials, binders, catalysts, and/or curing processes.

A method for manufacturing a structure from a granular material, called sand, in particular a mold. A layer of sand is deposited. The layer of sand is selectively agglomerated by spraying, using a spray nozzle, an inorganic binder having an M2SiO3 type (meta)silicate dissolved in a solvent. Prior to the spraying, the inorganic binder is heated to a temperature to confer on it a viscosity less than 0.2 Pa.Math.s. A device for implementing the method is provided.

A method for manufacturing a structure from a granular material, called sand, in particular a mold. A layer of sand is deposited. The layer of sand is selectively agglomerated by spraying, using a spray nozzle, an inorganic binder having an M2SiO3 type (meta)silicate dissolved in a solvent. Prior to the spraying, the inorganic binder is heated to a temperature to confer on it a viscosity less than 0.2 Pa.Math.s. A device for implementing the method is provided.

An object is to accurately estimate loss-on-ignition in a short time. A loss-on-ignition estimation apparatus includes at least one processor configured to carry out an estimation step, the estimation step including estimating the loss-on-ignition of foundry sand with use of a learned model constructed by means of machine learning. The learned model is configured to receive, as input, (1) sand weight data relating to a weight of the foundry sand detected in a calcination period and (2) at least one of (i) sand property data relating to one or more properties of the foundry sand, (ii) additive data relating to one or more additives added to the foundry sand, and (iii) calcination environment data relating to a calcination environment detected in the calcination period. The learned model is configured to generate, as output, an estimated loss-on-ignition of the foundry sand.

An object is to accurately estimate loss-on-ignition in a short time. A loss-on-ignition estimation apparatus includes at least one processor configured to carry out an estimation step, the estimation step including estimating the loss-on-ignition of foundry sand with use of a learned model constructed by means of machine learning. The learned model is configured to receive, as input, (1) sand weight data relating to a weight of the foundry sand detected in a calcination period and (2) at least one of (i) sand property data relating to one or more properties of the foundry sand, (ii) additive data relating to one or more additives added to the foundry sand, and (iii) calcination environment data relating to a calcination environment detected in the calcination period. The learned model is configured to generate, as output, an estimated loss-on-ignition of the foundry sand.

A method for designing a baffle including using patterns to produce an array of shell moulds, generating a 3-D image of the outer surface of each shell mould in the array of shell moulds, stacking the individual 3-D images for a plurality of the shell moulds to produce a conglomerate shell mould profile, determining a maximum cross sectional area of the conglomerate shell mould profile in a plane orthogonal to a direction along which the shell moulds are to be drawn through the baffle, defining a baffle profile segment which is consistent with a substantial portion of the conglomerate shell mould profile at the maximum cross sectional area, scaling the baffle profile segment to provide an offset clearance between the baffle profile segment and the maximum cross sectional area of the conglomerate shell mould profile, and reproducing the baffle profile segment to provide an array of baffle profile segments.

A method for designing a baffle including using patterns to produce an array of shell moulds, generating a 3-D image of the outer surface of each shell mould in the array of shell moulds, stacking the individual 3-D images for a plurality of the shell moulds to produce a conglomerate shell mould profile, determining a maximum cross sectional area of the conglomerate shell mould profile in a plane orthogonal to a direction along which the shell moulds are to be drawn through the baffle, defining a baffle profile segment which is consistent with a substantial portion of the conglomerate shell mould profile at the maximum cross sectional area, scaling the baffle profile segment to provide an offset clearance between the baffle profile segment and the maximum cross sectional area of the conglomerate shell mould profile, and reproducing the baffle profile segment to provide an array of baffle profile segments.

Methods for improved molds for the casting of metals and to prevent the complexity of the production from increasing are disclosed. Improved may be defined such that a mold consisting of the molding material has a surface of uniform hardness, even in the event of a change or variation in the quality of at least one of a plurality of properties of the molding material.