Provided herein is a system, apparatus, and method for aligning a continuous casting mold and a starter block. The continuous casting mold alignment system may include: a continuous casting mold; a mold frame supporting the continuous casting mold; a starter block; and at least one bearing assembly. The at least one bearing assembly is movable between a lowered position and a raised position, where the at least one bearing assembly, in the raised position, engages and supports one of the continuous casting mold or the starter block. The at least one bearing assembly, in the raised position, enables the one of the continuous casting mold or the starter block to be moved into alignment with the other of the continuous casting mold or the starter block by a force below a predefined threshold.

A method for the continuous casting of metal strands. The liquid metal is simultaneously cast via a moulds into metal strands. The moulds each have a narrow side and a broad side. The moulds have a uniform narrow side so that the metal strands have equal thicknesses after casting. At least one of the moulds used has a broad side whose length differs from the length of the broad side of the other simultaneously used moulds. For each mould used, a sprue stone is provided, which is arranged on a casting table and is provided for receiving the starter strands. The casting of the metal strands includes a mould filling phase with a fixed casting table in which a plurality of starter strands is cast into the associated sprue stones. The casting includes a continuous casting phase in which the casting table is lowered and metal strands are cast.

A double-acting switch valve includes a mounting bracket and two mutually backup sealing assemblies disposed on the mounting bracket, each of the two sealing assemblies including a carbon rod and a carbon rod moving assembly, the carbon rod moving assembly being configured to translate, and elevate or lower the carbon rod so as to block or open a metal liquid channel between two metal liquid furnaces. Two sealing assemblies which are mutually replaceable, where when the carbon rod on one of the sealing assemblies is worn down, the other sealing assembly may take its place to block the metal liquid outlet again via the carbon rod; and then the worn-down carbon rod is renewed. This design eliminates the time taken for replacing the carbon rod and can reduce the amount of the metal liquid discharged via the metal liquid outlet during replacement of the carbon rod.

A double-acting switch valve includes a mounting bracket and two mutually backup sealing assemblies disposed on the mounting bracket, each of the two sealing assemblies including a carbon rod and a carbon rod moving assembly, the carbon rod moving assembly being configured to translate, and elevate or lower the carbon rod so as to block or open a metal liquid channel between two metal liquid furnaces. Two sealing assemblies which are mutually replaceable, where when the carbon rod on one of the sealing assemblies is worn down, the other sealing assembly may take its place to block the metal liquid outlet again via the carbon rod; and then the worn-down carbon rod is renewed. This design eliminates the time taken for replacing the carbon rod and can reduce the amount of the metal liquid discharged via the metal liquid outlet during replacement of the carbon rod.

A product comprising recycled metal fragments and an alloying supplement, and methods and system for producing same. In some examples, the product comprises a container, shot blasted pieces of aluminum alloy wheels and an alloying supplement. In some examples, the product also comprises an indication on the container of a composition estimate of the combined shot blasted pieces and alloying supplement. In other examples, the indication and/or the alloying supplement may be provided by a company in the business of providing alloying supplements.

A product comprising recycled metal fragments and an alloying supplement, and methods and system for producing same. In some examples, the product comprises a container, shot blasted pieces of aluminum alloy wheels and an alloying supplement. In some examples, the product also comprises an indication on the container of a composition estimate of the combined shot blasted pieces and alloying supplement. In other examples, the indication and/or the alloying supplement may be provided by a company in the business of providing alloying supplements.

A monitoring system may monitor a gap between an ingot and a bottom block of a mold. The monitoring system may include a camera and a computer system. The camera may be positioned to capture or detect optical data associated with one or more molds positioned in a casting environment and send the optical data to the computer system. The computer system may compare the optical data with a baseline profile. Based on the comparison between the optical data and the baseline profile, the computer system may determine if the ingot has separated from the bottom block and the height of the separation. The computer system may generate operating instructions based on the separation. The operating instructions may be used to adjust the casting process.

A method for the continuous casting of metal strands. The liquid metal is simultaneously cast via a molds into metal strands. The molds each have a narrow side and a broad side. The molds have a uniform narrow side so that the metal strands have equal thicknesses after casting. At least one of the molds used has a broad side whose length differs from the length of the broad side of the other simultaneously used molds. For each mold used, a sprue stone is provided, which is arranged on a casting table and is provided for receiving the starter strands. The casting of the metal strands includes a mold filling phase with a fixed casting table in which a plurality of starter strands is cast into the associated sprue stones. The casting includes a continuous casting phase in which the casting table is lowered and metal strands are cast.

Provided herein is a method and apparatus for a starting head for a continuous casting mold, and more particularly, to a starting head configured to clinch a casting for drawing the casting from a continuous casting mold in a manner that reduces stresses within the casting decreasing the likelihood of stress cracks forming in the casting. An example starting head for a continuous casting mold includes: a body; a top surface of the body; two or more recesses defined within the top surface, where each recess extends from a first end to a second end, where the first end of a respective recess is closer to a center of the top surface than the second end of the respective recess, and where a depth of the first end of the respective recess relative to the top surface is less than a depth of the second end of the respective recess relative to the top surface; and a clinch point defined by the second end of the respective recess.

A puller head mold for receiving molten metal or alloy during the casting of an ingot, the puller head mold having a tapered screw thread structure. The tapered threaded puller head is used to pull and withdraw a cast ingot from a casting furnace, and can be particularly useful for the handling of ingots having a relatively narrow diameter. The tapered threaded puller head profile provides for full release of the tapered threaded puller head from a cast ingot in a fraction of a turn. The size and profile of the cast ingot formed with the tapered threaded puller head is resilient to thermal gradients while cooling.