A vehicle wheel, or other axisymmetric shaped article, is formed of an aluminum-based alloy by a combination of a liquid forging step of a pre-form shape of the wheel and a subsequent solid-state flow forming step to complete the specified shape of the wheel. An aluminum-based alloy, containing specified amounts of zinc, silicon, and magnesium is devised for use in the forming process. The composition of the aluminum-based alloy is devised to facilitate the performance of each forming step of the article and the mechanical properties of the final shaped product.

A tilting melting hearth system (10) includes a tilting melting hearth (12) for melting a metal (14) into a molten metal (16) and a central processing unit (CPU) (18) for controlling the tilting melting hearth (12) having an automated hearth tilting program (20) configured to select a hearth tilt profile based on a weight (66A) of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can also include an atomization die (38) in flow communication with the tilting melting hearth (12) for receiving a stream of molten metal (40) and generating a metal powder (42), or a casting die (46) for generating a casting (48) of the metal (14). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can be used to perform a method for recycling scrap metal by automatically determining the weight of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12).

A tilting melting hearth system (10) includes a tilting melting hearth (12) for melting a metal (14) into a molten metal (16) and a central processing unit (CPU) (18) for controlling the tilting melting hearth (12) having an automated hearth tilting program (20) configured to select a hearth tilt profile based on a weight (66A) of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can also include an atomization die (38) in flow communication with the tilting melting hearth (12) for receiving a stream of molten metal (40) and generating a metal powder (42), or a casting die (46) for generating a casting (48) of the metal (14). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can be used to perform a method for recycling scrap metal by automatically determining the weight of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12).

A sleeve (10) allows flow against gravity of molten metal into a casting mold. The sleeve has a sleeve body (20) with a longitudinal axis that defines a flow conduit for the metal. A check valve (30) is positioned in the flow conduit, arranged for limited axial movement in the sleeve between a closed position and an open position, although it is operatively positioned to be in the closed position in the absence of the pressurized metal. The check valve has a spool (32) with an internal flow conduit, a top end of the conduit blocked by an end cap (40). Flanges (36, 38) on the spool provide the limited axial movement in the sleeve. When lifted into the open position, metal flows into the spool flow conduit and through a porous structure of the spool, causing laminar flow and filtering inclusions.

A sleeve (10) allows flow against gravity of molten metal into a casting mold. The sleeve has a sleeve body (20) with a longitudinal axis that defines a flow conduit for the metal. A check valve (30) is positioned in the flow conduit, arranged for limited axial movement in the sleeve between a closed position and an open position, although it is operatively positioned to be in the closed position in the absence of the pressurized metal. The check valve has a spool (32) with an internal flow conduit, a top end of the conduit blocked by an end cap (40). Flanges (36, 38) on the spool provide the limited axial movement in the sleeve. When lifted into the open position, metal flows into the spool flow conduit and through a porous structure of the spool, causing laminar flow and filtering inclusions.

A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system, melting a charge of material in the first chamber, sealing the second chamber relative to the first chamber, and simultaneously injecting the charge of material within the second chamber to cast the component and melting a second charge of material within the first chamber.

A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system, melting a charge of material in the first chamber, sealing the second chamber relative to the first chamber, and simultaneously injecting the charge of material within the second chamber to cast the component and melting a second charge of material within the first chamber.

A casting method for metals, in particular lead and/or zinc, including: feeding the metal into a heated barrel, conveying the metal in the direction of a discharge opening of the barrel by rotational movement of a screw conveyor arranged in the barrel, and melting the metal and/or keeping it molten, with the result that the metal is present substantially entirely in the liquid phase at least in a subregion at the discharge opening of the barrel. The method further includes ejecting the metal which is present substantially entirely in the liquid phase through the discharge opening of the barrel by an axial piston movement of the screw conveyor, as a result of which the ejected metal at least partially fills at least one mold cavity, and cooling the metal, with the result that it is molded in the at least one mold cavity.

A casting method for metals, in particular lead and/or zinc, including: feeding the metal into a heated barrel, conveying the metal in the direction of a discharge opening of the barrel by rotational movement of a screw conveyor arranged in the barrel, and melting the metal and/or keeping it molten, with the result that the metal is present substantially entirely in the liquid phase at least in a subregion at the discharge opening of the barrel. The method further includes ejecting the metal which is present substantially entirely in the liquid phase through the discharge opening of the barrel by an axial piston movement of the screw conveyor, as a result of which the ejected metal at least partially fills at least one mold cavity, and cooling the metal, with the result that it is molded in the at least one mold cavity.

A die-casting machine has a casting mould, a casting chamber, a casting piston, a melt inlet channel, a shut-off valve in the melt inlet channel, a melt outlet channel, and a control unit for controlling the casting piston. For carrying out a respective casting process, the die-casting machine is configured, for a mould-filling phase, to bring the shut-off valve into a closed position, and to control the casting piston to advance from a casting start position to a filling end position, in order to press melt material into the casting mould via the melt outlet channel, and, for a subsequent refilling phase, to bring the shut-off valve into an open position and to control the casting piston to move back to the casting start position, in order to supply the casting chamber with melt material via the melt inlet channel. The machine is configured to keep a closure nozzle in the melt outlet channel closed in the refilling phase and, in the mould-filling phase, with the shut-off valve remaining closed, to firstly move the casting piston back from the casting start position to an additional stroke position and to subsequently advance it from the additional stroke position via the casting start position to the filling end position, and at this time to keep the closure nozzle closed during the return movement of the casting piston to the additional stroke position and to only open it when the casting piston advances again.