The present invention relates to a microwave melting apparatus and system for investment casting the metals obtained therefrom. In addition to enhanced production capacity, the system allows for the use of both a broad range of metal alloys and a variety of forms including ingot, scrap, granulated and powdered metals not possible with induction systems generally.

The present invention relates to a microwave melting apparatus and system for investment casting the metals obtained therefrom. In addition to enhanced production capacity, the system allows for the use of both a broad range of metal alloys and a variety of forms including ingot, scrap, granulated and powdered metals not possible with induction systems generally.

Raw material feed into an electric arc furnace (“EAF”) is melted into heated liquid metal at a controlled temperature with impurities and inclusions removed as a separate liquid slag layer. The heated liquid metal is removed from the EAF into a passively heatable ladle wherein it is moved into a refining station where they are placed into a inductively heated refining holding vessel and wherein vacuum oxygen decarburization is applied to remove carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other undesirable impurities from the liquid metal. The ladle and liquid metal is then transferred to a refining station/gas atomizer having a controlled vacuum and inert atmosphere wherein the liquid metal is poured from an inductively heated atomizing holder vessel into a heated tundish at a controlled rate wherein high pressure inert gas is applied through a nozzle to create a spray of metal droplets forming spherical shapes as the droplets cool.

A liquid withdrawal system includes a base, at least one motion-enhancing element, a plurality of grip elements and a clamp. The base has a load-carrying surface and a rotational axis. The rotational axis is perpendicular to the load-carrying surface. The base is rotatable relative to the rotational axis. The motion-enhancing element is disposed on the load-carrying surface. The clamp is disposed opposite the load-carrying surface. The base and clamp jointly define a receiving space. The receiving space is adapted to receive a liquid barrel. The grip elements are movably connected to the base and symmetrically positioned relative to the base.

A liquid withdrawal system includes a base, at least one motion-enhancing element, a plurality of grip elements and a clamp. The base has a load-carrying surface and a rotational axis. The rotational axis is perpendicular to the load-carrying surface. The base is rotatable relative to the rotational axis. The motion-enhancing element is disposed on the load-carrying surface. The clamp is disposed opposite the load-carrying surface. The base and clamp jointly define a receiving space. The receiving space is adapted to receive a liquid barrel. The grip elements are movably connected to the base and symmetrically positioned relative to the base.

The pouring apparatus includes: a ladle including a nozzle and configured to store molten metal; a tilting mechanism configured to tilt the ladle so that a tapping position from the nozzle of the ladle is maintained at a constant position; and a radiation thermometer including a sensor head configured to output a signal related to a temperature at a measurement position and an amplifier configured to process the signal output by the sensor head, wherein the sensor head is disposed so that the measurement position is at the tapping position, and outputs a signal related to a temperature of molten metal in a molten metal flow at the tapping position.

The pouring apparatus includes: a ladle including a nozzle and configured to store molten metal; a tilting mechanism configured to tilt the ladle so that a tapping position from the nozzle of the ladle is maintained at a constant position; and a radiation thermometer including a sensor head configured to output a signal related to a temperature at a measurement position and an amplifier configured to process the signal output by the sensor head, wherein the sensor head is disposed so that the measurement position is at the tapping position, and outputs a signal related to a temperature of molten metal in a molten metal flow at the tapping position.

A method for the tilt casting of a component from light metal, in particular of an aluminum alloy, uses a tilt casting mold having a mold cavity. The melt is continuously poured directly into the casting run of the tilt casting mold, which forms the sprue of the component, at the beginning of and during the tilting movement of the tilt casting mold, using a casting ladle or a casting scoop, and flows through the casting run into the mold cavity of the tilt casting mold from the beginning, wherein the casting ladle or the casting scoop continuously tracks the casting mold during the tilting movement.

A method for the tilt casting of a component from light metal, in particular of an aluminum alloy, uses a tilt casting mold having a mold cavity. The melt is continuously poured directly into the casting run of the tilt casting mold, which forms the sprue of the component, at the beginning of and during the tilting movement of the tilt casting mold, using a casting ladle or a casting scoop, and flows through the casting run into the mold cavity of the tilt casting mold from the beginning, wherein the casting ladle or the casting scoop continuously tracks the casting mold during the tilting movement.

A management system includes: an acquisition unit acquiring melting information pertaining to original molten metal, for each of melting furnaces; a first assignment unit assigning a ladle serial number to a ladle receiving the original molten metal; a melting management unit associating a furnace number, the number of tappings from the one melting furnace, and the melting information on the one melting furnace with each other, and storing associated items; a ladle management unit associating the ladle serial number, the furnace number, and the number of tappings with each other, and storing associated items in a storage medium; and a pouring management unit associating an identifier of the mold with the ladle serial number, in response to the pouring device pouring the molten metal in the conveyed ladle into the mold, and storing associated items in the storage medium.