A casting system is provided with at least two low-pressure casting furnaces. Each of the at least two low-pressure casting furnaces is adapted to be connected in fluid communication with a mold. At least one controller is in cooperation with the at least two low-pressure casting furnaces to collectively operate the low-pressure casting furnaces to cast a material into the mold.

A system for determining a set temperature of molten metal in a pouring facility includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a molten metal temperature at a nozzle tip of a ladle during pouring processing, and a control unit configured to acquire temperature transition obtained by plotting the molten metal temperature for each mold in each of the pouring processing, wherein the control unit determines the upper limit temperature to cause a percentage of the number of optimum temperature transitions included in a plurality of acquired temperature transitions in the number of the plurality of acquired temperature transitions to become a predetermined percentage, and determines a temperature obtained by adding a drop temperature that is a temperature dropped during conveyance processing and the determined upper limit temperature, as the set temperature.

A casting equipment monitoring system detects that the condition of casting equipment is deteriorating before the casting equipment fails, or detects that the quality of castings produced by the casting equipment is deteriorating before it becomes clear that the castings are defective products. The casting equipment monitoring system includes: an information collecting device that collects, in real time, data measured by equipment within the casting equipment; and a diagnostic device that compares, in real time, the collected data with a control value, and displays a diagnosis result if the diagnostic device determines that the collected data has deviated from the control value.

An inspection device is a device that inspects the appearance of a target, including: an imaging device configured to image the target from a first direction; an illuminating unit configured to apply light to the target; and a controller configured to acquire a first inspection image by causing the imaging device to image the target to which light is applied from a first position, to acquire a second inspection image by causing the imaging device to image the target to which light is applied from a second position, and to inspect an appearance of the target based on the first inspection image, the second inspection image, and a reference image. The first position and the second position overlap each other when viewed from the first direction.

A method for direct casting of cast components by layer-wise generation of composite molds, wherein the composite molds are generated as monolithic elements and simultaneously with their respective cores in an assembled form. The system for layer-wise generation of three-dimensional models from the powdered material in a removable container with a movable bottom, which is separated from the device for lifting and lowering the movable bottom, which is built into the system for layer-wise generation of three-dimensional models. The generation of the molds is done by application of layers of powdered material and binding of the particles of each layer through a binder, added selectively according to a program/pattern only in the volumes, where the solid body of the model is being generated. This procedure is subsequently repeated until the entire volume is constructed, allowing direct casting in the resulting molds without removing them from the container, in which they are generated, after removing the unnecessary powdered material from their working cavities.

A method for direct casting of cast components by layer-wise generation of composite molds, wherein the composite molds are generated as monolithic elements and simultaneously with their respective cores in an assembled form. The system for layer-wise generation of three-dimensional models from the powdered material in a removable container with a movable bottom, which is separated from the device for lifting and lowering the movable bottom, which is built into the system for layer-wise generation of three-dimensional models. The generation of the molds is done by application of layers of powdered material and binding of the particles of each layer through a binder, added selectively according to a program/pattern only in the volumes, where the solid body of the model is being generated. This procedure is subsequently repeated until the entire volume is constructed, allowing direct casting in the resulting molds without removing them from the container, in which they are generated, after removing the unnecessary powdered material from their working cavities.

Method and apparatus for feeding said molds laterally and/or between stations of differing heights. The method and apparatus of this invention utilize walking-beam-type conveyors having spaced apart fixed outboard rails and a central reciprocating rail. Walking-beam conveyors can be disposed in perpendicular directions with a junction therebetween that allows for a perpendicular change in direction. The method and apparatus of this invention include lift, leveling, and/or lateral transfer mechanisms for lateral placement of the stations relative to the conveyance path.

The method for the stepwise production and advancing of sand mold parts in a mold-string foundry plant comprising a station (1) for making mold parts, a pouring station (3) and a conveyor (2) for stepwise advancing of mold parts (101-109) from said station (1) for making mold parts towards said pouring station (3), includes the step of double indexing the mold parts using a first, moveable, part (21) of the conveyor. By double indexing the mold string, the time during which pouring into the molds has to be interrupted can be reduced.

A method of moulding a settable material includes the steps of: (i) providing a first mould or mould cavity; (ii) providing an outlet from which a settable material is discharged; (iii) aligning the first mould or mould cavity with the outlet; (iv) discharging settable material from the outlet into the first mould or mould cavity; (v) providing a second mould or mould cavity; (vi) displacing the first mould or mould cavity away from the outlet; (vii) aligning the second mould or mould cavity with: (a) the outlet; and (b) the first mould or mould cavity such that the second mould or mould cavity is in fluid communication with the first mould or mould cavity; (viii) discharging settable material from the outlet into the second mould or mould cavity; (ix) permitting a portion of the settable material discharged into the second mould or mould cavity to flow from within the second mould or mould cavity to within the first mould or mould cavity; (x) further displacing the first mould or mould cavity and the second mould or mould cavity away from the outlet; (xii) permitting: (a) the settable material in the first mould or mould cavity to set into a first moulded article; and (b) the settable material in the second mould or mould cavity to set into a second moulded article; and (xiii) severing the first moulded article from the second moulded article.

A method of moulding a settable material includes the steps of: (i) providing a first mould or mould cavity; (ii) providing an outlet from which a settable material is discharged; (iii) aligning the first mould or mould cavity with the outlet; (iv) discharging settable material from the outlet into the first mould or mould cavity; (v) providing a second mould or mould cavity; (vi) displacing the first mould or mould cavity away from the outlet; (vii) aligning the second mould or mould cavity with: (a) the outlet; and (b) the first mould or mould cavity such that the second mould or mould cavity is in fluid communication with the first mould or mould cavity; (viii) discharging settable material from the outlet into the second mould or mould cavity; (ix) permitting a portion of the settable material discharged into the second mould or mould cavity to flow from within the second mould or mould cavity to within the first mould or mould cavity; (x) further displacing the first mould or mould cavity and the second mould or mould cavity away from the outlet; (xii) permitting: (a) the settable material in the first mould or mould cavity to set into a first moulded article; and (b) the settable material in the second mould or mould cavity to set into a second moulded article; and (xiii) severing the first moulded article from the second moulded article.