An apparatus for low-pressure casting includes a furnace wall bounding a furnace chamber, a melting crucible unit located in the furnace chamber, a heating device for heating the melting crucible unit, and at least one pressurizing unit for applying overpressure to the melting crucible unit. The furnace chamber in a top view has a length which is greater than its width, so that the furnace chamber has an elongated shape in a longitudinal direction, wherein preferably several riser pipes extending vertically are distributed roughly evenly over around 60% to 95% of the length in the longitudinal direction of the melting crucible or crucibles.

A molten metal feed pipe for feeding a molten metal of an nonferrous alloy includes an outer tube made of a ferrous material, an inner tube made of a molten metal resistant material, and an intermediate member made of a compact of a fibrous non-organic material, which is disposed between the outer tube and the inner tube. The intermediate member, positioned in the central region of the molten metal feed pipe with respect to the longitudinal axial direction of the molten metal feed pipe, is disposed between the outer tube and the inner tube with the intermediate member being compressed in a radial direction of the molten metal feed pipe.

A molten metal feed pipe for feeding a molten metal of an nonferrous alloy includes an outer tube made of a ferrous material, an inner tube made of a molten metal resistant material, and an intermediate member made of a compact of a fibrous non-organic material, which is disposed between the outer tube and the inner tube. The intermediate member, positioned in the central region of the molten metal feed pipe with respect to the longitudinal axial direction of the molten metal feed pipe, is disposed between the outer tube and the inner tube with the intermediate member being compressed in a radial direction of the molten metal feed pipe.

A semi-solid metal in-cavity molding die includes a die body. The die body includes a male die and a female die, a cavity formed by the male die and the female die, a runner communicated with the cavity and a sprue communicated with the runner are provided inside the die body. An inner wall of the runner is provided with a plurality of guide protrusions which are arranged in a spiral track. The guide protrusions combine the inner wall of the runner to form a special-shaped pipeline for molten metal to flow through, and a cooling mechanism arranged around the runner is further provided in the die body.

A semi-solid metal in-cavity molding die includes a die body. The die body includes a male die and a female die, a cavity formed by the male die and the female die, a runner communicated with the cavity and a sprue communicated with the runner are provided inside the die body. An inner wall of the runner is provided with a plurality of guide protrusions which are arranged in a spiral track. The guide protrusions combine the inner wall of the runner to form a special-shaped pipeline for molten metal to flow through, and a cooling mechanism arranged around the runner is further provided in the die body.

A foundry casting system and process employs an inert gas delivery and recovery system for casting parts which results in cast parts having improved metalurgical characteristics. The system may be employed in sand, die casting, semi-permanent and permanent casting environments. Pressurized inert gas may be diffused into the mold before, during and after the metal pouring step. The resulting casting is free from oxides and dissolved hydrogen gas as they are removed from the mold cavity. This results in higher quality castings as well as increased production output due to faster cooling cycles.

A foundry casting system and process employs an inert gas delivery and recovery system for casting parts which results in cast parts having improved metalurgical characteristics. The system may be employed in sand, die casting, semi-permanent and permanent casting environments. Pressurized inert gas may be diffused into the mold before, during and after the metal pouring step. The resulting casting is free from oxides and dissolved hydrogen gas as they are removed from the mold cavity. This results in higher quality castings as well as increased production output due to faster cooling cycles.

A liquid-resistant direct-drive robotic ladler is provided and may include a drive unit generating rotational force, a drive shaft, and a ladling unit containing a ladling shaft. The drive shaft and ladling shafts may engage through bevel gears transmitting rotational force. The ladling unit may have a plurality of external openings, with each opening sealed with sealing plates. In some embodiments, each sealing plate overlaps the ladling unit casing external openings at all points of contact in an orthogonal, relative to a width-wise plane of the sealing plate. width greater than a thickness of the sealing plate. The direct-drive mechanism, employing closely matched gears, allows high accuracy pouring. In some embodiments, the drive shaft bevel gear is coupled to the ladling shaft bevel gear with a backlash equal to or less than 0.008 inches. The ladler may be at least partially immersible or submersible in liquids, including high-temperature liquid metals.

Provided is a casting device that is able to operate stably while suppressing leakage from a gap between a tip and a sleeve. The casting device comprises: a sliding member in the center of which a rod slides, and in which a gap is formed between the rod and a sleeve; a seal member arranged at the outer periphery of the sliding member; and a suction device for suctioning air inside the sleeve. When the seal member is positioned in a center section closer to a cavity than the pouring hole, and the air in a space between the sliding member and the tip is suctioned, the seal member assumes a first state in which the seal member adheres to the center section, and in the first state the tip advanced toward the cavity.

The invention relates to a method for producing a vehicle wheel from a light-metal material, in which the light-metal material is introduced in liquid form into a mold cavity of a casting mold. The vehicle wheel is produced by means of pressurized casting, wherein the casting mold is temperature-controlled in different regions to different temperatures.