A method and apparatus for manufacturing an equiaxed crystal aluminum alloy cast ingot by using additive manufacturing and rapid solidification techniques are provided. The apparatus comprises: a metal heating mechanism and a negative pressure cooling mechanism. The metal heating mechanism is located above the negative pressure cooling mechanism and is connected thereto by a nozzle. The negative pressure cooling mechanism comprises a vacuum chamber having an air inlet hole and an air outlet hole, and a three-dimensional moving ingot mechanism disposed inside the vacuum chamber. The three-dimensional moving ingot mechanism comprises a moving ingot and a two-dimensional moving platform vertically connected to the moving ingot. A water cooling mechanism is disposed outside the moving ingot, and the moving ingot is driven by a precision motor to precisely move up and down.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing an equiaxed crystal aluminum alloy cast ingot by using additive manufacturing and rapid solidification techniques are provided. The apparatus comprises: a metal heating mechanism and a negative pressure cooling mechanism. The metal heating mechanism is located above the negative pressure cooling mechanism and is connected thereto by a nozzle. The negative pressure cooling mechanism comprises a vacuum chamber having an air inlet hole and an air outlet hole, and a three-dimensional moving ingot mechanism disposed inside the vacuum chamber. The three-dimensional moving ingot mechanism comprises a moving ingot and a two-dimensional moving platform vertically connected to the moving ingot. A water cooling mechanism is disposed outside the moving ingot, and the moving ingot is driven by a precision motor to precisely move up and down.

A method and device heat an object to be heated by a flame which is produced by supplying a fuel fluid and a combustion supporting gas to a burner as a heat, source. A temperature rising rate is increased by gradually increasing an oxygen concentration in the combustion supporting gas supplied to the burner and a device for heating an object to be heated including a burner for heating the object to be heated. A flow rate control unit controls a flow rate of a fuel fluid and a combustion supporting gas. A calculation unit transmits combustion information of the burner to the flow rate control unit, and the flow rate control unit increases a temperature rising rate of the object to be heated by increasing the oxygen concentration in the combustion supporting gas supplied to the burner.

A method and device heat an object to be heated by a flame which is produced by supplying a fuel fluid and a combustion supporting gas to a burner as a heat, source. A temperature rising rate is increased by gradually increasing an oxygen concentration in the combustion supporting gas supplied to the burner and a device for heating an object to be heated including a burner for heating the object to be heated. A flow rate control unit controls a flow rate of a fuel fluid and a combustion supporting gas. A calculation unit transmits combustion information of the burner to the flow rate control unit, and the flow rate control unit increases a temperature rising rate of the object to be heated by increasing the oxygen concentration in the combustion supporting gas supplied to the burner.

A method for producing a metal ingot by using an electron-beam melting furnace having an electron gun and a hearth that accumulates a molten metal of a metal raw material, wherein the metal raw material is supplied to the position on a supply line disposed along a second side wall of the hearth that accumulates the molten metal of the metal raw material. A first electron beam is radiated along a first irradiation line that is disposed along the supply line and is closer to a central part of the hearth relative to the supply line on the surface of the molten metal, wherein a surface temperature (T2) of the molten metal at the first irradiation line is made higher than an average surface temperature (T0) of the entire surface of the molten metal in the hearth.

The present invention concerns a metal casting installation comprising, (a) a loading platform (20), (b) a tundish (1), (c) a first ladle (11) and a second ladle (12), each of the first and second ladle comprising, a floor provided with an opening (11o, 12o), a collector nozzle (14) and a ladle shroud (13a-13c), a ladle sliding gate (15) configured for moving the collector nozzle and the ladle shroud between a sealed position wherein the opening is sealed, a casting position wherein the opening faces the ladle shroud (13a-13c), and an unclogging position wherein the opening faces the collector nozzle (14), (d) a turret (30) for holding the first and second ladles, configured for moving and holding in place the first and second ladles (11,12) between a loading station and a casting station, over the tundish (1), Characterized in that, the metal casting installation comprises a robot (21) configured for carrying out the following operations on the first or second ladle which is held in the loading station, loading a new ladle shroud (13b) onto the ladle slide gate (15), and coupling a driving device (17) to the ladle slide gate (15).

The present invention concerns a metal casting installation comprising, (a) a loading platform (20), (b) a tundish (1), (c) a first ladle (11) and a second ladle (12), each of the first and second ladle comprising, a floor provided with an opening (11o, 12o), a collector nozzle (14) and a ladle shroud (13a-13c), a ladle sliding gate (15) configured for moving the collector nozzle and the ladle shroud between a sealed position wherein the opening is sealed, a casting position wherein the opening faces the ladle shroud (13a-13c), and an unclogging position wherein the opening faces the collector nozzle (14), (d) a turret (30) for holding the first and second ladles, configured for moving and holding in place the first and second ladles (11,12) between a loading station and a casting station, over the tundish (1), Characterized in that, the metal casting installation comprises a robot (21) configured for carrying out the following operations on the first or second ladle which is held in the loading station, loading a new ladle shroud (13b) onto the ladle slide gate (15), and coupling a driving device (17) to the ladle slide gate (15).

The present invention provides a method for casting a slab having a good cast surface. The method includes heating the surface of molten metal on a metal inlet side of a mold by a first heat source so that the following formulas: q≧0.87 and c≦11.762q+0.3095 are satisfied where c is a cycle time [sec] of turning movement of the first heat source, and q is an average amount of heat input [MW/m.sup.2] determined by accumulating an amount of heat input applied by at least the first heat source to the contact region between the upper surface of the slab on the metal inlet side and the mold, along the path of turning movement of the first heat source, and dividing the resultant accumulated value by the cycle time c.

In production of a reactive metal using a melting furnace for producing metal having a hearth, ingots can be efficiently produced by efficiently cooling the ingots extracted from the mold provided in the melting furnace. In addition, an apparatus structure in which multiple ingots can be produced with high efficiency and high quality from one hearth, is provided. A melting furnace for producing metal is provided, the furnace has a hearth for having molten metal formed by melting raw material, a mold in which the molten metal is poured, an extracting jig which is provided below the mold for extracting ingot cooled and solidified downwardly, a cooling member for cooling the ingot extracted downwardly of the mold, and an outer case for keeping the hearth, the mold, the extracting jig, and the cooling member separated from the air, wherein at least one mold and extracting jig are provided in the outer case, and the cooling member is provided between the outer case and the ingot, or between the multiple ingots.

In production of a reactive metal using a melting furnace for producing metal having a hearth, ingots can be efficiently produced by efficiently cooling the ingots extracted from the mold provided in the melting furnace. In addition, an apparatus structure in which multiple ingots can be produced with high efficiency and high quality from one hearth, is provided. A melting furnace for producing metal is provided, the furnace has a hearth for having molten metal formed by melting raw material, a mold in which the molten metal is poured, an extracting jig which is provided below the mold for extracting ingot cooled and solidified downwardly, a cooling member for cooling the ingot extracted downwardly of the mold, and an outer case for keeping the hearth, the mold, the extracting jig, and the cooling member separated from the air, wherein at least one mold and extracting jig are provided in the outer case, and the cooling member is provided between the outer case and the ingot, or between the multiple ingots.