Method for automatically pouring molten metal by tilting a ladle and a medium for recording programs for controlling a tilt of a ladle

• US 9,248,498 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University Of Technology, Sintokogio Limited
• Original Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University Of Technology, Sintokogio Limited
• Inventors: Noda, Yoshiyuki, Terashima, Kazuhiko, Suzuki, Makio, Ota, Kazuhiro, Makino, Hiroyasu, Fukushima, Ryusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): AZAD, MD ABUL K
• Application Number:
  US13/642,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 700/97, 700/103, 700/204, 266/23, 266/45, 266/99, 266/44, 266/96, 222/59, 222/60, 222/96, 164/13, 164/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 35/04 into moulds, e.g. base plates, runners
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 37/00 Controlling or regulating the pouring of molten metal from a casting melt-holding vessel B22D11/18, B22D39/00, B22D41/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 41/06 Equipment for tilting

Abstract

A method for controlling the respective input voltages transmitted to a servomotor that tilts the ladle such that the molten metal that flows from the ladle drops accurately into the pouring gate in the mold, a servomotor that moves the ladle back and forth, and a servomotor that moves the ladle up and down, by using a computer. In the method, a mathematical model of the area on which the molten metal that flows from the ladle will drop is produced, and then the inverse problem of the produced mathematical model is solved. In view of the effect of a contracted flow, the position on which molten metal drops is estimated by the estimating device for estimating the pouring rate and the estimating device for estimating the position on which molten metal will drop.

Claims

1. A method for automatically pouring molten metal by tilting a ladle for storing the molten metal in a tilting-type automatic pouring apparatus comprising three servomotors, one of which can tilt the ladle, one of which can move the ladle back and forth, and one of which can move the ladle up and down,

wherein respective input voltages transmitted to the three servomotors are controlled by means of a computer whereby molten metal that flows from the ladle is correctly dropped into a pouring gate in a mold when the molten metal is poured into the mold,

wherein the method comprises:

producing a mathematical model of an area on which the molten metal that flows from the ladle will drop,

solving an inverse problem of the produced mathematical model in view of an effect of a contracted flow causing, under the effect of gravity, a reduction of a depth of an overflow of the molten metal at a guiding member of a tip of an outflow position on a flow rate of the molten metal when it flows out of the guiding member by means of an estimating device for estimating a flow rate of the poured molten metal and by means of an estimating device for estimating a position on which the molten metal will drop, to estimate a position on which the molten metal will drop,

calculating the estimated position by means of a computer, to thereby obtain respective input voltages transmitted to the three servomotors,

controlling the three servomotors based on the obtained input voltages, and

measuring a position on which the molten metal that flows from the ladle is dropped by means of an imaging device installed at a side of the ladle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated position on which the molten metal will drop is estimated further in view of an effect of the guiding member in addition to the effect caused by a contracted flow.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

compensating for a difference between the measured position and the estimated position whereby the molten metal is correctly dropped on a desired position.

4. A non-transitory computer readable medium that records a program for controlling automatic pouring of molten metal by tilting a ladle for storing the molten metal in a tilting-type automatic pouring apparatus comprising three servomotors, one of which can tilt the ladle, one of which can move the ladle back and forth, and one of which can move the ladle up and down,

wherein respective input voltages transmitted to the three servomotors are controlled by means of a computer whereby molten metal that flows from the ladle is correctly dropped into a pouring gate in a mold when the molten metal is poured into the mold,

wherein the program comprises:

producing a mathematical model of an area on which the molten metal that flows from the ladle will drop,

solving an inverse problem of the produced mathematical model in view of an effect of a contracted flow causing, under the effect of gravity, a reduction of a depth of an overflow of the molten metal at a guiding member of a tip of an outflow position on a flow rate of the molten metal when it flows out of the guiding member by means of an estimating device for estimating a flow rate of the poured molten metal and by means of an estimating device for estimating a position on which the molten metal will drop, to estimate a position on which the molten metal will drop,

calculating the estimated position by means of a computer to thereby obtain respective input voltages transmitted to the three servomotors,

controlling the three servomotors based on the obtained input voltages, and

measuring a position on which the molten metal that flows from the ladle is dropped by means of an imaging device installed at a side of the ladle.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the estimated position on which the molten metal will drop is estimated further in view of an effect of the guiding member in addition to the effect by a contracted flow.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the program further comprises:

compensating for a difference between the measured position and the estimated position whereby the molten metal is correctly dropped on a desired position.