BACKGROUND

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/692,972 filed August 24, 2012 by inventor Jeffrey D. Eagens. This provisional application is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present exemplary embodiment relates to a manufacturing process and system. It finds particular application in conjunction with processing sand type molds, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications.

[0003] Many types of manufacturing processes utilize sand molds to assist with the heat transfer required to manufacture work pieces from molten material such as iron. The basic steps of a sand molding process include placing a desired pattern in the sand to create a mold half, compress the sand and pattern into a gating system, remove the pattern, align the mold halves together to create a mold cavity, fill the mold cavity with molten material, and allow the material to cool and break away the sand mold to remove the casting.

[0004] More particularly, the known processes manufacture particular types of castings and various processes with particular features are employed depending on the requirements of the finished part or workpiece. For instance, vertical flaskless molding processes are employed to generate round and geometric shaped workpieces. Vertical flaskless molding is the process whereby sand molds are generated and stacked together horizontally along an elongated in-line process. Contact surfaces of each mold are vertically aligned and abut one another. Molten material, such as iron, is poured into a vertical joint of the mold halves whereby the material is allowed to harden, the sand mold is removed, and the workpiece is generated. A table or surface supports the molds on a common horizontal plane as a machine makes each mold half. The table includes particular features that are configured to allow the contact surfaces of each mold to maintain mold-to-mold contact pressure of each mold along the entire line such that molten material does not leak therefrom and until the material solidifies as intended.

[0005] Additionally, horizontal tight flask molding is utilized for thin longer and flatter work pieces. The horizontal tight flask molding process utilizes sand molds that are created and designed to stack together horizontally in a signal set. The contact surfaces of the mold halves align and abut horizontally in this process. Molten material is poured into the top mold half as the mold halves are formed in and maintained in a housing such as a steel "flask".

[0006] Many types of conveyors are used to heat or cool the sand molds and work pieces. Conventional conveyors of different lengths and configurations translate the workpieces while directing air across the workpieces. Other foundry type conveyors that are generally known include U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,951 to Kraus et al., as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,827,201 , 7,037,048 and 7,377,728 to Markowski et al. each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0007] However, these processes address covered transporting molds with castings, and castings only, but have not addressed the problematic issue of actually measuring the temperature of the castings after being removed from the sand mold and applying a cooling method that automatically adjusts the amount of air, or high velocity air, that is applied to efficiently lower the temperature of the casting to a desired temperature for subsequent processing, e.g., de-gating and shot blast cleaning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0008] One aspect of the present exemplary embodiment is a method of processing sand mold castings including the steps of placing a mold on a translation surface of a first conveyor at a first position (e.g., an upstream position), the mold including a sand housing having compacted sand that encapsulates a casting. The mold is translated along the translation surface of the first conveyor from the first position towards a second position (e.g., a downstream position). Air is directed against the casting and a temperature of the air and/or temperature of the casting is (are) measured after the casting is removed from the sand mold. [0009] Still other features and benefits of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIGURE 1 is a schematic plan view of a preferred method and system for processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure;

[0011] FIGURE 2 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the method and system method of processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure;

[0012] FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the system for processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure;

[0013] FIGURE 4 a perspective view of the system for processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure;

[0014] FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of air velocity modeling within a hood of the system for processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure;

[0015] FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of air velocity modeling within a hood of the system for processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure; and [0016] FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the hood over a conveyor of the system for processing sand mold castings according to the present disclosure;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] A method and system is provided for a transportation of a mold casting while the casting is still in a sand mold, and as the sand mold is subsequently removed from the external surface of the cast component. Additionally, a process for transporting and cooling mold castings with high velocity air flow is provided.

[0018] The method and apparatus used for this disclosure uses a series of conveyors to transport the molds for the duration required for cooling of the casting in the sand mold. The use of a series of conveyors produces maximum heat transfer from the casting to the molding sand. A unique feature of this process is that the system and process combine the transportation of the casting in the mold and also allows for the sand that is shed from the mold (due to thermal degradation and vibratory friction) to be maintained as a carrying media for the casting. The system also incorporates means for removal of the sand from the mold at a temperature below the eutectic state of the casting solidification and then subsequent high velocity controlled air cooling of the castings in the same process line system.

[0019] This method uses conveyors of specific calculated lengths and flow rates to transport the castings and molds to maximize the amount of heat transfer from the casting to the sand from the mold. Initially, molds are formed, aligned and filled with molten material. As illustrated by FIGURE 1 , the molds are translated along a conveyor 20 until the molten material is sufficiently solid.

[0020] Once this is accomplished the molds are transferred to a vibration conveyor at location 40 to begin imposing a vibration force to the mold to impose shedding of loose sand from the mold. The molds extend along the conveyor and are subject to vibration along all or a part of this accumulating mold conveyor 50. The accumulating mold conveyor 50 translates the molds through a series of high velocity exhaust hoods 102 that are adapted to receive a pressurized air flow or velocity of air from a casting cooling conveyor 100 downstream of the accumulating mold conveyor 50. Preferably, the sand is further shed and removed from the mold along the accumulating mold conveyor 50 wherein the sand is collected in a sand transfer conveyor 60 and transported to a sand hopper 65 via a sand return conveyor 70. The sand is then sent from the hopper 65 to a reprocessing center (not shown) via a sand return conveyor 80. In one embodiment, the molds can be conveyed over a shakeout deck or frequency conveyor 85 that is configured to further shed sand from the casting and collect sand on the sand transfer conveyor 60. The accumulating mold conveyor 50 terminates in a housing 95 that preferably contains the frequency conveyor 85 and sand transfer conveyor 60. The sand return conveyor 70 extends from the housing unit 95.

[0021] The castings (once free of the molding sand) are then conveyed along a first casting transfer conveyor 90 to the high velocity casting cooling conveyor 100. As also illustrated by FIGURE 2, this conveyor section 100 includes high velocity exhaust hoods 102 to blow air on the castings at a controlled rate in specific zoned sections. The hoods 102 include inlet connections 104 and exhaust connections 106 located at spaced intervals along a process direction that are connected to an air duct system. In one embodiment, inlet 104 and exhaust connections 106 are provided along five meter intervals, although other intervals or spacings may be used without departing from the scope and intent of the present disclosure.

[0022] Air is provided by a commercial blower or fan 108 that produces high volumes of air through a primary duct line 110 (Figures 2-3) that is sectioned off along particular branch lines 112 and into the exhaust hoods 102 through the inlet connections 104. In one embodiment, as illustrated by FIGURE 2, five branch lines 112a-112e supply five exhaust hoods 102a-102e along the casting cooling conveyor 100. The casting cooling conveyor section 100 includes specific air zones applying the air to the castings along the conveyor 100. The primary line 110 and branch lines 112 can include various cross sectional areas to allow various amount of air into each hood section 102a-102e. In one embodiment, the fan 108 is located on top of the housing 95.

[0023] Each air zone defined by each hood 102a-102e includes an exhaust air line 116 that extends from the associated exhaust connection 106. In one embodiment, the exhaust lines 116a-116e include a temperature measuring unit 122 to provide a signal to a controller 124 that is configured to adjust the blower 108 to provide a desired volume of air input by the blower to the casting cooling conveyor 100. Optionally, each branch line 112a-112e and each exhaust line 116a-116e can include a manual volume damper or an automatically adjustable volume damper that can be adjusted to modulate air volume control.

[0024] FIGURE 3 illustrates a perspective plan view of one embodiment of the cooling system. The process reduces time for thermal break down of the molding sand and reduces the amount of moisture and temperature in its exhaust air. Directional arrows indicate the direction in which molds and castings travel along the conveyors 50, 100. Also, directional arrows indicate the direction that air is exhausted from the hoods 102 of the cooling conveyor 100 to the hoods 102 of the accumulating mold conveyor 50.

[0025] An electronic temperature sensor 118 for measuring a casting temperature is placed in close proximity to a discharge end 120 of the housing 95. Inputs from this sensor 118 will also be tied into the controller 124 to control the input air volume from the blower 108 to ensure the desired casting temperature is maintained. The casting cooling conveyor 100 can optionally include a curtain system 114 to prevent the unwanted exhaust of air along a discharge end of the cooling conveyor 100.

[0026] Exhaust air from the casting cooling conveyor 100 is regenerated in this system. The exhaust air from the casting cooling conveyor is dry hot air that is advantageously transferred into the hoods 102 that cover the accumulating mold conveyor 50 to absorb the moisture in the displaced air when the molds, still with the castings inside, are translated along the accumulating mold conveyor 50. Notably, air that has excessive moisture and/or heat cannot effectively be sent to a dust collection system. The high temperature dry recycled air as provided by the present arrangement will allow improved efficiency in moisture absorption and also the addition of the moist air will drop the temperature of the hot air. Air from the accumulating mold conveyor 50 is exhausted from a series of exhaust ports 126 located thereon. The exhaust ports 126 can be coupled to a series of ducts that are port of a buildings dust control and exhaust system (not shown for ease of illustration). The regeneration of the air will reduce the total air to be exhausted and thus reduce operational costs.

[0027] Stated another way, the fan 95 is used to produce high volumes of air that reduces the cooling time of cast metal parts once they are removed from the

sand/molding media. The fan 95 injects ambient air into hoods 102 that cover the casting cooling conveyor 100 that are designed with an internal plenum that stores and accelerates the flow of the air to the surface of the conveyor that is transporting the cast parts. FIGURE 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hood 102 along the cooling conveyor 100.

[0028] FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate airflow modeling examples that identify vector stream lines through an inlet 104 and within a hood 102 of the disclosed system. As illustrated by FIGURE 6, the cross sectional geometry of the hood 102 and the conveyor cause a dual wind tunnel cyclone effect at a location about the conveyor 100. The concentrated airflow includes rebounding and counter-flowing air across surfaces of the castings that cause rapid cooling of the cast components. Once the ambient air crosses the cast workpiece along the conveyor 100, the ambient air becomes a warm dry air that is exhausted through exhaust outlets 106 and through branch pipes 116 positioned along the conveyors 100. [0029] Optionally, the hoods can be located at spaced intervals that are not continuous along the conveyor. The hoods 102 can have a staggered orientation such that each pressure reducing hood sections is spaced to allow exhausting of the air that has absorbed heat from the castings.

[0030] The exhaust air from the casting cooling conveyor 100 is warm and dry and is transferred via branch tube-pipes 1 16a-1 16e by its own thermal expansion and negative pressure from the casting cooling conveyor 100 to the mold accumulating conveyor 50. The air can optionally be transferred to the housing unit 95 or transport device that is downstream of the mold accumulating conveyor 50 or exhausted directly from the mold accumulating conveyor 50.

[0031] Notably, green sand molding processes utilize sand with natural binders that are activated by water. When the mold derogates and or is broken open after the molten material solidifies, there is a release of steam from the water/moisture in the sand due to the high temperature of the molten material. This wet, hot air causes a problem for dust collection and exhausting systems. However, by recirculating the hot dry air from the casting cooling conveyor 100 into the mold accumulation conveyor 50, the mold media/sand breaks down faster and the hot, wet exhaust air is mixed with warm dry air from the casting cooler conveyor 100 thus making the accumulation conveyor exhaust air acceptable for being processed by an exhaust system.

[0032] The disclosure has been described with reference to the preferred

embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiments be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.