Patent ID: 7296613
Filing Date: 2007-11-20
Classification: B22D

Abstract:
1. A system for stopping the flow of molten metal through at least one of a plurality of mold cavities, each of which are positioned at an x-y coordinate on a mold table, each mold cavity including a mold cavity inlet and a mold cavity outlet, the system being comprised of: a plurality of sensors, each positioned relative to one of a plurality of mold cavity outlets such as to detect the occurrence of a molten metal bleedout condition and each of the plurality of sensors configured to provide a bleedout condition signal; a mold cavity plug corresponding in size to the plurality of mold cavity inlets such that when inserted at or near the mold cavity inlet, the mold cavity plug stops the flow of molten metal through the mold cavity; a robotic arm controlled by a robotic arm controller, the robotic arm being movable in three dimensions and having an arm reach and being disposed in retrieving disposition relative to the mold cavity plug, and further wherein the robotic arm is extendible from a single location to insert the mold cavity plug at or near any one of the plurality of mold cavity inlets to stop the flow of molten metal through that mold cavity; and the robotic arm controller is configured to utilize a first bleedout condition signal and a first predetermined x-y coordinate for the mold cavity at which the first molten metal bleedout condition occurred, and further to control the robotic arm to place the mold cavity plug at or near any one of the plurality of mold cavity inlets to stop the flow of molten metal through the mold cavity at which the molten metal bleedout condition occurred.