Patent ID: 6073678
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: B22D

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing aluminum alloy castings comprising:using a system having a plurality of molds independently movable along adjacent linear paths with at least one mold per path, a liquid aluminum holding furnace, and a plurality of robots movable along adjacent linear paths which cross the paths of the molds at automated processing positions, the respective path for each mold including at least a casting pour position and a separate casting extraction position bymoving each mold along its respective linear path to successively position each mold at predetermined processing positions in its respective path according to an order of process steps appropriate for manufacturing said aluminum alloy castings,positioning said molds at said predetermined processing positions in their respective paths such that the operation of filling said molds with liquid aluminum to form a casting is done for at least several molds successively by at least one robot moving along a path including said furnace, and the operation of extracting at least several of said castings from the molds is carried out by at least another robot moving along a different path.