Patent EP-2072161-B1 (EP)
Inventor: KROTH DR EBERHARD
IPC: B22D39/02
Filed: 2008-12-09
Granted: 2011-09-21
Abstract: The method for controlling a pouring movement of a spoon (18) for pouring a molten material (12) e.g. molten metal into a casting mold (14) e.g. cast, comprises predetermining a mold-specific casting characteristic (A) with respect to a volume of the molten product in the mold via a time course and storage of the casting characteristic, determining a spoon-specific pouring characteristic as function of a volume of the molten product from the spoon over the inclination of the spoon and storage of the pouring characteristic, and automatically generating the progress of the pouring movement. The method for controlling a pouring movement of a spoon (18) for pouring a molten material (12) e.g. molten metal into a casting mold (14) e.g. cast, comprises predetermining a mold-specific casting characteristic (A) with respect to a volume of the molten product in the mold via a time course and storage of the casting characteristic, determining a spoon-specific pouring characteristic as function of a volume of the molten product from the spoon over the inclination of the spoon and storage of the pouring characteristic, and automatically generating the progress of the pouring movement, where the volume of the molten product is determined on the basis of the casting characteristic at each time, and is equated to an optimal volume of the molten product, so that an optimal inclination is regulated to each time via the pouring characteristic. The casting characteristic is simulated as function of the volume of the molten product over the time course by simulation software or manually simulated. The pouring characteristic is empirically determined as a function of the pouring volume of the molten-product over the spoon inclination, where a full-filled spoon is gradually inclined in an automatic calibration procedure until completely emptying the spoon. During the tilting motion, the filled quantity is measured by an electronic balance and the measured value is transferred to a controller (32), in which the measured values are recorded and are created under the knowledge of the specific density of the molten product. The pouring characteristic is analytically calculated as a function of the pouring volume of the molten-product over the spoon inclination that is accumulated volume, under the knowledge of spoon geometry such as three-dimensional-model and under a condition of a horizontally lying molten-product reflector. After a change of spoon geometry, the pouring characteristic is determined according to the new spoon geometry. The mold is moved from an inclined initial position into a vertical end position, where the progress of the movement of the mold in a characteristic for the tilting motion (mold characteristic) is determined and stored as function of the mold position over a time course. The mold characteristic is determined by a simulation method and with external control by recording the mold movement using a coupled position detector (34) during a casting process. The pouring movement of the spoon and the movement of the mold are controlled by the same control. The casting characteristic and the mold characteristic lie in a common time axis. The mold position on the basis of the casting characteristic at each time during the casting process from the mold characteristic and the spoon inclination on the basis of the optimal casting volume over the pouring characteristic are determined so that an automatic control of the inclination of the spoon and the mold takes place. The mold is controlled by an independent controller. The actual position of the mold is detected by the position detector and is transferred to the control of the spoon, where a casting-melt volume is obtained from the casting characteristic at each time and is determined via the associated pouring-melt volume by the pouring characteristic of the associated spoon position. The tracking of the pouring movement of the spoon takes place by a kinematic transformation, where the actual position of the mold is considered and a tool center point is adjusted in such a way that a curvature of the spoon is moved over a charging hole of the mold. Intermediate values are interpolated between discretely measured characteristic values and are provided by controlling the casting machine at a drive of the mold and/or a spoon drive, so that it results a continuous movement. An off-line program generation is carried out, where a movement program for controlling the automation equipment is produced over an algorithm from information of the casting characteristic, pouring characteristic and optionally mold characteristic. An on-line movement generation is carried out, where the position of the spoon and/or the mold is continuously determined via a time course from the given characteristic data and/or characteristic tables and is immediately adjusted by controlling the automation equipment as casting machine.