Pouring
Pouring of iron is made with the use of PRESSPOUR pouring unit produced by ABP (Germany).
PRESSPOUR pouring systems are used for holding and pouring ferrous metals. An АВР PRESSPOUR induction pouring furnace of ОСС 30 type features a pot (crucible) with an air-tight cover which has a cylindrical shape. Sprue and pouring channels end at the crucible bottom. Iron is fed with the help of compressed air which is supplied under cover and forces iron out through the channels.
An air-cooled channel inductor is located in the bottom part of the furnace and used for iron heating. The unductor is connected to the power supply unit through a transformer which makes possible selection of different voltages which are required for the furnace operation in holding and heating modes. The inductor is a quick change unit lined with dry corundum or magnesite-based compound which is designed to keep temperature of melted iron within recommended limits.
Iron gets heated in a melting channel. The melted iron in the channel serves as a secondary transformer coil. In the alternating electromagnetic field metal induces electric current which heats it up.
The pouring furnace can move along the molding line and perpendicular to it in order to get adjusted to diferent positions of pouring basin.
Batch pouring is made with the help of a motorized stopper system. The system is designed to pour melted iron according to a pour curve which is saved in computer memory and initially obtained during manual pouring with the use of a Teach-In method or during automatic pouring with feedback according to iron level in the pouring basin. This method is called "OptiPour". An electromechanical adjustable drive moves the stopper which opens or closes opening in the pouring channel.
Complete closing is achieved by means of a stopper rotation unit with a pneumatic drive. During rotation all buildups which accumulated on a nozzle surface get removed during pouring.
Melted iron is forced into the pouring channel by means of pumping gas under cover of the pouring furnace. Certain pressure is maintained in the basin in order to adjust level of melted iron in the channel.
The system is equipped with a batching unit which helps add modifying agents to melted iron. The unit is connected to the pouring channel and equipped with a pipe through which modifying agents are fed into iron stream during pouring. Modifying agents are stuffs which in small quantities significantly change structure and properties of treated metals or alloys.
A volumetric system works with granulated modifying agents whose diameter is 9.5 to 2 mm with density of 2.0 to 2.5 kg/dm3. Modifiers are fed from a 25-liter container with the help of a screw. The modifying agent's volume is measured with a speed regulator.
