Transporting the Ladle, Prepping to Pour
For many veterans of the metal-
casting industry, what happens before the pour is just as important as the actual pouring. Transporting the ladle from the furnace to the line is a balancing act of speed and safety, some pourers go to extra lengths to ensure the metal in the ladle is ready to solidify into a sound casting, and a good gating system is a precursor to any success a fl oor worker might have while pouring.
“Try not to take much time, as heat loss is a key factor here. Be safe, but be as quick as possible.”—Terry Harris, day shift supervisor, and Barry Braden, day shift lead, Farrar Corp., Norwich, Kan.
“We slightly roll the ladle while
pulling it backwards to avoid pulling slag into the ladle. We do so slowly enough to avoid splashing.”—Dan Hoefert, project engineer, Eck Industries, Manitowoc, Wis.
“We only pour aluminum, so we dip into a crucible-type furnace and then walk with the ladle behind us to reach the mold. It’s important not to look back at the ladle. You focus on where you’re going, and with steady walking the metal won’t slosh out. But if for some reason some does hit the fl oor, it won’t bounce up and hit you because you’re walking away from the spill.”—David Howell, AlumAlloy Co. Inc., Ontario Calif.
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.
What you pick up out of your ladle is what you are going to pour in your mold. Every ladle we dip out with, we skim. We try to do it as tranquilly as possible so we don’t agitate it. We use clean, moisture-free tools. ”—David Barnhard, president, Superior Aluminum Castings Inc., Independence, Mo.
“[To] keep a fl uid-like movement,
you have to maintain the ladle, trolley and hoist, and keep fresh grease and bearings for the gearbox.”—Harris and Braden
“If you are using any kind of [proper] gating system, it should be designed to control the fl ow rate of metal.”
—Dwight Barnhard, Superior Aluminum Castings
The Mechanics of the Pour Once the metal has arrived at the line, the critical act of pouring is ready to
commence. T e pourer must line up the trajectory of the metal and maintain a constant stream throughout the pour. All the while, he or she must stay as com- fortable as possible to avoid excessive fatigue and ensure the last pour in the heat is as good as the fi rst.
“Pouring is a hand-eye coordination kind of thing. You have guys that are
skilled, and you have guys that just pour metal into a hole. T e diff erence between pouring into a ‘sprue’ and pouring into a ‘hole’ is taking ownership and pride in your work.”— Barnhard
“One of the things about a pouring basin is it gives you a spot at which to aim.
T at is why they put the basin on: you aim for the top of the basin, and it takes out variability.”—Russ Rosmait, professor, Pittsburg State Univ., Pittsburg, Kan.
“All the iron pourer needs to do is keep the sprue full. T e pattern design, run- ner, choke and fi lters should regulate the speed and ability for the proper fi ll. Every
September 2011 MODERN CASTING | 37
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68