EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Herron Casting Services, a Chicago based consulting company, is offering Exclusive Rights and Preferred Conditions on a new process for pressurized, bottom filling of moving molds.� A patent was granted on the process on October 28, 2003.

 

U.S Patent #6,637,497,

Automotive & Aerospace Materials

in a Continuous, Pressurized, Mold Filling and

Casting Machine,

 

David J. Herron, Inventor.

 

The invention achieves pressurized filling and solidification of moving molds for high production rates of high integrity castings.� There are simple to complex versions to consider in various molding methods, including:�

Investment Casting, Lost Foam Casting, No-Bake, and Vertical or Horizontal Green Sand.

 

BENEFITS & FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

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In Green Sand or No-Bake Molding:

Vertically parted molding machines presently approach production speeds of 500 molds per hour.� To enable such productivity, current pouring and filling methods must complete their operation within the short cycle time.� Even at 250 per hour, this rapid pouring or filling violates fluid flow principles for lamellar, non-turbulent flow.� Scrap rates are excessive and elaborate methods to gently fill or filter the metal often raise the cost of casting.� Generally, the molding machine production rate must simply be reduced.� The Herron Casting Machine solves this problem by filling slowly and continuously without hindering the rapid movement of molds.�

$2 million per year can be saved on a typical vertical green sand molding line.

 

Horizontal molding machines cannot achieve the high speeds of vertical molding because they require individual processing of the molds, usually with a mold flask and mold weights.� The Herron Casting Machine eliminates individual flasks and weights; as well as the pour off person and pouring basins.� Costs of the green sand and no-bake processes is therefore greatly improved.

 

In Lost Foam or Investment Casting:

Exceptional quality in lost foam and investment casting traditionally comes at a high price.�� The Herron Casting Machine flexibly applies to these processes, automating the filling and feeding of molds.� Individual mold handling is eliminated by embedding the molds in a moving, extruded bed of dry, or bonded, media.� The cost of processing is greatly reduced and the benefits of pressurized, bottom filling are attained.� These quality benefits are realized by other processes world-wide; but not at the high production rates possible with the Herron Casting Process.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

 

The Herron Casting Machine operates simply and with very few moving parts.� The system is quiet, clean and contained.� Hard sand molds, with or without binders, float on a pressurized bath of liquid metal.� A restraint device resists rupture of the mold and presses the mold onto the filling and feeding chambers to seal against runout or leakage.� The molds are pushed through the unit, maintaining connection as long as desired, even until solidified.� Various methods may be used to enhance the seal.� Simple to complex furnace designs allow any degree of time, temperature and pressure control.� A pressure lifted column of molten metal is held steadily against the moving molds without disconnecting so that no skulls, surging or variation in temperature or filling pressure results.

 

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QUALITY AND PRODUCTION OBJECTIVES

 

At extreme quality requirements, molds must be of fine media with low permeability and thus require pressurized filling.� Such pressurization, by other processes, requires elaborate set-up of each individual mold and does not achieve high production rates.� Molds slide/float through the filling zone in this process, one after the other, without disconnecting or losing pressure.� Even LPPM dies could be booked together and processed in this way, circling back around after casting extraction.

 

Pressurized, solidification shrinkage feeding is necessary for finest dendritic grain structure, essential for high elongation, ultimate strength aluminum castings, for example.� Permanent molds are thought to be necessary with high cost and slow production.�� This process waits for a protective skin of solid metal to form before sliding onto a second chamber with higher pressure feed metal.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

 

������ Licensing is currently available for foundries to build their own custom equipment and operate the process under license.� Several induction furnace companies have expressed interest in partnering for R&D.� Certain exclusive rights to methods for particular castings are also available.�

 

This machine comes is single or multiple chamber configurations.� Automated controls allow precise and consistent pressures, mold after mold, for filling and for feeding.� The furnace is replenished at will, at one location, achieving the energy and environmental benefits of complete containment.� Precise temperature control, mold after mold, means consistent casting integrity including hardness and other mechanical properties.� Quiet, clean, and safe mold processing with no pour-off labor, no under-pours, no over-pours, nor any spilled metal results with proper operation.

 

This machine and process achieves higher mold utilization with reduced or eliminated risering.� Inclusions are eliminated by the clean practices, such as bottom filling, filtration, and controlled quiescent velocity and pressures of flowing metal.� The high production rates are achieved by filling during two or more cycles of the molding machine, as molds slide across the pressurized chambers.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL & ENERGY BENEFITS

 

By choice of designs, venting of reaction fumes can be controlled to any degree required.� Vapors associated with alloy additions and other processes are thus accommodated.� Metal is completely contained and there are NO pouring cups so radiant energy losses are non-existant.� Energy savings result from the higher yield metal and lower pouring temperatures.� Also, the minimal gates and sprue make a dense charge for efficient induction re-melt of the returns.

 

For Further Information:

 

I would like to present a detailed explanation to your technical staff and answer any questions.�

I can assure you this process provides competitive, protected, licensed advantages.� Please E-mail DHerron@HerronCasting.com to schedule our complete presentation.� Thank you.