Mechatherm has been supplying VDC casting machines for many years now for producing both extrusion billets and rolling ingots. In today’s ever evolving aluminium cast houses, innovative solutions are being sought by our customers to offer maximum protection to their plant operators in what is a very hazardous environment.
One such area identified is the actual casting machine mould table where molten aluminium is fed to the table to be solidified by using water cooled moulds. In order to maintain safe and trouble free casting, operators have traditionally supervised the moulds at the table to quickly recognise and respond to any cast abort situations from events such as “bleed-outs” and “hang-ups”. In these events operators must act quickly to abort the casting process before potentially unsafe events occur, like for example water coming into contact with the molten aluminium, causing explosions.
With a new age of automation and control gear evolving, especially in devices such as laser measurement devices, detection cameras and accurate positioning actuators, Mechatherm has designed, engineered, manufactured and implemented an automated mould metal level control (MMLC) SafeCAST® solution.
The new system accurately measures, controls and monitors the level and flow of aluminium into each mould on the casting table and ultimately replaces the traditional manual “Steddy Eddy” float and pin stopper control system, allowing plant operators to manage the casting process from the safety of the control room.
So far we have successfully supplied this equipment to our customers at Bridgnorth Aluminium, UK, CSAC, Taiwan as part of complete new VDC casting machines for casting rolling ingot and more recently Alcoa San Ciprian, Spain.
Mechatherm hopes that the new SafeCAST® solution will prove successful in not only casting our customer’s products but also for ensuring the safety of their operators which of course is most important of all.