Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing aluminum alloy castings comprising:
- using a system having a plurality of molds independently movable along adjacent linear paths with one mod to each path, a liquid aluminum holding furnace, and a plurality of robot arms movable along adjacent linear paths which cross the paths of the molds at automated processing positions, the respective path for each mold including at least a casting pour position and a separate casting extraction position by
- moving each mold along its respective linear path to successively position each mold at predetermined processing positions in its respective path according to a scheduled order of process steps for manufacturing said aluminum alloy castings,
- cyclically positioning said molds at said predetermined processing positions in their respective paths such that the operation of filling of said molds with liquid aluminum to form a casting is be done for at least several molds successively by at least one robot arm moving along a path including said furnace, and the operation of extracting at least several of said castings from the molds is carried out by at least another robot arm moving along a different path.
- 2. Apparatus for producing aluminum alloy castings in a system comprising:
- a plurality of molds,
- a liquid aluminum holding furnace serving at least several molds in said system,
- a plurality of linear independent mold paths along which each mold is respectively moved and positioned at predetermined processing positions in its corresponding path with each path including at least a casting pour position and at least a casting extracting position,
- at least two robots: one for pouring liquid aluminum into at least several molds and the other for extracting at least several solidified castings from the molds, said robots each being movable along a respective path which intercepts the paths of the molds at the pouring positions and at the extracting positions respectively; means for cyclically positioning said molds at said predetermined positions in their respective paths.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/008,026, filed Oct. 27, 1995.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2067940 |
Aug 1981 |
GBX |