Patent Application
20170173677
The present invention relates to a mold and, more particularly, to a multiple pressure casting mold and a molded product manufacturing method using the same.
Casting is a manufacturing process in which a molten metal is poured into a mold and cooled, thereby forming a molded product of the desired shape after removing the mold. A variety of casting machines have been developed for performing an efficient casting process.
Molded products such as motor rotors, master cylinders, or the like can be manufactured by using the casting machines.
However, such molded products manufactured by using the casting mold have many defects, thus improved devices and methods capable of manufacturing molded products are still required.
As a related art technique, there is disclosed Korean Patent registration No. 10-0449426 (registered on Sep. 9, 2004).
An object of the present invention is to provide a multiple pressure casting mold that is capable of casting a molded product by allowing a molten metal to flow into a molded product accommodating part by using centrifugal force and pressure during casting such that the molten metal can be quickly and uniformly injected into the molded product accommodating part, thereby enabling the casting of the molded product having a dense structure, and a molded product manufacturing method using the same.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple pressure casting mold allowing a molten metal to be casted in a convenient manner while being exposed in an electromagnetic field for a sufficient time period, and a molded product manufacturing method using the same.
Technical problems to be solved by the present invention however are not limited to the above-mentioned problems.
In order to accomplish the above objects, according to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a multiple pressure casting mold including: a mold part having upper and lower molds, each having molten metal injection ports and molded product accommodating parts for accommodating the molten metal for the molded product; a rotary unit for rotating the mold part so as to allow the molten metal injected through the molten metal injection ports to flow into the molded product accommodating parts; and a molten metal injection control unit having upper and lower pressurizing parts for pressurizing the molten metal injected through the molten metal injection ports so as to allow the molten metal to flow into the molded product accommodating parts, together with the rotating unit.
The molten metal injection control unit may be configured to move up and down in the molten metal injection ports so as to connect or disconnect the molten metal injection ports and the molded product accommodating parts.
The molten metal injection control unit may be configured to move up and down in the molten metal injection ports so as to open or close a riser between the molten metal injection ports and the molded product accommodating parts.
The mold part may further include a sleeve attached to the molten metal injection ports and through which molten metal is able to be injected, wherein the sleeve is provided with an electromagnetic field transmission part through which an electromagnetic field is transmitted.
The sleeve may be formed from an electromagnetic field-shielding material having a hollow cylindrical shape whose upper and lower parts are opened, wherein the electromagnetic field transmission part is provided with a plurality of holes perforated at regular intervals along the sleeve, and a plurality of filler parts formed from an electromagnetic field transmitting material and that fill the plurality of holes.
The sleeve may be made from any one of SKD61 and STD61, and the filler parts may be formed from silicone.
An electromagnet module may be disposed around the sleeve.
Specifically, the upper and lower molds may respectively be provided with first and second molten metal injection ports passing along a central rotary axis, wherein the upper mold is provided, on a lower surface thereof, with one or more first casting grooves and first molten metal distribution passages respectively connecting the first casting grooves and the first molten metal injection port, wherein the lower mold is provided, on an upper surface thereof, with one or more second casting grooves and second molten metal distribution passages respectively connecting the second casting grooves and the second molten metal injection port, such that the first and second casting grooves and the first and second molten metal distribution passages are respectively formed to correspond to each other, and wherein, when the upper and lower molds are engaged, the first and second casting grooves facing each other form the molded product accommodating parts, and the first and second molten metal distribution passages facing each other form the risers.
First and second inner cores may respectively be attached to the first and second casting grooves.
The upper and lower pressurizing parts are disposed such that the upper and lower pressurizing parts are able to move in and out of the first and second molten metal injection ports along the central rotary axis of the upper and lower molds without interfering with the rotation of the rotary unit.
The upper pressurizing part may be attached to a first cylinder rod of a first pressurizing cylinder disposed upwards from the upper mold, and the lower pressurizing part may be attached to a second cylinder rod of a second pressurizing cylinder disposed downwards from the lower mold, and wherein the first pressurizing cylinder is fixedly attached to a sub-frame extending upwards from the upper mold without contacting the molten metal injection ports, and the second pressurizing cylinder is fixedly attached to the inside of the rotary body of the rotary unit.
According to a first embodiment, a molded product manufacturing method using the multiple pressure casting mold includes: moving up a lower pressurizing part in a mold part such that molten metal is not introduced towards the risers connecting molten metal injection ports and the molded product accommodating parts; injecting the molten metal towards an upper portion of the lower pressurizing part; introducing and solidifying the molten metal into molded product accommodating parts by moving down the upper pressurizing part such that the molten metal is introduced towards the risers, along with rotating the mold part; and, after the introduction and solidification of the molten metal, completing the manufacture of the molded product by disengaging the upper mold from the lower mold.
Specifically, the method may further include engaging the upper and lower molds together before the moving-up stage of the lower pressurizing part.
Specifically, the method may further include closing the molten metal injection port by moving down the upper pressurizing part in the molten metal injection port, between the injection stage and the introduction/solidification stage of the molten metal.
In the closing stage of the molten metal injection port, a lower surface of the upper pressurizing part may coincide with a surface of the molten metal.
In the molten metal introduction/solidification stage, an upper surface of the lower pressurizing part may be moved down and fixed to a position corresponding to the bottom of the riser by the upper pressurizing part that is moving down while pressurizing the molten metal, and then the molten metal is solidified while being introduced into the molded product accommodating parts along the riser by the upper pressurizing part that are continuously moving down.
In the molten metal introduction/solidification stage, when the upper surface of the lower pressurizing part coincides with the bottom of the riser, or otherwise when the lower surface of the moving-down upper pressurizing part coincides with an upper surface of the riser, the lower and upper pressurizing parts pressurize the molten metal at the same pressure.
According to a second embodiment, a molded product manufacturing method using the multiple pressure casting mold includes: moving down a lower pressurizing part to a position below risers connecting molten metal injection ports and molded product manufacturing parts; injecting molten metal between an upper surface of the lower pressurizing part and a lower section of the risers; moving down an upper pressurizing part in a mold part such that molten metal is not introduced towards the risers; introducing and solidifying the molten metal into molded product accommodating parts by moving up the lower pressurizing part such that the molten metal is introduced towards the risers, while rotating the mold part; and, after the introduction and solidification of the molten metal, completing the manufacture of the molded product by disengaging the upper mold from the lower mold.
Specifically, the method may further include engaging the upper and lower molds together before the moving-down stage of the lower pressurizing part.
In the moving-down stage of the upper pressurizing part, a lower surface of the upper pressurizing part may coincide with a surface of the molten metal.
In the molten metal introduction/solidification stage, the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part may be moved up and fixed to a position corresponding to an upper portion of the riser by the lower pressurizing part that is moving up while pressurizing the molten metal, and then the molten metal is solidified while being introduced into the molded product accommodating parts along the riser by the lower pressurizing part that are continuously moving up.
In the molten metal introduction/solidification stage, when the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part coincides with the upper portion of the riser, or otherwise when the upper surface of the lower pressurizing part coincides with the bottom of the riser, the lower and upper pressurizing parts pressurize the molten metal at the same pressure.
Further, the method may further include engaging the upper and lower molds together, between the molten metal injection stage and the moving-down stage of the upper pressurizing part.
As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that, since upon casting, molten metal is injected towards the molded product accommodating part with the action of centrifugal force and pressure, as compared to a molded product manufactured by gravity casting, the molten metal can be quickly and uniformly injected, a molded product has excellent structure and strength, intrusion of air bubbles, slag, or the like can be reduced, and furthermore, use of a pouring gate, an overflowing, a riser, or the like can be minimized.
Further, according to the present invention, since the electromagnet module is provided around the molten metal injection ports and the sleeve is attached to the molten metal injection ports to allow a strong magnetic field of the electromagnet module to be collected in the molten metal injection ports, a structure of the molten metal can be advantageously and efficiently controlled in a state of the molten metal being semi-solidified.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the upper and lower pistons are provided to regulate a runner connected to a space for the molded product, the molten metal injected into the molten metal injection ports can be advantageously and sufficiently exposed to an electromagnetic field.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like parts are designated as like reference numerals throughout the drawings. Further, details of known functions and configurations that may make the gist of the present invention unnecessarily unclear will be omitted.
The mold part 110 includes upper and lower molds 112a and 112b disposed in a vertical direction.
When engaged (assembled), the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b define one or more molded product accommodating parts (also referred to as cavities) 120 in which a molded product is casted. To this end, the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b are respectively provided with first and second molten metal injection ports 114a and 114b passing along a central rotary axis CL. In addition, the upper mold 112a is provided, on a lower surface thereof, with one or more first casting grooves 116a and first molten metal distribution passages 118a respectively connecting the first casting grooves 116a and the first molten metal injection port 112a. Similarly, the lower mold 112b is provided, on an upper surface thereof, with one or more second casting grooves 116b and second molten metal distribution passages 118b respectively connecting the second casting grooves 116b and the second molten metal injection port 112b, such that the first and second casting grooves 116a and 116b and the first and second molten metal distribution passages 118a and 118b are respectively formed to correspond to each other.
When the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b are engaged, the first and second casting grooves 116a and 116b facing each other form the cavities 120, and the first and second molten metal distribution passages 118a and 118b facing each other form the risers 122.
That is, the molten metal is supplied into and fills the first and second molten metal injection ports 114a and 114b from an upper portion of the first molten metal injection port 114a when the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b are engaged, molten metal, or otherwise is injected into the second molten metal injection port 114b from an upper portion of the second molten metal injection port 114b and then fills the second molten metal injection port 114b when the upper mold 112a is engaged with the lower mold 112b. During casting, the filled molten metal is distributed and injected into the cavities 120 via the risers 122 connected to the cavities with the operation of a molten metal injection unit 130.
Here, respective risers 122 connected to the cavities 120 are passages diverging from inlets thereof connected to the first and second molten metal injection ports 114a and 114b towards outlets thereof connected to the cavities 120 in order for easy injection of the molten metal.
The first and second casting grooves 116a and 116b are respectively surface-coated with first and second inner cores 124a and 124b formed from ceramics or the like in order to protect the cavities 120 from high temperature molten metal when the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b are engaged.
The electromagnet module 150 is provided around the first molten metal injection port 114a formed in the upper mold 112a so as to generate an electromagnetic field from an external power source, and a sleeve 152 (see
As shown in
The electromagnetic field passage part 154 is provided with a plurality of holes 156 perforated at regular intervals along the sleeve 152, and a plurality of filler parts 158 formed from an electromagnetic field transmitting, heat-resistant material, such as silicone, and that fill the plurality of holes 156.
Like this, the sleeve 152 and electromagnet module 150 disposed around the first molten metal injection port 114a apply an electromagnetic field to the molten metal so as to change the molten metal to a semi-solidified metal while controlling the state of the molten metal (breakage of a dendritic microstructure, or grain refining by control of nucleation density and growth rate). Since the semi-solidified molten metal becomes solidified directly after being introduced into the cavities 120, a casting time can be shortened.
In addition, the application of the electromagnetic field to the injected molten metal reduces defects that may occur in a molded product and the grain refining may improve a variety of mechanical properties, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in designing a molded product (casting).
The mold part 110 further includes a mold coupler 126 that can connect or disconnect the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b.
The mold coupler 126 may have a variety of configurations. In an embodiment of the present invention shown in
That is, any configuration may be employed if it is able to connect or disconnect the upper mold 112a to or from the lower mold 112b without interfering with the operation of the molten metal injection control unit 130.
The molten metal injection control unit 130 includes a rotary section 131 having a rotary body 132 to rotate the mold part 110 and allow the molten metal injected into the mold part 110 to be introduced into the cavities 120 during casting, and upper and lower pressurizing parts 136a and 136b pressurizing and introducing the molten metal in the mold part 110 towards the cavities 120 during casting. Here, the upper and lower pressurizing parts 136a and 136b may be a conventional plunger.
As shown, the rotary body 132 is disposed below the mold part 110. The rotary body 132 is rotatably supported by a frame F1 fixed to the ground or the like, and the lower mold 112b of the mold part 110 is detachably mounted to the rotary body 132 by a conventional clamping unit (not shown). Although the clamping unit is not illustrated in
Further, the rotary body 132 is driven and rotated by a drive motor 134 supported by the frame F1 via a conventional power transmission, such as a belt and pulley, a sprocket and chain, a gear, or the like.
The upper and lower pressurizing parts 136a and 136b are disposed such that they can move in and out of the first and second molten metal injection ports 114a and 114b along a central rotary axis (CL) of the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b without interfering with the rotation of the rotary body 132. To this end, the upper pressurizing part 136a is attached to a first cylinder rod 140a of a first pressurizing cylinder 138a disposed upwards from the upper mold 112a, and the lower pressurizing part 136b is attached to a second cylinder rod 140b of a second pressurizing cylinder 138b disposed downwards from the lower mold 112a.
Here, the first pressurizing cylinder 138a is fixedly attached to a sub-frame F2 extending upwards from the upper mold 112a such that the first pressurizing cylinder can rotate together with the mold part 110 while pressurizing the molten metal, without contacting the first molten metal injection port 114a, and the second pressurizing cylinder 138b is fixedly attached to the inside of the rotary body 132 such that the second pressurizing cylinder can rotate together with the mold part 110.
The upper and lower pressurizing parts 136a and 136b attached to the first and second pressurizing cylinders 138a and 138b serve to pressurize and introduce the molten metal in the first and second molten metal injection ports 114a and 114b into the cavities 120 with the operation of the first and second pressurizing cylinders 138a and 138b during casting.
That is, the molten metal injected into the mold part 110 is introduced into the cavities 120 by a combination of operations of the rotary body 132 and the upper and lower pressurizing parts 136a and 136b during casting.
Hereinafter, a molded product manufacturing method using the multiple pressure casting mold 100 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.
The engagement of the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b is performed by attaching the lower mold 112 to the rotary body 132 and then moving down the upper mold 112a towards the lower mold 112b. That is, the upper mold 112a is engaged with the lower mold 112b by activating the mold coupler 126 attached to the upper mold 112a in a moving-down direction.
Here, the engagement of the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b is performed in a state in which the first and second inner cores 124a and 124b are attached to the first and second casting grooves 116a and 116b.
When the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b are engaged (S11), the lower pressurizing part 136b is moved upwards so as to prevent molten metal from flowing into the risers 122 connected to the first and second molten metal injection ports 114a and 114b (S12). Then, after a liquefied molten metal is injected towards the upper portion of the lower pressurizing part 136b (S13), the upper pressurizing part 136a is moved down into the first molten metal injection port 114a such that a lower surface of the upper pressurizing contacts a surface of the molten metal (S14).
Here, the molten metal in Stage S13 is injected into and fills the first molten metal injection port 114a, and then is changed into a semi-solidified molten metal by being electromagnetically stirred by the electromagnet module 150 while being cooled.
As described above, when the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a coincides with the surface of the molten metal (S14), the upper pressurizing part 136a is moved down such that the molten metal is introduced towards the riser 122 closed by the lower pressurizing part 136b, and the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b, which are engaged, are rotated at high speed, such that the molten metal filling the inside of the first molten metal injection port 114a is solidified while being introduced into the cavities 120 (S15).
In S15, an upper surface of the lower pressurizing part 136b is moved down up to and fixed to a position corresponding to the bottom of the riser 122 by the upper pressurizing part 136a that is moving down while pressurizing the molten metal, and then the molten metal is solidified while being introduced into the cavities 120 along the riser 122 by the upper pressurizing part 136a that is continuously moving down.
In the meantime, in S15, when the upper surface of the lower pressurizing part 136b coincides with the bottom of the riser 122 by the action of the upper pressurizing part 136a that is moving down while pressurizing the molten metal, or otherwise the lower surface of the moving-down upper pressurizing part 136a coincides with an upper surface of the riser 122, the lower and upper pressurizing parts 136b and 136a pressurize the molten metal at the same pressure.
That is, the molten metal filling the mold part 110 is solidified while being injected towards the cavities 120 by centrifugal force provided during rotation of the rotary body 132 and pressurizing force applied between the upper and lower pressurizing parts 136a and 136b.
When the molten metal is introduced into the cavities 120 and is solidified as described above (S15), the upper mold 112a is disengaged from the lower mold 112b and then a solidified molded product is removed from the lower mold 112b, thereby completing the manufacture of the molded product (S16).
According to the first embodiment of the molded product manufacturing method using the multiple pressure casting mold as described before, since the molten metal is introduced towards the cavities 120 with the combined action of centrifugal force generated during the operation of the rotary section 131 and pressurizing force of the upper pressurizing part 136a pressurizing the molten metal during casting, the molten metal can be introduced towards the cavities 120 in a continuous, uniform manner and a molten metal-filling rate can be increased as well, thereby manufacturing a high quality molded product.
The engagement of the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b is the same as that in S11 of the first embodiment, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
When the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b are engaged (S21), the lower pressurizing part 136b is moved down such that the upper surface thereof is disposed below the riser 122 (S22), and then a liquefied molten metal is injected between the upper surface of the lower pressurizing part 136b and a lower section of the riser 122 (S23). Then, after the molten metal is completely injected (S23), the upper pressurizing part 136a is moved down into the first molten metal injection port 114a such that the lower surface thereof coincides with the surface of the molten metal while preventing the molten metal from being introduced into the riser 122 (S24).
As described above, when the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a coincides with the surface of the molten metal (S24), the lower pressurizing part 136b is moved up such that the molten metal is introduced towards the riser 122 closed by the upper pressurizing part 136a, and the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b, which are engaged, are rotated at high speed, such that the molten metal filling the inside of the second molten metal injection port 114b is solidified while being introduced into the cavities 120 (S25).
In S25, the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a is moved up and fixed to a position corresponding to the upper surface of the riser 122 by the lower pressurizing part 136b that is moving up while pressurizing the molten metal, and then the molten metal is solidified while being introduced into the cavities 120 along the riser 122 by the lower pressurizing part 136b that is continuously moving up.
In the meantime, in S25, when the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a coincides with the upper surface of the riser 122 by the action of the lower pressurizing part 136b that is moving up while pressurizing the molten metal, or otherwise the upper surface of the moving-up lower pressurizing part 136b coincides with the bottom of the riser 122, the lower and upper pressurizing parts 136b and 136a pressurize the molten metal at the same pressure.
When the molten metal is introduced into the cavities 120 and is solidified as described above (S25), the upper mold 112a is disengaged from the lower mold 112b and then a solidified molded product is removed from the lower mold 112b, thereby completing the manufacture of the molded product (S26).
According to the second embodiment of the molded product manufacturing method using the multiple pressure casting mold as described before, since the molten metal is introduced towards the cavities 120 with the combined action of centrifugal force generated during the operation of the rotary section 131 and pressurizing force of the lower pressurizing part 136b of the molten metal injection control unit 130 pressurizing the molten metal during casting, the molten metal can be introduced towards the cavities 120 in a continuous, uniform manner and a molten metal-filling rate can be increased as well, thereby manufacturing a high quality molded product.
After the molten metal is completely injected as described above (S32), the upper mold 112a is engaged with the lower mold 112b (S33), and then the upper pressurizing part 136a is moved down into the first molten metal injection port 114a such that the lower surface thereof coincides with the surface of the molten metal while preventing the molten metal from being introduced into the riser 122 (S34).
S33 is the same as S11 of the first embodiment, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
As described above, when the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a coincides with the surface of the molten metal (S34), the lower pressurizing part 136b is moved up such that the molten metal is introduced towards the riser 122 closed by the upper pressurizing part 136a, and the upper and lower molds 112a and 112b, which are engaged, are rotated at high speed, such that the molten metal filling the inside of the second molten metal injection port 114b is solidified while being introduced into the cavities 120 (S35).
In S35, the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a is moved up and fixed to a position corresponding to the upper surface of the riser 122 by the lower pressurizing part 136b that is moving up while pressurizing the molten metal, and then the molten metal is solidified while being introduced into the cavities 120 along the riser 122 by the lower pressurizing part 136b that are continuously moving up.
In the meantime, in S35, when the lower surface of the upper pressurizing part 136a coincides with the upper surface of the riser 122 by the action of the lower pressurizing part 136b that is moving up while pressurizing the molten metal, or otherwise the upper surface of the moving-up lower pressurizing part 136b coincides with the bottom of the riser 122, the lower and upper pressurizing parts 136b and 136a pressurize the molten metal at the same pressure.
When the molten metal is introduced into the cavities 120 and is solidified as described above (S35), the upper mold 112a is disengaged from the lower mold 112b and then a solidified molded product is removed from the lower mold 112b, thereby completing the manufacture of the molded product (S36).
According to the second embodiment of the molded product manufacturing method using the multiple pressure casting mold as described before, since the molten metal is introduced towards the cavities 120 with the combined action of centrifugal force generated during the operation of the rotary section 131 and pressurizing force of the lower pressurizing part 136b of the molten metal injection control unit 130 pressurizing the molten metal during casting, the molten metal can be introduced towards the cavities 120 in a continuous, uniform manner and a molten metal-filling rate can be increased as well, thereby manufacturing a high quality molded product.
The aforementioned multiple pressure casting mold and the molded product manufacturing method using the same are not limited to configurations and operating manners of the aforementioned embodiments. The embodiments may also be implemented into a variety of modifications through a selective combination of all or some of the embodiments.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2014-0014336 | Feb 2014 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2015/001234 | 2/6/2015 | WO | 00 |
