AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED COOLING OF ALUMINUM CASTINGS IN SAND MOLDS

摘要

An improved and efficient method and apparatus for convective cooling of cast sand molds containing molten metal, utilizing vertically-arrayed cooling stations (preferably arranged on a plurality of shelves inside a housing enclosure for temporarily storing said sand molds during their cooling from a molten temperature level to a lower solidification temperature. A draft of cooling air is circulated through said stations in said housing whereby the time for solidifying the molten metal in said cast sand molds is reduced as compared with passive air cooling of said molds. Robot means are provided for moving hot sand molds from a feeding port in said housing to said shelves and for moving cooled sand molds from said shelves to a delivery port in said housing. The robot means is programmed so that the time period of each mold is maintained within said housing according to the individual time required for the solidification of the metal in such individual mold (based on empirical data for typical solidification required for the given individual cast sand mold package or based on other appropriate discernible physical property attributable to achieved solidification).