Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 14

16 Contact: JEFF KELLER jeff.keller@mmei-inc.com Figure 1 – Dosing Pump MOLTEN METAL DELIVERY IN LARGE PART CASTING I’d now like to focus on advancements in metal delivery for large part castings that our business Molten Metal Equipment Innovations has been involved with in support of a large California based OEM in the electric vehicle space. The size of the castings they now need to produce has required a new paradigm in which to address the new requirements. The size of the dose is the first new reality requiring that 105 kg of molten aluminum be delivered in each shot. This is more than a robotic dipper or pressure pour technology can deliver and instead the solution requires a dosing pump that can deliver this amount of metal to the die casting machine. The availability of metal is crucial and so the technology must include a continuous information loop to ensure that the metal level remains constant. A second MMEI pump equipped with our SMART technology is used to measure the biscuit after each dose so that the precise amount of metal is available to the machine to ensure that each dose is consistent with what is needed. The speed of the machine cycle is another new process requirement in that these large, accurate doses must be delivered in less than 9 seconds, requiring rapid metal movement without creating turbulence and other porosity creating opportunities. In testing we were able to get down to 4 seconds delivery time, and now in production 7-8 seconds is the rate. Metal temperature is also a critical requirement in the system and so MMEI working with our partner ASI (Advanced Systems & Integration) utilizes proprietary heated launder piping that maintains constant metal temperature throughout the process. We have also incorporated a rotary degasser into the system to ensure the highest degree of metal quality and to prevent any porosity from getting into the part. SUMMARY New advancements in manufacturing are always exciting as to how they shape the future of our industry. The drivers and the trends that they create take us in new directions that essentially are the response to market forces. It keeps us all on our toes and leads to some long days and late nights. It also takes time for these new methodologies to take hold and when the news finally breaks, it’s often years after the development work began. This is healthy and supports new investment in the development of new materials, processes and ultimately products. In our case, it has been exhilarating to work on a challenge that caused us to leave our comfort zone and branch out into some new areas. On the bigger scale, it is exciting to think about where this may take the industry and how when we all do our small part it leads to big and lasting changes for the better.