Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 5

Especially when combined with a typically hot working environ- ment and the need to wear the proper heavy protective clothing. If the operator gets fatigued then mistakes are more likely to occur which at best, can cause reduction in quality and productivity, and at worst, compromise safety. LADLE WITH MOTOR DRIVES Ladleswithmotor drives have been in use for decades, but typically were only fitted to large capac- ity transfer ladles. However this is changing and smaller capac- ity casting ladles can now be offered with motor drive options. The foundry environment used to be considered to be too hostile to have the motor drive do much more than simply be able to rotate the ladle forwards and backwards at a single speed. However, with advances in control equipment, and better quality thermal protection, it is now pos- sible to fit electricmotor drives that have integral inverters so that the To commemorate this industrial past, Sheffield’s main shopping mall has a bronze statue depicting three foundry men pouring metal from a crucible into a mold. “The Teeming by Canadian Sculptor Robin Bell”, locally known as “The Steelmen”, shows themenwearing aprons, boots and leggings, with sweat cloths around their necks. No hard hats, protective googles or flame proof clothing for them. The iconic statue captures the hard and potentially dangerous nature of the work, while also showing the craftsmanship involved in the casting process. Although the statue commemo- rates the past, I think that it reflects how many still view our indus- try today. An industry of skilled craftsmen, but a belonging to a bygone age, which is why the statue always slightly jars with me when I see it. This is not the image that I get from visiting foundries and attending exhibitions. Instead what I see is an industry that is con- stantly investing and using tech- nology to improve quality, pro- ductivity, operator working con- ditions and, above all, safety. Still I suppose having a statue foundry technician with a laptop next to an Aston Martin V12 engine block wouldn’t have the same romantic appeal. Although auto-pour/pressure pour units are the standard on most automatic high speed molding lines and the use of robotic han- dling is increasing where the tasks are repetitive, the need for flexi- bility for non-automated found- ries has meant that the pouring of molten metal, using ladles, is still heavily dependent on the operator. The work can be hard and poten- tially dangerous; the best casters have a high level of skill, honed over many years and are not easily replaced. The working environ- ment is hostile with the operator having to be in close proximity to the molten metal. For a long time it might have seemed that the biggest advances for ladles were when the gearing became enclosed and the ladle shells stopped being riveted con- struction. Yet there have been technological advances, even with regard to the humble ladle, that can offer improvements to quality & productivity, working conditions and operator safety. MANUA L LY OP ERAT ED GEARBOXES Most ladles have a manually oper- ated gearbox fitted to give the operator control over the rota- tion of the ladle and to reduce the effort involved in rotating the ladle. However this effort can be still be significant over a full working shift. 11