Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 5

control panel can both be small enough to be fitted on the ladle and withstand the environment. The inclusion of the inverter then allows the option of having differ- ent selectable and adjustable rota- tion speeds, giving the necessary degree of control to use the ladle not only for bulk transfer but also for casting individual molds. Rotating the ladle via a push button or joy- stick removes the effort involved in pouring the ladle, reducing the chance of operator fatigue. Because the operator doesn’t have any direct feedback from the effort required to rotate a motor drive ladle it is usual to fit a torque limiter overload device so that if the oper- ator accidentally rotates the ladle ontoa solidobject, suchas theedge of the mold, the drive automati- cally disengages before damage may occur. The torque limiter can be simply re-engaged by reversing the direction of rotation. ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVES WITH REMOTE CONTROL Having an electricmotor drive also allows the possibility of fitting radio remote control, thereby giving the operator full freedom to move to find the best and safest posi- tion to both operate the ladle and view the operation. Radio remote control can either be incorporated into the crane handling the ladle or as a system specific to the ladle depending on what works best for the foundry. Industrial radio remote controls are getting more compact and take advantage of the advances in battery technology to give longer operating times before the need to re-charge. Modern radio remote control systems are also designed to coexist with other radio control systems so having more than one radio control system operating in the same area at the same time shouldn’t cause a problem. POWEREDBOTTOMPOURING SYSTEMS Following on from the above, there have been recent develop- ments in powered bottompouring systems. It is usual to have a powered bottom pouring system on a static auto-pour system but powered bottom pouring systems can now be offered for ladles. The bottompour slide bar is raised, to commence the pouring, using small hydraulic cylinder powered by a small power-pack mounted on the ladle. The slide bar is designed to automatically close, stopping the pouring, once the up button is released. For safety, it also automatically closes if the control signal is lost and/or there is a power failure. Control of the powered bottom pour unit is via a radio remote control unit allow- ing the operator full freedom of movement to position himself in a safe place to oversee and control the pouring. This is especially important when pouring large or awkwardly shaped molds which would require the operator to either have to use a platform or have restricted access to control the casting operation. The powered bottom pour ladles that we have in operation in found- ries use a mains power supply and have the power unit mounted on the ladle sidearm. The power pack is linked to the hydraulic cylinder via a quick release hose which needs to be disconnected before the ladle can be rotated. The quick release couplings seal off the hose so stop any fluid leaking and the systemuses a flame retardant fluid. TECHNOLOGY IN THEWORKS – ROBUST AND SAFER However we are currently working on a self-contained unit, based around high energy re-charge- able battery units that will give a practical and safe operational time while being robust enough for the foundry environment. This allows the ladle to be used in the foundry without the need for a power supply. The power pack is part of the bottom pour assem- bly so it also enables the ladle to be rotated without first having to disconnect a hydraulic hose. A working prototype was demon- strated at the GIFA 2015 foundry exhibition and we currently have a ladle on long term trial with a foundry in Spain. It is intended to offer battery powered option as a production model later this year. Contact: Steven Harker Steven.Harker@acetarc.co.uk 12