Die casting furnace system with ultrasonic unit for improved molten metal quality

Abstract

A die casting furnace system includes a die casting holding furnace unit defining a cavity for holding a molten metal. A dosing unit is disposed within the cavity and defines a dosing area disposed in fluid communication with the cavity for receiving the molten material during a pressurization of the cavity. The cavity of said die casting holding furnace unit has a first storage capacity and the dosing area of said dosing unit has a second storage capacity being less than the first storage capacity. An ultrasonic unit is operably coupled with the finitely sized dosing area and is configured to introduce vibration into the received molten material for facilitating the removal of gases from the received molten material. The treatment of the finitely sized dosing area with the ultrasonic unit leads to improved metal cleanliness and accuracy that is not achievable with prior art systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A die casting furnace system, comprising:
 a die casting holding furnace unit defining a cavity for holding a molten metal;   a dosing unit disposed within said cavity and defining a dosing area disposed in fluid communication with said cavity for receiving the molten material during a pressurization of said cavity; and   an ultrasonic unit operably coupled with said dosing area and configured to introduce vibration into the received molten material for facilitating the removal of gases from the received molten material.   
     
     
         2 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic unit includes a probe extending into said dosing area to establish said operable coupling between said ultrasonic unit and said dosing area and additionally introduce a degassing agent into the received molten material. 
     
     
         3 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said cavity of said die casting holding furnace unit has a first storage capacity and said dosing area of said dosing unit has a second storage capacity being less than said first storage capacity. 
     
     
         4 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said dosing area has an inlet disposed in fluid communication with said cavity for receiving the molten material from said die casting holding furnace unit and an outlet disposed in fluid communication with a shot sleeve for dispensing the molten material from said dosing unit and into a die casting machine after treatment with said degassing agent. 
     
     
         5 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said degassing agent includes a carrier gas and said probe is configured to generate an ultrasonic vibration for breaking up said carrier gas and introducing a plurality of cavitation bubbles into the received molten material. 
     
     
         6 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising an automated grain refining unit operably coupled with said dosing area to introduce grain refiner into the received molten material. 
     
     
         7 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said automated grain refining unit includes a wire rod positioned within said dosing area to establish said operable coupling between said automated grain refining unit and said dosing area. 
     
     
         8 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said grain refiner includes at least one of SiO 2  or TiB 2 . 
     
     
         9 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an automated metal matrix composite feed unit operably coupled with said ultrasonic unit and configured to provide said ultrasonic unit with ceramic particles; and   said probe configured to introduce said ceramic particles into the received molten material along with said carrier gas and said cavitation bubbles.   
     
     
         10 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said ceramic particles include at least one of SiC, B 4 C, or nano alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) decorated aluminum. 
     
     
         11 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising an electromagnetic pump operably coupled with said shot sleeve for moving the molten material dispensed from said outlet of said dosing area through said shot sleeve and preventing said ceramic particles from settling out of the dispensed molten material prior to reaching the die casting machine. 
     
     
         12 . A die casting furnace system as set  claim 11 , wherein said electromagnetic pump is configured to generate both Lorentz force stirring and Joule heating of the dispensed molten material. 
     
     
         13 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said inlet of said dosing area includes a check valve for allowing molten material to pass through said inlet during said pressurization of said cavity of said die casting holding furnace unit and preventing the molten material from returning to said cavity once received within said dosing area. 
     
     
         14 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said die casting holding furnace unit is a closed holding furnace. 
     
     
         15 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said probe is secured to said die casting holding furnace unit and extends downwardly into said dosing area. 
     
     
         16 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the molten material is comprised of an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         17 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said dosing unit alternates between a dosing cycle and a refilling cycle, and said ultrasonic unit is configured to introduce said vibration after said refilling cycle. 
     
     
         18 . A die casting furnace system as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said check valve is a one-way ball valve.