RFM Thin Wall Ladle Contributes to Enhanced Metal ... - Pyrotek, Inc.

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Contributes to
Enhanced Metal Casting Productivity
Jeffrey King
Pyrotek, Inc., Columbia City, IN
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
RFM Material
– RFM = Reinforced Fiberglass Material
– Composite laminate of fiberglass fabric
and Calcium Silicate or Fused Silica
slurry
– Complex shapes
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Universal Mount Ladles Introduced 2004
– Capacities 1 Lb to 100 Lb
– Walls 20 to 25mm thick
– Embedded steel reinforcement
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Universal Mount Ladles Introduced 2004
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Universal Mount Ladles Did Not Address
Needs of the High Pressure Die Caster
– Small operating environment – not a lot
of space.
– Caused problems fitting in small dip
wells and rotated into machine platen.
– Shot weight of 4 to 20 Lbs – do not need
extensive internal support structure.
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
High Pressure Die Caster Needs
– Thin Walls, 7mm thick, tight spaces
– Consistent shape, consistent pour
– Non wetting, less skull build-up
– Capacities 2 Lbs – 20 Lbs
– Insulating material, less heat loss
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Design Features
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Universal Mount Ladle
Thin Wall Ladle
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Reduced interference with machine platen
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Insulating walls – better heat retention
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
Fiber laminate ladle with build-up
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Development
RFM Ladle with BN coating & less Build-up
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Case Study
RFM Thin Wall Ladle
Fiber Laminate Ladle
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Case Study
• 8 machines
• 24 hrs./day, 5 days/wk.
• Cycle time is 70 seconds, 1,234 shots/day
• Two castings/shot, 2,468 parts/day
• Baseline - 12 Lb fiber laminate ladle
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Case Study
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

Case Study Results
• Reduction in non-fill casting scrap due to
skull build-up in the ladle. 18% reduction
in down-time to remove skull in the ladle.
• Service life of 6 months for RFM Thin Wall
Ladle vs. 2 months life for fiber laminate
ladle.
• Reduced operator maintenance time.
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle Conclusions
• Reduces build-up of aluminum inside the ladle - a
problem that leads to non-fill scrap castings.
• Reduces casting machine down time - an
expensive consequence for the die caster.
• Offers a consistent ladle shape that reduces
installation time and does not require reprogramming
of the auto-ladle robot.
• RFM ladle material reduces energy costs and
allows a lower holding temperature of the metal.
• Longer service life – less operator labor for ladle
change-out and casting machine down time.
• Lower acquisition cost vs. service life.
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA

RFM Thin Wall Ladle
Thank you.
AFS
North American Die Casting Association – 114 th Metalcasting Congress
CastExpo’10, March 20-23, 2010 Orlando, Florida USA
NADCA