Gravity die casting plant for metal-foam mouldings

Abstract

A gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings comprises at least one die ( 2, 3, 4 ), one reservoir ( 16 ) for the metal melt and at least one metering and mixing device ( 11, 12, 13 ) for metering and mixing a foam-generating medium with the melt, at least one gate box ( 7 ) being arranged between the die ( 2, 3, 4 ) and the reservoir ( 16 ), and the metering and mixing device ( 11, 12, 13 ) being arranged in the gate box ( 7 ).

1 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings, comprising at least one die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ), a reservoir ( 16 ) for the metal melt and at least one metering and mixing device ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ) between the reservoir and the at least one die for metering and mixing a foam-generating medium with the melt, wherein at least one gate box ( 7 ) is arranged between the die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) and the reservoir ( 16 ), and the metering and mixing device ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ) is arranged in the gate box ( 7 ).  
   
   
       2 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 1 , wherein the gate box ( 7 ) comprises a plurality of gate regions ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ).  
   
   
       3 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 1 , wherein the metering and mixing device ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ) for metering and mixing the foam-generating medium with the melt is arranged in each of a plurality of gate regions ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ) of the gate box ( 7 ).  
   
   
       4 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 3 , wherein each of a plurality of dies ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) is arranged so as to be connectable to a gate region ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ).  
   
   
       5 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one gate region ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ) is arranged so as to be connectable to each die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ).  
   
   
       6 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 4 , wherein each die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) has a different geometry.  
   
   
       7 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 4 , wherein the gate regions ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ) in the gate box ( 7 ) are arranged so as to be spatially separated from one another.  
   
   
       8 . Gravity die casting plant ( 1 ) for metal-foam mouldings according to  claim 4 , wherein the dies ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) and/or the gate box ( 7 ) are/is designed with a heating and/or cooling system.  
   
   
       9 . Method for the production of metal-foam mouldings in a gravity die casting plant according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of: 
 feed of the melt in the reservoir ( 16 ),    build-up of pressure in the gravity die casting plant ( 1 ), the melt being pressed from the reservoir into the gate box ( 7 ) and into the die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ),    introduction of gas into the melt,    discharge of pressure from the gravity die casting plant ( 1 ), and    adherence to a holding time for cooling the die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ), wherein the gas is introduced by means of an impeller agitator ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ) in the die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) filled with melt, and in that, during the casting operation, at least the method parameters comprising the density of the metal foam and the temperature in the gate box ( 7 ), in the gate region ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ) and in the die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) can be set and controlled independently of one another in each gate box ( 7 ), in each die ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) and in each gate region ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ).