CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-233216 filed with Japan Patent Office on Dec. 24, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FILED

The disclosure relates to a pouring apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H9-174229 discloses a pouring apparatus. The pouring apparatus manufactures a cast product by tilting a ladle in which molten metal is contained and pouring the molten metal into a mold. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S62-19727 discloses an immersion thermometer that measures a temperature of molten metal. The immersion thermometer measures the temperature of the molten metal by continuously immersing a tip part in the molten metal. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H7-112268 discloses a radiation thermometer that measures a temperature of molten metal in a non-contact manner.

SUMMARY

In the pouring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H9-174229, it is conceivable to acquire a temperature (a temperature of molten metal near the nozzle of the ladle during pouring) of molten metal in a molten metal flow at a tapping position during pouring from the ladle to the mold in order to manage the quality of the cast product. However, since the tip part of the immersion thermometer disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S62-19727 is melted, it is necessary to prepare a tip part which is made of a material not affecting the quality of the cast product, for each measurement. On the other hand, the radiation thermometer disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H7-112268 can be used to prevent temperature measurement from affecting the quality of the cast product without change of a sensor tip for each measurement.

However, since the ladle tilts during pouring, the measurement position of the radiation thermometer aligned with the tip of the nozzle of the ladle deviates. Therefore, when the radiation thermometer is adopted, it is difficult to measure the same position during pouring, and the temperature of the molten metal in the molten metal flow at the tapping position may not be accurately measured.

The disclosure provides a pouring apparatus capable of appropriately measuring the temperature of the molten metal in the molten metal flow at the tapping position without affecting the quality of the cast product.

A pouring apparatus according to one aspect of the disclosure comprises a ladle, a tilting mechanism, and a radiation thermometer. The ladle includes a nozzle and stores molten metal. The tilting mechanism tilts the ladle so that a tapping position from the nozzle of the ladle is maintained at a constant position. The radiation thermometer includes a sensor head configured to output a signal related to a temperature at a measurement position and an amplifier configured to process the signal output by the sensor head. The sensor head is disposed so that the measurement position is at the tapping position, and outputs a signal related to a temperature of molten metal in a molten metal flow at the tapping position.

In the pouring apparatus, the tapping position of the nozzle of the ladle is maintained at a constant position by the tilting mechanism. Then, the measurement position of the sensor head of the radiation thermometer is disposed in such a way as to become the tapping position. Therefore, the distance between the sensor head and the tapping position being the measurement position can be made constant, and a field-of-view range of the sensor can be made constant. Accordingly, the pouring apparatus appropriately measures the temperature of the molten metal in the molten metal flow at the tapping position without affecting the quality of a cast product.

In an embodiment, the sensor head and the amplifier may be communicably connected to each other with a fiber, and the amplifier may be disposed apart from a position at which the sensor head is disposed. Thus, for example, the sensor head can be disposed near the molten metal to improve the measurement accuracy, and the influence of the heat of the molten metal on the amplifier can be reduced by keeping the amplifier away from the molten metal.

In an embodiment, the tilting mechanism may be configured to move the ladle along a lifting axis and a front-rear axis, and turn the ladle around a tilt axis. Thus, the pouring apparatus can tilt the ladle by controlling the moving related with three axes so that the tapping position from the nozzle of the ladle is maintained at a constant position.

In an embodiment, the radiation thermometer may include an radiation unit radiating a laser from the sensor head toward the measurement position. In this case, an operator can easily adjust the measurement position of the sensor head.

In an embodiment, the ladle may include a shielding plate provided inside the ladle and shielding foreign matters advancing toward a tip of the nozzle. In this case, the pouring apparatus can prevent the foreign matters from reaching the tapping position inside the ladle. Accordingly, the pouring apparatus can prevent the decrease of the measurement accuracy for the temperature of the molten metal in the molten metal flow at the tapping position.

In an embodiment, the pouring apparatus may comprise a storage unit, an acquisition unit, and a control unit. The storage unit stores a material of the molten metal and a correction value in association with each other. The acquisition unit acquires information on the material of the molten metal. The control unit acquires the correction value stored in the storage unit based on the information on the material acquired by the acquisition unit and outputs a temperature after correction based on the acquired correction value and the signal related to the temperature. In this case, the pouring apparatus can correct the temperature for each material. Accordingly, the pouring apparatus can measure the temperature of pouring with high accuracy.

According to the disclosure, it is possible to appropriately measure the temperature of the molten metal in the molten metal flow at the tapping position without affecting the quality of the cast product.

