Mould filling analysis sensor

Casting on horizontal cold chamber machines 
Numerous studies in casting laboratories are concerned with horizontal cold chamber die-casting machines. One of the problematic areas here is the interaction between casting chamber, plunger and mould filling.
The processes are extremely difficult to measure and record and it is practically impossible to avoid problems – at best they can be minimised. 

Problematic areas include:

• The changed geometry of the casting chamber during the casting process with considerable casting chamber movements due to thermal and mechanical pressure 
• The inclusion of air and casting gases in the melt due to the setting of the plunger movement in the pre-filling stage 
• The cooling down and in some cases solidification of the melt in the casting chamber because of heat dissipation through the casting chamber and plunger
• Melt which has solidified in the casting chamber cannot be used for mould filling. Pre-solidified areas close parts of the ingate so that only part of the ingate is effective for filling the mould 
• In particular, the solidified part of the melt in the casting chamber is not available for feeding the shrinking volume as the mass cools down in the mould cavity and during the transition from liquid to solid. The result is shrinkage cavities in the castings. 

Deployment of the MFCS sensor
The aim is to be able to measure, register and analyse faults that occur in a certain area with the MFCS sensor and, if need be, to correct the problem by resetting the plunger.