Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 14

Continued on next page feeding systems. The principle of this unique design, used in horizontally parted molding applications, allows the upper section to telescopically slide over the lower section during the compaction process minimizing pressure to the lower section and avoiding any breakage. This compressing of the upper section leads to additional compaction of the molding sand in the transition areas between the feeder and the casting, precisely where poorly compacted sand may occur in other feeding systems. The two piece system also can be used to further optimize the feeder‘s performance. The upper part of the feeder is shaped to increase modulus and as a factor of geometrical calculation, holds less liquid versus traditional feeders. The lower part keeps the metal contained within the feeder liquid and extends the feeder solidification time to a greater degree than feeders without a feeder neck using exothermic materials. The oval and round contacts used in telefeeders are designed to allow access to hidden surfaces close to hot spots. These designs allow placement of the feeder where efficiency is the highest and is a critical path to meeting quality requirements of today’s castings. Flexibility to use different exothermic formulas which are specific to the casting application, add critical exothermic heat in the neck area--the heart of the feeding—and distinguish TeleFeeders from other feeders and risers available on the market. Aluminum Application - The same TeleFeeder are now being utilized for aluminum and other non-ferrous casting in automatic green sand molding applications. By applying the TeleFeeder designs and changing the formula to insulating, beneficial results are available for the aluminum casting. The lower section can be modified to meet the feeding requirements while also contributing to the ease of riser removal. As with the ferrous application, the TeleFeeder is designed to collapse and not crush under the pressure of automatic molding. TeleFeeder technology for aluminum applications offer molten metal feeding for elimination of chills in providing sound castings. Side Insert Feeder - This new side insert feeder is an engineered solution to enable feeding of cross sections where the hot spot area has not been accessible with a sand riser installed on the pattern. The new one-piece side insert feeder is not molded onto the pattern plate, instead it is inserted into the mold by the core setter. It allows placement on any area of the casting and makes testing and modification achievable. The cycle time on automatic machines stays the same—with no slow down—and adds a highly valuable component in the solidification process. The feeder works for all castings where the side feeder can be positioned on the mold partition. At the same time, it frees up additional space on the pattern plate for more impressions on the existing real estate which provides lead time and productivity improvements. Given the exothermic properties, the efficiency of this technology is much higher than sand feeders. Because less feeding mass is required, it is now possible to produce more castings with the same production capacity while improving yields. Another advantage is that the geometry of the feeder provides directional solidification. The contact area between the feeder and the casting is optimized and contact area is reduced at the same time. This makes it easier to break off the riser and significantly reduces cleaning costs. In addition, two small openings provide excellent ventilation during pouring reducing the potential of gas defects. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS 23