WelcomeIMF Oct. 27 -28, 2010

INGOT MOLD MAINTENENCE

Bob Scarmack– Ingot Mold Sales Manager

Bill Zaben- Ingot Mold Product Engineer

John Gambone– VP sales & Marketing

Adam Scarmack- Supervisor

Ellwood Engineered CastingsHubbard, Ohio, USAEllwood Group, Inc.

Ellwood Engineered Castings

Ingot Molds are a Core Competency

EEC's mold designs range up to 20´ long

consumable electrode molds to 1.5 T for super

alloy ingots, to mammoth 157 T forging ingot

molds.

Our line of ingot mold products includes:

Stools, Sprue Plates, Center Runners, Hot Top

Castings and related products used in ingot

pouring in addition to slag pots used in electric

furnace shops.

Variety of Ingot Molds

Assorted Molds

160 T Cylindrical Forging Mold10'8" Dia. x 12'5"

92 T Cylindrical Forging Mold7’7“ Dia. x 10'

131 T Cylindrical ForgingMold 9’ Dia. X 12’8”

Improving Mold Life & Ingot SurfaceQuality Takes “TEAM” Work

Ingot molds are exposed tosevere temperature gradients

and stresses.

Introduction In ingot casting, a hollow cast iron

mold with a square, rectangular,polygonal, or round cross section isset on the cast iron stool. Finishedsteel melt is poured from a ladle intothe mold in two ways:

1. Top pouring into one mold at atime. (Vac/Vim)

2. Bottom pouring or uphill teeminginto single or multiple molds viathe spout and runner bricks.

Introduction con’t

The melt stream in top pouring hasmore exposure to air and hencesuffers from reoxidation. As thepouring stream impinges on themelt surface in the ingot mold, itcarries reoxidation products andscum back into the bulk as macroinclusions. During mold filling,metal splash adheres to the moldwalls and produces surface defectson the ingot skin, which laterrequires surface conditioning.

Steelworks Practices

Teeming Methods

Preheating

Strip Times

Cycling/Cooling/Spacing

Handling

Flailing

Grinding

Repairs

Steelworks Practices

Preheat when cold.

Mold cooling after use.

Slow cool in air, preferable withmolds on framework off the

floorand spacing of molds to ensureadequate air circulation.

Steelworks Practices con’t

Mold spacing for teeming.

Adequate space for uniform heat

dissipation. Careful design of both

bottom plate and mold is required in

order to ensure that the temperature

distribution is fairly uniform within

the mold wall.

Steelworks Practices con’t

If adjacent molds are placed tooclosely together the heatdissipation is impaired and theadjacent mold faces become hotterthan the non-adjacent faces.

Steelworks Practices con’t

This affects mold lifedetrimentally since the adventand extent of mold crazing isdirectly proportional to themaximum temperature reached,the cycle temperature change andthe number of cycles.

Steelworks Practices con’t

Rotate hot sides of mold.

Excessive pouring temperature reduces

mold life..

Handling

• Avoid rough handling during stripping.

Strip Times: Know your strip times.

Leaving ingot in mold too long

reduces mold life.

Steelworks Practices con’t

Steelworks Practices con’t

Too rapid cycling reduces mold

life.

Excessive service conditions

during the initial heats of a molds

life are more damaging than

during the later heats.

Foundry Processes

Teeming

Controlled Time/Temperature

Chemistry Control

Solidification Control

Conditioning Methods

Internal Surface Conditioning ProgramRemoves oxidized layer

and shallow cracks.

FLAILING

Helps to increase mold life by:

Peening small cracks and voids

early in molds life.

Cleans scale and flux from mold I.D.

Flailer Power Head

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

Flailer Cleaning Drums

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

Rotating Flailer Shaft in Mold

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

Mold After Flailing

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

Mold Grinding

Helps to increase mold life by:

Reducing small cracks and voids

early in molds life.

Cleans scale and flux from mold I.D.

Helps ease mold striping later in life.

Should be done on regular basis.

Flat Surface Horizontal Grinding

Photo compliments of Jim Davidson – Timken, Canton, OH

Flat Surface Parallel Surface Grinding

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

Parallel Grinding Head

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

BGH – Siegen, Germany

Small Grinding Wheelfor Corner Radius

Small Wheel Corner Grinding

Small Wheel Corner Grinding

Small Wheel Grinding Solution

Photo compliments of Kevin Smith – Universal Stainless, Bridgeville, PA

REPAIRING

Most molds are finally scrapped at the

end of their useful life either due tocrazing of the inner face, or for severecracking of the mold wall. The primeconsideration for repair is an economicone.

Welding.

Banding.

Replacing lifting lug/trunnions.

There is No “Magic Gold Mold”

Thank you

Ellwood Engineered Castings

A Unit of The Ellwood Group Inc.