Casting furnaces with integral vertical mould

The production of thin-walled precision tubes with tolerances of ±0.1 mm in lathed quality makes great demands on a process-oriented furnace concept which permits quick changing of the mould and an uncomplicated changing of the alloy. In this context, the possibility of a direct connection of the mould to the furnace plays a vital role. The casting furnace consists of a main chamber with flanged channel-type inductor and a forehearth that accommodates a furnace brick with continuous casting mould. The furnace geometry is optimised so that the metal temperature is held constant in the mould inlet area.

The outstanding features of this furnace are:

• Mould and size changing in not more than 10 minutes
• Hydraulic direct docking of the mould
• Three hydraulically actuated positions - production, mould changing, furnace discharging
• Encapsulation against air ingress to minimise burn-off
• Low energy consumption thanks to special furnace design
• Good metal exchange between forehearth and main chamber thanks to optimised inductor positioning
• High temperature control precision

This furnace technology has found widespread acceptance in practice and is employed for plants with up to eight strands in the meantime.