RIGHT™ Slab Casting System

Almex slab (rolling ingot) tooling has been developed from critical end-use applications and diverse requirements. The technology, know-how and process understanding required to push the boundaries of casting capabilities is inherent in all of Almex’s tooling solutions today. Through over a century of combined hands-on casting experience, the latest generation of Almex slab tooling defines the industry standard for casting performance, user friendliness, operational ease, safety and maintenance ease in the marketplace today. The RIGHT™ slab tooling system forms an integral part of the complete casthouse technology and equipment supply package provided by Almex.

Almex can also provide the necessary engineering, process and project management experience and services to successfully retrofit existing casting lines with Almex tooling systems with cost effective solutions which minimize downtime and optimize the capabilities of the existing casting line configurations.

Whether supplying to established metal producers or new, green field operations, Almex’s team of specialists will work closely with the client’s team of engineers, process experts, business managers and financial teams to ensure the final solution is optimized to meet the entire organization’s needs. Critical focus will be to provide the highest quality product to specification for the casthouse’s customers, whether that be downstream cost centers or external clients.

Almex RIGHT™ tooling systems provide the optimum in casthouse performance, alloy flexibility, and size capability. As with all of Almex casthouse solutions, the slab tooling systems are based on three basic principles: Safety, Simplicity and Performance.

Almex’s double chamber RIGHT™ all aluminum alloy mold is designed with the following key features:

1. The auto lubrication supply mold system is designed to give minimum liquation thickness and enhanced aluminum recovery.

2. Stability of mold bore geometry is assured by design of section providing highest bend modulus. Beam type wall design gives the mold a required sturdiness to withstand rough handling or severe casting conditions involving high cooling water temperature and slow casting speeds.

 

3. Each mold is equipped with a pressure gauge to allow instant detection of minute water flow changes resulting from any variations in cooling water supply throughout the course of the drop.

4. Internal mold cleaning is made extremely simple by providing a removable bottom plate and internal baffle ring.

5. Water holes are so configured that heat transfer is achieved through water curtain rather than individual jet streams. This facilitates higher casting speeds and reduced sub-surface liquation band.

6. The surface areas of entry ports, baffle ring holes and water ejection holes are maintained in such ratios that the pressure loss or water hammering does not occur inside the mold when increasing or decreasing water volume during the start up.

7. Specialized corner geometry keeps the edge ripples and the butt curl to a minimum providing smooth as cast surface.

8. Final delivery of lubricant is by anti-gravity capillary oozing action providing highly uniform lube supply. This assures uniform surface finish from beginning to the end of the drop.

9. Freedom in mold positioning (on mold table) allows complete concentricity between mold bore and starting head.

10. Mold crown optimized for specific alloy solidification shrinkage characteristics to ensure optimum scalping recovery. When several alloy series are to be cast on a single tooling size, the crown optimization is based on production requirements for each alloy and scalping recovery calculations.