Novelis, Inc.

John Robert Buster McCallum

Adwait Thakur

Phillip Wilson

Todd F Bischoff

Aaron David Sinden

William M Betts

Larry Hudson

Richard Shockley

Robert Bruce Wagstaff

Michael R Kosmicki

John Steven Tingey

Jason D Hymas

Tina J Kosmicki

Brent Opdendries

Adarsh Gupta

Augusto-Cesar Silva

A metal casting system includes a master conveyor, a slave conveyor, a cutting device, and a control system. The master conveyor includes a first belt and a first motor, and the slave conveyor is separated from the master conveyor and includes a second belt and a second motor. The cutting device is between the master conveyor and the slave conveyor and selectively cuts a metal product that is conveyed by the master conveyor and the slave conveyor. The control system includes a sensor that detects ends of sections of the metal product as the sections of the metal product move in a downstream direction. The control system also includes a controller communicatively coupled with the sensor. The controller selectively controls at least one of the first motor or the second motor based on the detected ends from the sensor.

Systems and methods for controlling conveyors during casting

Methods and systems for sorting mixed metal scrap may first determine a sorting attribute of each article of metal scrap, and subsequently mark each article with a machine-readable or visually identifiable mark according to the sorting attribute. The articles of mixed metal scrap can be sorted along a high throughput conveyance using a series of sensors to scan the articles for the machine-readable marks, and rapidly sorting marked articles to appropriate sorting destinations based on detecting the machine-readable marks, and without requiring repeat identification by metal analyzers at the sorting step.

Continuous rapid metal sorting via machine-readable marking

Systems and methods are disclosed for an event detection system that captures data associated with events while a DC casting system forms an ingot, determines characteristics of the events, and improves the casting system based on the events. Example systems and methods may include initiating a casting operation using one or more pieces of equipment of a casting system including a casting apparatus; capturing sensor data associated with one or more acoustic signals captured relative to the one or more pieces of equipment performing the casting operation; comparing the sensor data with a set of acoustic profiles; determining whether a particular type of event has occurred; causing an adjustment to the casting system or to the casting operation based on whether the particular type of event has occurred; and initiating a second casting operation using the adjusted casting system or casting operation.

Sensing events in a metal casting system

Systems and associated methods are provided for controlling the shape of an ingot head during formation. At the end of a cast, prior to forming the ingot head, chill bars or other cooling structure may be lowered into an ingot mold and define a reduced casting footprint for forming the ingot head. Supplemental molten metal may be fed into the reduced casting footprint, and the chill bars may be moved laterally towards the center of the ingot, further reducing the casting footprint. As additional molten metal fills the reduced mold footprint, the ingot may be lowered relative to the chill bars to further increase the height of the ingot head. Additional molten metal may be added until the desired shape of the ingot head is formed.

Method of controlling the shape of an ingot head

A monitoring system may monitor a casting environment, for example, including a mold. The monitoring system may include a camera and a computer system. The camera may be positioned to capture or detect optical data associated with one or more components in a casting environment. The camera may send the optical data to the computer system and the computer system may generate a profile associated with the casting environment. The profile may be compared with a baseline profile to determine whether a particular event has occurred. Based on the event that may have occurred, operating instructions can be generated. The operating instructions may be used to adjust the casting process.

Monitoring casting environment

A monitoring system may monitor a gap between an ingot and a bottom block of a mold. The monitoring system may include a camera and a computer system. The camera may be positioned to capture or detect optical data associated with one or more molds positioned in a casting environment and send the optical data to the computer system. The computer system may compare the optical data with a baseline profile. Based on the comparison between the optical data and the baseline profile, the computer system may determine if the ingot has separated from the bottom block and the height of the separation. The computer system may generate operating instructions based on the separation. The operating instructions may be used to adjust the casting process.

System and method for monitoring ingot detachment from bottom block

Automated processes and systems dynamically control the delivery rate of molten metal to a mold during a casting process. Such automated processes and systems can include automatically controlling a flow control device (such as a control pin) during a first phase of casting to modulate molten metal flow or flow rate, moving the flow control device in a transition time between the first phase and a second phase toward a substitute flow control device position determined based on a difference between a first projected flow rate of the first phase and a second projected flow rate of the second phase, and resuming automatic control of the flow control device during the second phase based on the detected metal level and the metal level setpoint. Overshoot and/or undershoot can additionally or alternatively be mitigated by translating the mold or altering the cast speed.

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Spokane, WA, United States of America

John Robert Buster McCallum