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Vertical Casting Horizontal Casting
The technology of molding liquid metal has improved over the years. Rather than pouring the molten metal from the top, the casting crucible is furnace-fed by an under pouring method from a continuous melting source.
The molten metal is maintained at the correct holding temperature in a totally enclosed crucible. Any dirt, dross or gases present rise to the top of the melt and are left behind in the casting process. Acting as a riser, the metal prevents the formation of shrinkage cavities which would otherwise introduce imperfections in the final product.
As the metal flows down into a water-cooled die at the bottom of the crucible, solidification of the alloy takes place and the cast product continues smoothly downward through rollers beneath the die.
With precise temperature control, the rollers withdraw the cast metal at a carefully controlled rate determining the grain structure and metallurgical properties for the ideal finished product. Virtually any shape that can be extruded can be continuous cast.
While vertical casting has been the backbone of Concastīs production for over a third of a century, the newly introduced horizontal casters are better suited for aluminum bronzes due to the materialīs metallurgy. As a result, the new Birmingham plant has been dedicated almost exclusively to the production of aluminum bronze.
The manufacturing of Concast bars is a precisely timed process. Even the cutting of the bronze alloy bars is orchestrated. A traveling saw, synchronized with the moving continuous casting, automatically cuts the bar into uniform lengths for delivery to cooling racks and then to inventory. Custom lengths, such as 13, 26 and 52-inch, can be cut from stock. Whether an order calls for standard or custom-cut lengths, straightness is a critical requirement for continuous cast bronze. All Concast bars are Medart straightened to allow maximum speed through the userīs high speed machining centers. In-house facilities to make our own dies through computer-controlled technology also contributes to decreased manufacturing wait time.
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Vertical Schematic
Horizontal Schematic
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