4068 x 2959 px | 34,4 x 25,1 cm | 13,6 x 9,9 inches | 300dpi
Date de la prise de vue:
2011
Informations supplémentaires:
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron. However, other metals, such as bronze, steel, magnesium, copper, tin, and zinc, are also used to produce castings in foundries. Several specialised furnaces are used to melt the metal. Furnaces are refractory lined vessels that contain the material to be melted and provide the energy to melt it. Modern furnace types include electric arc furnaces (EAF), induction furnaces, cupolas, reverberatory, and crucible furnaces. Furnace choice is dependent on the alloy system and quantities produced. For ferrous materials, EAFs, cupolas, and induction furnaces are commonly used. Reverberatory and crucible furnaces are common for producing aluminum castings. Furnace design is a complex process, and the design can be optimized based on multiple factors. Furnaces in foundries can be any size, ranging from mere ounces to hundreds of tons, and they are designed according to the type of metals that are to be melted. Also, furnaces must be designed around the fuel being used to produce the desired temperature. For low temperature melting point alloys, such as zinc or tin, melting furnaces may reach around 327° Celsius. Electricity, propane, or natural gas are usually used for these temperatures. For high melting point alloys such as steel or nickel based alloys, the furnace must be designed for temperatures over 1600° Celsius. The fuel used to reach these high temperatures can be electricity or coke.
