Coldbox coreshooting machines provide rugged, versatile solutions.

When designing products for use in a foundry, an inside knowledge of the metalcasting industry is always helpful. Knowing the intricacies and needs of a foundry sent AHB looking to a metalcaster to design a coldbox coremaking machine that would be versatile enough and easy enough to use in almost any operation.

Distributed in the U.S. by AHB North America, North Pekin, Ill., the machines have shooting volumes ranging from 9775 lbs. (3-250 liters) and can handle up to four-part coreboxes, plus loose pieces. But what's unique about the machines is that they can be as simple or as complex as the customer requires. The coreshooters can be set up by either hydraulic clamping or with C-bolts, the latter of which saves time and money. Tooling can be as inexpensive as wooden coreboxes, but cast iron, aluminum and urethane coreboxes work as well. They also can be constructed with or without constrictor plates to keep costs down. Fixturing can be done if a lot of the same type of tooling is required.

The machine has air tanks built into the top of the frame so there is no extra equipment outside of the envelope, and hydraulic tanks are located outside of the column to also keep the size of the machines down.

The coreshooters are easily controlled by an industrial control panel with an LCD screen that has stored program control. The Windows-based touch screen control system runs on PCs and is comprised of mostly off-the-shelf components, resulting in easy maintenance. The control panel also can be hooked up to a phone line and connected to AHB's headquarters in Germany so troubleshooting can be done by the manufacturer. The data memory can store up to 1,000 coreboxes and allows for online diagnostics. The computer screen is equipped with several check points, alerting operators as to exactly where an error has occurred.

The machines are equipped with hydraulic closing cylinders and table cylinders to provide high closing and pressing forces, yielding the best core quality possible. The system can handle vertically-parted coreboxes as small as 11.8 x 13.3 x 19.6 in. and as large as 39.3 x 57 x 78.7 in. For horizontally-parted coreboxes, the machines can accommodate ranges of 21.2 x 1.3 x 19.6 in. to 74.4 x 57 x 78.7 in.

AHB's largest machines have a side clamping force tip to 14,330 lbs. (6,500 kg) with the holding force of the side clamps reaching 28,660 lbs. (13,000 kg). The dimensions of clamping plates range from 5.9 x 11.8 in. to 15.75 x 23.6 in. The machines also are designed for efficiency, with cycle times of 10-32 sec. for horizontally-parted boxes and 13-38 sec. for vertically-parted coreboxes.

AHB's line of coreshooters can be designed without all of the bells and whistles, or features can easily be added to make a more complex machine. The versatility and small footprint helps the machines fit into nearly every foundry operation and can keep costs down at the same time.

Select No. 027 at www.moderncasting.com/info

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