AL 28-18-18 FSC
Focussed on Innovation: Low-Pressure Casting Machine AL 28-18-18 FSC
The new AL 28-18-18 FSC extends the portfolio of the Kurtz low-pressure casting machines with even more clamping area and hydraulic power. The AL 28-18-18 FSC relies on proven Kurtz low-pressure die casting technology in order to achieve even greater benefits for users through newly optimised assemblies and components. In addition to the targets set for the trimming press, this new development also aims to achieve innovative and efficient casting, smaller overall height, a toolless quick-change system for casting dies including coupling systems for casting die cooling, a tilting option for the movable clamping plate for better accessibility during blacking, for example, as well as higher opening, closing and discharge forces.
Tool format 2,800 x 2,000 (WxD)
Thanks to the innovative trapezoidal arrangement of the guide columns, tool formats with max. 2,800 mm width and 2,000 mm depth can be clamped in place. The optional hydraulic clamping system allows casting dies to be fitted faster and without aids. A stroke of 1,800 mm with 2,600 mm clear width at the closing unit permits simple removal of the components by means of the added removal unit and also provides excellent preconditions for robot automation. Milestone and highlight is without doubt the die gap detection function, which prevents aluminium leaking if the casting die is not completely closed and avoids production downtime. The redesigned furnace exchange system allows the furnace to be changed even faster. Plane-parallel docking of the furnace to the casting die makes the use of multiple riser tubes possible on a very large divided circle. Up to twelve riser tubes have been used in practice so far, although this is certainly not the limit as far as the technology is concerned. Low-pressure furnaces with a filling volume of up to 3,000 kg are the preferred standard for series production at Kurtz.
The completely new hydraulic system of the AL 28-18-18 FSC makes faster travel speeds possible with higher forces. With this system, greater clamping forces are achieved during casting, the demoulding forces can be up to 100 tonnes. The low-noise hydraulic pumps can be switched on individually in order to achieve the necessary pressures and flows – with increased energy efficiency.
Up to eight additional ejector cylinders which can be positioned flexibly on the movable clamping plate support the central ejector cylinder with up to twelve additional dies in order to make safe ejection of the components possible at any time for large-format cast or structured parts and to prevent or minimise component distortion. As an option, the central ejector cylinder can also be connected automatically to the tool ejector plate. The operator is supported by the newly developed wizard and guided through the tool change process step by step.
Special features:
highest machine availability
The cooling system of the AL 28-18-18 FSC has 96 mixing circuits available which can be connected to the tool through smooth multi-couplings. An extension to 128 mixing circuits is possible. The newly designed, web-based software interface makes the process of inputting cooling parameters for individual cooling circuits much easier, and the new user-friendly visualisation offers the user unbeatable convenience for day-to-day work. Thanks to the new server-client solution, several users can access the machine at the same time, view data and operate the machines via tablets or other devices. In order to guarantee high availability of the Kurtz casting machine AL 28-18-18 FSC, the “condition monitoring” option allows the condition of the casting machine to be monitored at all times, enabling possible stoppages or downtimes to be detected early and any resulting maintenance work to be planned.
Sensors and monitoring devices make it possible to display machine status and retrieve this at any time via software. Some examples of this: Display of energy consumption, leak detection, filter service lives, pressure monitoring as well as spindle and guide wear. Kurtz is perfectly equipped for the future of low-pressure casting – are you?