STATES PALLET LINES PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY NEEDED IN YOUR MOLD HANDLING SYSTEM
A Pallet line system is still one of the most flexible ways of handling your molds from molding machine to shakeout. It is equally efficient for low production squeezer jobs or high production automatic molding machines.
The mold storage area before the pouring zone allows the molder to continue to produce even though there is a delay in poring or shakeout. This cushion is necessary in most foundries because the molding, pouring and shakeout operations cannot be closely synchronized.
Heavy- duty pallet cars, with hardened steel wheels and sealed ball bearings, ride on special round edge reversible steel rails. The result is an exceptionally smooth ride for molds with a minimum amount of physical effort required to move them.
From the mold storage area, pallet cars are moved into the pouring zone as required. Cars from adjacent lines are positioned for straight-line pouring. Since molds are at a minimum height, pouring is quick and safe.
Weights and jackets can be set either manually or with air operated devices. The air-assisted setters eliminate the physical effort of shifting the weights and jackets, plus doing it in a more gentle way.
After the weights and jackets are removed, the pallet car is moved into the cooling zone, which has been sized for adequate cooling. Smooth movement on rails will minimize mold crumbling in this area also.
From cooling, the pallets are moved onto the mold dump unit. This device tilts up to remove sand and castings, while retaining bottom board on the pallet car. It then tilts back down allowing the car with boards to return underneath back to the molder.
This type of mold handling system allows storing the greatest number of molds for any giving area. The only area not used for mold storage is the aisle required for pouring.
In summary, a pallet line provides these advantages: 1) eliminates the need for synchronization of molding, pouring and shakeout; 2) provides smooth travel for molds; 3) pouring is quick and safe; 4) shakeout is simple; 5) bottom boards are returned to molder; 6) maximum utilization of floor space for mold storage is possible; 7) increases molder productivity.
If you would like to see how a States Pallet System could benefit you, call or write and or E-mail us, and we will make an appointment to visit your foundry.
- Two-position pallet retrieve raises empty car to this intermediate position for easy loading of molds. No need for lifting of the molds from molding machine to pallet car prevents molder fatigue and increases production.
- When the pallet car id filled with molds, molder actuates air valve, which raises loaded car to upper position. An empty car automatically moves into the proper position for its raising from the return rails underneath.
- At the upper level, the loaded pallet car is pushed into storage zone by the molder. The pallet retrieve is then lowered to receive the next empty car. This car is then raised to the intermediate position for loading.
- This tilting pallet retrieve allows the molder to manually roll the empty car up to the carrying rails. This is the most economical type lift mechanism and can be used when pallet cars are not heavy.
- For heavier pallets and high lifts, an air operated pallet retrieve is used. An empty transite top car is shown being positioned by simple actuation of an air valve by the molder, thus preventing fatigue.
- An air operated dump mechanism drops molds onto the grating over an under-the-floor type conveyor. Shakeout man actuates air vale to dump, and then reverses it to return empty car back to molder on lower rails.
- This air operated mold-dump drops sand and castings into an oscillating pan conveyor, which conveys them to a central shakeout. Pallet car with bottom boards id then returned underneath to molder.
Plan below shows the conventional pallet line system with separate dumps at the end of each line. Sand and castings are transported in a pan conveyor to a central shakeout.
