Charging
CHARGING MACHINES
for top safety and productivity levels
The melting process efficiency begins with good charging practices. Automated charging gives consistent reliable practices that minimizes cycle times and fuel usage and maximizes aluminum recoveries.
Benefits
- 100% staff safety - fully automated charging
- Increased productivity, shorter cycles
- Increased metal recovery
- Less dross generation
- Improved refractory life and less maintenance
- Accurate weight monitoring with load cells
- Suitable for all scrap types
The RIA automated charging machine is composed of three rigid steel frame sections. The base of the rail guided car is the traveling frame with wheel blocks. It can be designed to travel in multiple directions. This frame is equipped with two laser systems. One, for precise placement of the unit in relationship to the furnace door and the second checking for obstacles or personnel in the way of the moving frame. The intermediated frame is connected to the traveling frame by load cells. The integrated load cells record charge weights and cumulate the charging cycle to a furnace weight. This provides immediate recovery information for process monitoring. Additionally, the intermediate frame is equipped with support, guiding and drive elements for the upper carriage. The upper carriage performs the actual charging cycle. The forward section is built as a container to accommodate up to 50 cubic metres of scrap or sows, weighting up to 20 tons. The actual dimensions will vary in relation to the furnace size. The upper carriage can be designed to swivel to allow scrap charging from various directions relative to the machine. The drive for the pusher is located at the back of the unit. During charging the container enters the open furnace. As soon as the container is fully extended the pusher starts to drop the material into the furnace. At the same time the retraction of the container starts simultaneously to distribute the Aluminum evenly over the bath area. This procedure assures the highest melt rates and the lowest metal losses.
We offer a wide range of Charging Machines for one or several furnaces:
- Cross and/ or longitudinal travel
- Swiveling machine or swiveling container
The next generation of cutting-edge technology now offered by RIA relies on artificial intelligence (AI). The charging machine combined with the use of AI, in furnace camera system determines the ideal point to charge the furnace and starts the automatic cycle. The autonomous charging is independent of any operator and guarantees maximum output and highest safety standards.
Furthermore, this feature insures furnace temperature loss is reduced to a minimum due to a maximum charge cycle time of 120 seconds. This minimizes the temperature drop of the furnace atmosphere and the refractory lining. During loading with a RIA charging machine there is virtually no furnace refractory temperature losses. This results in an improved energy consumption and increased productivity of the furnace. Some customers have noted as much as a 20 percent improvement in furnace throughput over standard charging practices. This continuous and automated furnace process reduces stress on the refractory lining significantly.
An important additional advantage to using this full AI system on the RIA charging machine is occupational safety. Operators are no longer required in this very dangerous area of the melting process. The dangers of charging wet scrap are eliminated from the operators concerns. Our next goal is to use AI to monitor scrap safety and initiate shut down and remediation practices if we detect wet scrap charged into the furnace through our monitoring systems.
Technical Details
- Scrap quality: Chips, bundles, lose profiles, large solids, sows and t-bars
- Capacity: Up to 25 t / 50 m³ or 55,000 lb / 1,750 ft³
- Cycle time: Less than 120 seconds
- Design: Multi-directional charge cars, Rotating charge cars