A dishwasher having a washing compartment; an air-guiding channel to generate an airflow; and a sorption drying system to dry items to be washed. The sorption drying system has a sorption compartment with reversibly dehydratable sorption material and the sorption compartment is connected to the washing compartment by the air-guiding channel. The reversibly dehydratable sorption material in the sorption compartment is layered in form of a sorption unit that has an inlet cross-sectional area such that the substantially identical respective air volume flow value that is applied to each entry point of the inlet cross-sectional area.

The invention meets the needs above by providing a surfactant system, mixture or blend that can be used as a part of a soaking composition. The surfactant system is capable of forming emulsions with, and thus removing, oily and greasy stains. In a preferred embodiment the surfactant compositions of the invention can remove non-trans fat and fatty acid stains. The invention involves foaming soaking compositions that have some or part of the anionic surfactant present in the same replaced with an extended chain anionic surfactant.

Strategies for tool designs and their uses wherein the tools can operate in either closed or open modes of operation. The tools easily transition between open and closed modes on demand. According to one general strategy, environmentally controlled pathway(s) couple the ambient to one or more process chambers. Air amplification capabilities upstream from the process chamber(s) allow substantial flows of air to be introduced into the process chamber(s) on demand. Alternatively, the fluid pathways are easily closed, such as by simple valve actuation, to block egress to the ambient through these pathways. Alternative flows of nonambient fluids can then be introduced into the process chamber(s) via pathways that are at least partially in common with the pathways used for ambient air introduction. In other strategies, gap(s) between moveable components are sealed at least with flowing gas curtains rather than by relying only upon direct physical contact for sealing.

A method of cleaning an internal component (14) of a process vessel (10) includes opening a guide (42) extending at least from a vessel access port or entry nozzle (38) to the internal component (14), guiding a cleaning agent/device by means of the guide (42) to the internal component (14), cleaning the internal component (14) with the cleaning agent/device, and closing the guide (42). The process vessel (10) is then operated with the guide (42) remaining in the process vessel (10).

The invention relates to a cleaning system for coffee machines, comprising a cleaning device for periodically cleaning the coffee- and/or milk-carrying components using a cleaning liquid, which contains cleaning agent in the form of balls or tablets dissolved therein, wherein the cleaning device is provided with a time- and/or product-cycle-dependent controller and a metering apparatus (1) for the cleaning agent (10) that interacts with the controller. Thus, it is possible to program the cleaning process in a customized manner according to the mode of operation and to carry out the cleaning process fully automatically according to the program. The metering of the cleaning agent (10) according to the program ensures an always optimal cleaning effect together with sparing use of cleaning agents. Simple and safe handling is achieved by using ball- or tablet-shaped cleaning agents.

This disclosure describes example antiseptic applicators that may be used in combination with one or more cleansing, antimicrobial and/or antiseptic agents to reduce or eliminate contaminates on a surface. According to some embodiments, the disclosure describes that the applicators may contain an impermeable layer and a permeable layer, where the impermeable layer prevents contaminates for transferring from a user's hand to the permeable layer and the surface.

A set of vertically stackable interacting cartridges for improving the delivery of biocide of a bulk feeder by positioning the stackable cartridges in a stacked condition within a chamber in the bulk feeder wherein the stackable cartridges are maintained in vertical interacting flow alignment with each other to provide enhanced control of the delivery of the biocide carried within each of the stackable cartridges without replacing the control valves of the bulk feeder.

In a method for multiple cutoff machining a rare earth magnet block, a cutting fluid feed nozzle having a plurality of slits is combined with a plurality of cutoff abrasive blades coaxially mounted on a rotating shaft, each said blade comprising a base disk and a peripheral cutting part. The slits in the feed nozzle into which the outer peripheral portions of cutoff abrasive blades are inserted serve to restrict any axial run-out of the cutoff abrasive blades during rotation. Cutting fluid is fed from the feed nozzle through slits to the rotating cutoff abrasive blades and eventually to points of cutoff machining on the magnet block.

A body, such as a pick tool for cutting coal, includes a steel substrate and a hard face structure fused to the steel substrate. The hard face structure includes at least 1 weight percent Si, at least 5 weight percent Cr and at least 40 weight percent W. Substantially the balance of the hard face structure includes carbon and an iron group metal M selected from Fe, Co, Ni and alloy combinations of these elements. The hard face structure includes a plurality of elongate or platelike micro-structures having a mean length of at least 1 micron, a plurality of nano-particles having a mean size of less than 200 nanometers, and a binder material.

A saw (1) being portable and/or wheeled, such as a wall saw, floor saw or masonry saw, comprising a rotatable circular saw blade (3), a drive motor (5) with an motor output shaft (9) for rotating the saw blade (3), and a transmission (20) for interconnecting the motor output shaft (9) to the rotatable saw blade (3) in order to change an unsuitable high speed and low torque combination of the motor output shaft (9) into a more useable lower speed and higher torque combination at the rotatable tool (3), wherein the transmission (20) comprises two adjustable friction saw protective clutches in parallel, which can be set at a desired predetermined value, so as to limit the maximum size of the forces that the teeth and gears of the transmission (20) are exposed to. No over dimensioning is necessary, and the transmission (20) will make out fine in rough environments. The transmission may be of single-speed or two-speed type.

Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.

Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.

A device (20) for adjusting the blade guard holder (17) arranged on the saw arm (3) of a wall saw (1), having a coupling element (25) is provided, whereby a first end of the coupling element (25) is joined to the blade guard holder (17), and, in a locked state, a second end is joined to the saw arm (3).

An apparatus, a system and a method may use a diamond-impregnated wire loop to cut an underwater pipeline. The apparatus may have a frame, a carriage attached to the frame and/or pulleys connected to the carriage. The diamond-impregnated wire loop may be connected to the pulleys. The carriage may move relative to the frame to direct the diamond-impregnated wire loop in a forward direction relative to the frame and/or through the pipeline.

A concrete saw is disclosed having a rigid metal frame, a hydraulic drive system, a water-cooled hub, and an axially rotatable trigger assembly comprising a 12 volt switch. The saw may include a hydraulic pump operable to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to the drive system. In some embodiments, the saw may includes a flow sharing valve fluidly coupled to the hydraulic drive system to distribute the pressurized hydraulic fluid from the a hydraulic pump in a portable power pack. A method of removing trip hazards with the saw is also disclosed.

A method for slicing a plurality of wafers from a crystal includes providing a crystal of semiconductor material having a longitudinal axis, a cross section and at least one pulling edge. The crystal is fixed on a table and guided through a wire gang defined by sawing wire so as to form the wafers. The guiding is provided by a relative movement between the table and the wire gang such that entry sawing or exit sawing using the sawing wire occurs in a vicinity of the at least one pulling edge of the crystal.

Wear indicators for abrasive articles are presented. Specifically, indicator marks that are parallel to a bonding edge of a grinding element are presented. Tools comprising a carrier element and one or more grinding elements comprising one or more indicators are also presented.

A protective cover for a handheld power tool, with a tool that is at least partially surrounded by the protective cover, is formed of at least a first wall element and a second wall element, which in order to form a tool space are connected to each other in a parallel-spaced arrangement. The first wall element has a first circumferential section and the second wall element has a second circumferential section. The circumferential sections overlap each other and form a circumferential wall of the protective cover, with at least one opening which is provided in the outer-lying second circumferential section and under which the inner-lying first circumferential section extends.

A hand-operated implement has a guide bar on which is fitted a cutting chain for cutting mineral and metal materials. The cutting chain is driven around the guide bar by a chain sprocket. The chain sprocket is arranged in a chain sprocket chamber which is delimited by a chain sprocket cover. A cutting element has an outer side facing a sidewall of the chain sprocket cover which lies in a first notional plane. The distance between the sidewall and the first notional plane measured perpendicular to the first notional plane and centrally between the top of the cutting element and the peripheral wall is less than approximately 0.8 cm over at least 30% of the section between a second notional plane containing the central axis of a fixing bolt on the guide bar and the exit opening at which the cutting chain leaves the chain sprocket chamber.

A method of ductile mode machining a component of a plasma processing apparatus wherein the component is made of nonmetallic hard and brittle material wherein the method comprises single point turning the component with a diamond cutting tool causing a portion of the nonmetallic hard and brittle material to undergo a high pressure phase transformation to form a ductile phase portion of the hard and brittle material during chip formation wherein a turned surface is formed from a phase changed material and the turned surface is a grooved textured surface of phase changed material.

A supporting and stabilizing shoe used with a masonry circular power saw. A shoe frame rigidly mounts to the saw's motor frame. A plate that is preferably substantially planar and bifurcated to form two substantially co-planar members with a gap therebetween pivotably mounts to the shoe frame. A spring biases the plate away from the blade, but can be overcome, and an adjustment knob tightens the plate in position relative to the blade. This provides for depth adjustment for the blade and keeps the blade at a desired angle, such as ninety degrees, to the workpiece surface. The plate extends longitudinally from the motor frame beneath the drive mechanism and the blade of the saw to provide a stable surface upon which the saw can rest during use or storage.

This invention relates to a process which may be automated for the manufacture of stone blocks for use as finished landscape stone blocks from quarry stone. The natural stone is quarried from the quarry and split into rectangular blocks, with squared ends and the top and bottom surfaces are ground with a plurality of grooves and ridges of varying heights. The ridges of varying heights are then removed thereby producing a surface having ridges of uniform height and grooves of uniform depth. The blocks may be used to form an architectural wall. The process is also applicable to pavers, steps and coping stones.

The motorized cutter with wheels (10) comprises a motorized cutter (20) and a carriage (30). The motorized cutter (20) is equipped with an engine (24), a blade (22) rotatably driven by the engine (24), and a light-emitting unit (50) that generates laser light (52) in the same plane as the plane of rotation of the blade (22). A roadbed (90) is then cut along a line (X) drawn on the roadbed (90) by operating the motorized cutter with wheels (10) so that the line (X) is irradiated with the laser light (52). It is possible to remove the motorized cutter (20) from the carriage (30) together with the light-emitting unit (50).

A method for slicing a workpiece into wafers in which a polyphosphate solution is applied to the workpiece during the slicing process. The method comprises the steps of positioning the workpiece, such as a silicon ingot, in the vicinity of a wire saw that can cut through the workpiece without the use of an abrasive slurry; causing an aqueous polyphosphate solution to contact the workpiece; and causing the wire saw to cut into the workpiece while the polyphosphate solution is in contact with the workpiece. After the workpiece has been cut into wafers, the polyphosphate solution is rinsed off of the wafers. Preferably, the wire saw used in this method is a diamond wire saw.

A chain bar unit for a wall saw is presented herein. The chain bar unit can include a bar configured to receive a circulating chain or wire around a perimeter of the bar. The chain bar unit also can include a driving gear for driving the chain or wire around the bar, the driving gear configured to be coupled to an output shaft of the wall saw. The chain bar unit further includes the bar being tapered from an end proximate to the driving gear to a distal end having a distal end radius, wherein a width of the bar at the proximate end, is at least two times the distal end radius of the distal end.

A cutting chain for a hand-operated implement for cutting metal and mineral materials such as a stone cutter has central connecting links which are connected to one another by lateral connecting links. The central connecting links comprise first central connecting links which each have a drive tooth. The cutting chain has two central connecting links with drive teeth shaped differently to the drive teeth on the first central connecting links; or located a different distance from the leading drive teeth; or having no drive teeth. A hand-operated implement for cutting mineral materials has a drive motor which drives the cutting chain around a guide bar by a drive sprocket. The cutting chain is guided round part of the circumference of the drive sprocket and round a nose sprocket on the guide bar. The drive sprocket or nose sprocket have different first and second areas matched to the cutting chain.

Systems and methods are disclosed for connecting an ingot to a wire saw with an ingot holder, a bond beam, and a bar. The bar has an angled mating surface that engages a recessed surface formed in a slot of the bond beam. Mechanical fasteners are used to connect the tee bar to the ingot holder. The angle of the mating surface with respect to the recessed surface of the slot prevents deformation of the bond beam and prevents compromising the integrity of the adhesive bond between the ingot and the bond beam.

A method for cooling a cylindrical workpiece during wire sawing includes applying a liquid coolant to a surface of the workpiece. The workpiece is made of semiconductor material having a surface including two end faces and a lateral face. The method includes sawing the workpiece with a wire saw including a wire web having wire sections arranged in parallel by penetrating the wire sections into the workpiece by an oppositely directed relative movement of the wire sections and the workpiece. Wipers are disposed so as to bear on the surface of the workpiece. The temperature of the workpiece is controlled during the wire sawing using a liquid coolant applied onto the workpiece above the wipers so as to remove the liquid coolant with the wipers bearing on the workpiece surface.

There is provided a method of cutting or drilling workpiece including stone such as marble and granite, brick, concrete and asphalt, using a frame gang saw. There are provided a workpiece cut by a frame gang saw that includes one or a plurality of blades having multiple cutting tips or that includes a blade without including a cutting tip; a method of cutting the workpiece by using a frame gang saw; and a product provided by the cutting method. The workpiece is provided to include one or more grooves into which at least a portion of at least one cutting tip among the multiple cutting tips or at least a portion of the blade without a cutting tip is inserted and which is formed in a surface thereof. Here, an initial cutting time on a workpiece may be shortened to greatly improve productivity and the quality of a product and a lifespan of a frame gang saw blade may be improved by significantly decreasing deflection in the blade.

The present invention provides a method of cutting a workpiece efficiently with high accuracy by utilizing tension adjusters to approximate tension in a wire in a wire saw to a predetermined target tension while effectively reducing only tension in a winder-side wire. The method comprises a forward-driven cutting step of cutting a workpiece while moving a wire forward, a first switching step of reversing a driving direction of the wire, a backward-driven cutting step of cutting the workpiece while moving the wire backward, and a second switching step of reversing a driving direction of the wire and returning to the forward-driven cutting step, the steps being repeated in this order. In both switching steps, only tension in a winder-side wire is reduced by tension manipulators. A reduction in target wire tension therefor is performed after completion of deceleration of the wire in each switching step.

A supply device for a handheld power tool for a cutting grinder includes a cutting tool and a protective cover which at least partially surrounds the cutting tool. The supply device includes a U-shaped element which can be arranged on the protective cover and via which a fluid medium can be supplied to the cutting tool. The U-shaped element has a connection piece on which a coupling element can be arranged. On the coupling element a pipeline can be connected via which the fluid medium can be supplied to the U-shaped element through the connection piece. The coupling element can be turned about the axis of rotation of the connection pieces.

A saw apparatus for sawing paving slabs has a frame mounted on a ground contacting propulsion member such that the frame may move above a slab to be cut without touching the slab. A first saw support assembly disposes a blade of a saw in cutting engagement with the slab for a transverse cut. A second saw support assembly disposes a blade of another saw in cutting engagement with the slab for a longitudinal cut. The saws are mounted on the saw assemblies and the saw assemblies are mounted on the frame and the frame is mounted on the ground contact propulsion members such that no part of said frame need contact the slab during cutting.

An apparatus, a system and a method may use a diamond-impregnated wire loop to cut an underwater pipeline. The apparatus may have a frame, a carriage attached to the frame and/or pulleys connected to the carriage. The diamond-impregnated wire loop may be connected to the pulleys. The carriage may move relative to the frame to direct the diamond-impregnated wire loop in a forward direction relative to the frame and/or through the pipeline.

The invention relates to a device for dressing a grinding wheel, comprising a sleeve to hold a corundum rod laterally and to guide it along its longitudinal axis, a ram to apply constant thrust force onto the corundum rod held in place and guided in the sleeve, to bring it into contact with the grinding wheel, means of rigidly connecting the ram shaft to the end of the corundum rod, and linear guide means for the sleeve for translating the corundum rod parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel while keeping the rod pressed against the grinding wheel with a constant force. Application to a centerless grinder in which the grinding wheel is used to grind nuclear fuel pellets.

Disclosed is a cast pin equipped with circular grooves which are provided at any location. The cast pin (10) is equipped with: an outer tube (11) in the shape of a hollow body the tip of which is closed; an inner tube (20) inserted into the outer tube (11); and a cooling medium pipe (30) that is inserted into the inner tube (20) and supplies a cooling medium to the interior of the inner tube (20). Three circular grooves (22) are formed at prescribed intervals in the longitudinal direction, for example, on the outer circumferential surface (21) of the inner tube (20). The circular grooves (22) are formed in the outer circumferential surface (21) by applying a cutting tool from the radial outward direction of the inner tube (20).

An arrangement for a continuous casting process. The arrangement includes a vessel having a first opening for receiving molten metal in the vessel, a second opening for discharging the molten metal from the vessel, and a body extending between the first opening and the second opening, a first magnetic arrangement attached to the body, the first magnetic arrangement having a magnetic core with legs, and coils arranged around the legs, and a power system configured to provide an alternating current superimposed on a carrier current to each of the coils, each pair of alternating current and carrier current provided to a coil forming a flow control current, wherein flow control currents provided to adjacent coils are phase shifted relative each other, thereby creating a travelling magnetic field in molten metal in the vessel. A corresponding method is also presented herein.

The present invention is a method for manufacturing a titanium ingot (30), the method being characterized by comprising: a step of melting a titanium alloy for a predetermined time by cold crucible induction melting (CCIM); a step of supplying molten titanium (6) to a cold hearth (10), and separating high density inclusions (HDIs) (8) by precipitation in the cold hearth (10) while spraying a plasma jet or an electron beam onto the bath surface of the molten titanium (6); and a step of supplying a molten titanium starting material from which the HDIs (8) are separated by precipitation to a mold (20) to obtain the titanium ingot.

Arnold (13) includes a recessed portion (21) for receiving a melt (2). The recessed portion (21) is constituted by an inner wall surface (29) for converting the melt (2) into a solidified portion when the inner wall surface (29) contacts the melt (2), and opens in a withdrawal direction (D1) of the solidified portion. A curved line formed by a first contour (23p) and a second contour (25p) has a cusp at a position of start points (43 and 45). The distance between the first contour (23p) and the second contour (25p) in a width direction (D2) increases continuously from an upstream side to a downstream side of the withdrawal direction (D1). The shape of the inner wall surface (29) of the recessed portion (21) is determined so that a cast rod (3) can be rotationally displaced clockwise or counterclockwise about an axis passing through a first end point (33) or a second end point (35) and perpendicular to a section of the mold 13.

A method of forming an earth-boring tool includes introducing metal into a die, rotating the die to generate centrifugal forces on the metal, and cooling the metal in the rotating die. A rotary drill bit may include a unitary, centrifugally cast bit body including an integral shank, at least one blade, and at least one cutting element on the blade. A rotary drill bit or a roller cone may include a first centrifugally cast material and a second centrifugally cast material. Another rotary drill bit includes a bit body comprising a maraging steel alloy. A method of forming a rotary drill bit may include disposing cutting elements on a rotary drill bit comprising maraging steel and aging the rotary drill bit to form at least one intermetallic precipitate phase. Methods of repairing a rotary drill bit include annealing and aging at least a portion of a rotary drill bit.

A computer executing a software algorithm may be used to detect a depression in a temperature profile. The temperature profile may be smoothed to eliminate noise. Next, the temperature profile's center may be extracted. A polynomial may be fitted to extracted data. An algorithm used to fit the polynomial may guarantee that the fitted curve's peak may be below the actual temperature data's peak. Next, residuals may be calculated by subtracting the fitted curve from the actual data. If there is a dip at the center, then the residuals in the center may be less than zero. The software algorithm executing on the computer may then make a decision based on a sign of the residuals. For example, residuals less than zero may indicate bar porosity. Residuals above zero may indicate no porosity. The magnitude of the residuals may then be used to classify a size of a detected defect.

Various embodiments provide systems and methods for casting amorphous alloys. Exemplary casting system may include an insertable and rotatable vessel configured in a non-movable induction heating structure for melting amorphous alloys to form molten materials in the vessel. While the molten materials remain heated, the vessel may be rotated to pour the molten materials into a casting device for casting them into articles.

A receiving housing of a hydraulic tensioning device for a traction mechanism drive in an internal combustion engine, having an opening that extends along a longitudinal axis for receiving a piston that is implemented for deflecting a tensioning rail of the traction mechanism drive. The receiving housing is a cast component, and the opening comprises an inner contour having an inner surface that comprises at least first segments and inclines for removing the workpiece from the mold in the opening. The second segments include surfaces that are directed into the inside of the opening and are aligned in parallel with the longitudinal axis. A sliding core is also provided that has an outer contour that is complementary to the inner contour of the opening of the receiving housing and fits into the opening. A traction mechanism drive and tensioning device having a receiving housing of this type are also included.

A method for the production of a hollow body from die casting aluminum in a die casting machine with a die casting die having mould parts with a stationary mould part and with at least two movable mould parts. The movable mould parts are guided in at least one further movable mould part of the die, so that, in the closed position of the die, the movable mould parts are blocked at least by way of an interlock which is attached to the stationary mould part.

The core sand filling device includes the core box, a blow head which is placed below the core box so as to move up and down in a relative manner to the core box and divided into a sand blowing chamber and a sand storage chamber that are communicatively connected to each other, a compressed air supply unit which is communicatively connected to the sand storage chamber and supplies compressed air into the sand storage chamber, an aeration air supply unit which is communicatively connected to the sand blowing chamber and supplies into the sand blowing chamber aeration air for suspending and fluidizing core sand inside the sand blowing chamber, and an exhaust valve which is communicatively connected to the sand blowing chamber and exhausts compressed air remaining in the sand blowing chamber.

A multi-wall ceramic core for casting an airfoil with one or more internal cooling passages is made by preforming at least one fugitive core insert to have a joint-forming surface with a male and/or female joint feature and then forming at least one fugitive core insert in-situ adjacent and integrally connected and fused to the at least one preformed core insert at the joint-forming surface to form an interlocked, fused joint to form a composite core insert that includes features to form internal passage surfaces in the core when the composite core insert is removed. Another aspect involves preforming first and second fugitive core inserts to have respective joint-forming surfaces with respective snap-fittable joint features and assembling the first and second fugitive core inserts to form a composite core insert by snap fitting the snap-fittable joint features together to form an interlocked joint. The composite core insert is placed in a core molding die cavity, and a fluid ceramic material is introduced into the die cavity to form the ceramic core body incorporating the fugitive composite core insert therein.

The invention concerns a bearing component (Ia, Ib, 1, 7, 9) for a rolling (13, 14, 16) or sliding bearing (19), wherein the bearing component (Ia, Ib, 1, 7, 9) is one of an inner ring (Ia, 1), an outer ring (Ib, 7), a rolling element (9), a cage, or a guide ring. The bearing component (Ia, Ib, 1, 7, 9) comprises a first material (2), and a second material (3) joined to the first material (2), wherein the second material (3) and the first material (2) having been joined by a semi-solid metal process.

A nickel strip is made from a starting material of solid cathode sheets having a minimum nickel content of 99.94% by weight and a maximum trace element content, in ppm by weight, of

An apparatus for press casting includes a casting mold formed of a fixed mold and a first moving mold operable to move relative to the fixed mold. The apparatus further includes a second moving mold operable to move relative to the first moving mold. A mold cavity, which forms a cast product, is configured by the fixed mold and the second moving mold. When the first moving mold is moved to a first predetermined position, a molten metal passage and a gas exhaust port, which communicate with the mold cavity, are formed at positions outside the mold cavity. A communication between the mold cavity and the molten metal passage, and the gas exhaust port is cut off by the second moving mold when the second moving mold is moved to a second predetermined position while the first moving mold is maintained at the first predetermined position thereof.

Provided herein are various embodiments of systems for casting thin metal plates and sheets. Typical embodiments include layers of mold cavities that are oriented vertically for casting the metal plates. In some embodiments, the mold cavities include a beveled edge such that the plates that are cast have a beveled edge. In some embodiments, the mold cavities are filled with a molten metal through an open horizontal edge of the cavity. In some embodiments, the mold cavities are filled through one or more vertical feed orifices. Further disclosed are methods for forming a thin cast metal plate or sheet where the thickness of the cast part is in a range from 0.005 inches to 0.2 inches, and the surface area of the cast part is in a range from 16 square inches to 144 square inches.

A new method for continuous casting of molten metal is provided that allows one to obtain an intermediate product such as slab, billet wire, etc. before subsequent thermomechanical treatment (e.g. lamination or annealing), such that its chemical composition is modified by the addition of elements in order to give it greater mechanical strength.