LAUSR

There are two main reasons for researchers to focus on novel casting processes for metals. First, metals are one of the foundations of the modern industrialized world and will remain so in the future.1) Second, universities and all other research institutes have the responsibility to look for novel processes, in order to reduce operating costs and to pioneer energy and capital cost savings, so as to improve living conditions for humans in an environmentally friendly way. Fortunately, the Horizontal Single Belt Casting (HSBC) process2,3) has the potential to meet these requirements. HSBC for forming sheet metal products via a Near Net Shape Casting (NNSC) method was proposed over twenty years ago by researchers at McGill University,2) and at the University of Clausthal.3,4) As a gravity driven process, the geometry of the feeding system determines the way in which the force of gravity acts in transferring the melt from a “tundish” onto a horizontal moving belt. This indicates that the design of this system plays an extremely important role. The goal in the design of the feeding system is to achieve an iso-kinetic distribution of the melt as it flows onto the belt. Thus, the basic principles for the design of the feeding system include two aspects:1) to decrease any instabilities induced as the liquid metal leaves the slot nozzle, in the most stable way,2) to Flow Instabilities in the Horizontal Single Belt Casting Process with an Inclined Feeding System