Manipulator, Extended Tool, Metal Casting

Casting plants must move billets and molds in and out of high-heat zones many times each shift. Done by hand, workers must step close to the furnace mouth, absorb radiant heat, and easily lose balance as a heavy swinging load shifts. Hand tongs also cannot hold a load steady for long.

FullSharp installed a pneumatic manipulator with a custom-built extended-arm tool for this exact stage. The long arm keeps the operator at a safe distance from the heat zone, while air pressure carries the load so the hands only guide direction. The piece stays gripped firmly all the way from the furnace to the drop point.

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants

A pneumatic manipulator with an extended-arm tool used in the plant's metal casting area.

Equipment Installed

Pneumatic manipulator body: an air cylinder carries the load's weight, so the operator only applies light force to lift and lower.
Extended-arm tool: extends the gripping point away from the machine body so the operator does not need to step close to the heat zone.
Custom-fit gripping head: a clamp built to match the exact shape of the billet or ladle, so the piece does not twist loose while moving.
Valve assembly and control handle: control valves mounted on the arm let one hand operate lifting, lowering, and release.

Benefits for the Plant

Safety from the heat zone

The extended tool keeps distance between the operator and the furnace mouth, reducing burns and direct radiant heat.

The piece stays gripped

A clamp shaped to the piece keeps the billet from slipping or shaking while moving from the furnace to its drop point.

Light operation

Air pressure carries the load, letting one worker handle batch after batch without exhaustion mid-shift.

Installation Photos

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 1

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 2

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 3

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 4

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 5

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 6

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 7

Manipulator with Extended-Arm Tool for Metal Casting Plants - photo 8

Click a photo to enlarge. Album of 8 photos taken on site.

Suitable Applications

Metal casting and smelting plants
Sand mold and metal mold foundries
Hot billet removal stages
Heat treatment and quenching areas

Get a Custom Installation Consultation

FullSharp surveys the work zone temperature, the weight and shape of the piece to be gripped, and the distance from the operator's position to the furnace mouth to calculate the tool's length. We select heat-resistant materials for the gripping head and run a trial before handover. Contact FullSharp to schedule a site survey.