This tool is a specialized, hydraulically operated attachment—often featuring a rugged, heat-resistant rake or skimmer blade—used for surface cleaning of molten aluminium in holding furnaces, melting furnaces, or ladles.

• Function: It is used to skim and remove floating impurities like dross (oxidized metal and flux residue), non-metallic inclusions, and sludge from the surface of the liquid metal bath.
• Benefit: Improves metal quality by minimizing contamination before casting, reduces material loss during the cleaning process, and significantly enhances operator safety by maintaining distance from the high-temperature melt.

This attachment is specifically engineered to handle the hot dross (the mixture of aluminum oxide and entrapped liquid metal) skimmed from the molten bath. It often involves a purpose-built scoop or box designed to collect, transport, and often mechanically process the dross while it is still hot.

• Function: It works in conjunction with the cleaning tool, collecting the hot dross and sometimes applying pressure or agitation (known as hot dross processing) to separate and recover the maximum amount of liquid aluminium trapped within the oxide matrix.
• Benefit: Maximizes metal yield from the furnace operation, turning a waste product into a recoverable asset, and subsequently reducing the volume of waste requiring further disposal or cold dross processing.