System and method of making a cast reverse tilt-poured fuel cell cradle

A method of manufacturing a cast aluminum reverse tilt-poured fuel cell cradle for a fuel cell, the method comprising:

• providing a cast mold having cavities to form the cradle, the cradle comprising:
• a plurality of support legs interconnectedly arranged to define a framework having first and second sides for supporting the fuel cell, the framework having a length greater than a width to define a longitudinal axis formed along the length, the framework having horizontal and vertical casting orientations about the longitudinal axis for casting the cradle, each of the plurality of support legs having peripheral edges thereabout, each of the plurality of support legs having a first outer ridge and a second outer ridge formed on the peripheral edges relative to the vertical casting orientation on the second side of the framework, each of first and second the outer ridges extending therealong on the second side, at least one of the plurality of support legs having one inner ridge formed away from the peripheral edges and extending thereacross on the second side;
• and
• a plurality of peripheral bosses formed on the second side of the framework for structural attachment to define a riser contact area, each peripheral boss having a boss diameter, each peripheral boss formed on one of the plurality of support legs and in abutment with one of the first outer ridge and the inner ridge;
• providing a feeding mechanism disposed about the cast mold and in fluid communication with the cavities thereof, the feeding mechanism comprising:
• a runner disposed about and in fluid communication with the cast mold;
• a plurality of ingates in fluid communication with the runner and the cavities of the cast mold, each ingate having a first side connected to the runner extending to a second side connected to the cast mold;
• and
• a plurality of primary risers connected to and in fluid communication with cavities of the cast mold, each primary riser being connected to one of the plurality of support legs at one of the riser contact areas on the second side and arranged adjacent to the one peripheral boss, each primary riser being arranged vertically above the one peripheral boss relative to the horizontal casting orientation of the framework;
• providing a tilt apparatus moveably connected to the cast mold and the feeding mechanism;
• melting a first metallic material at a predetermined temperature to define a molten metallic material;
• moving, using the tilt apparatus, the cast mold and the feeding mechanism from the horizontal casting orientation to the vertical casting orientation about the longitudinal axis while feeding the molten metallic material through the runner to the cavities of the cast mold;
• after feeding, moving, using the tilt apparatus, the cast mold and the feeding mechanism from the vertical orientation to the horizontal orientation about the longitudinal axis;
• cooling the molten metallic material at a first solidification time in the cast mold and a second solidification time in the plurality of primary risers to define a solidified metallic material in the primary risers and in the cast mold having dimensions of the cast aluminum fuel cell cradle, the second solidification time being greater than the first solidification time such that shrinkage of the solidified metallic material occurs in the primary risers away from the cast mold;
• and
• separating the solidified metallic material from the cast mold to define the cast aluminum tilt-poured fuel cell cradle.