System and method for casting with mold having thermally tailored wall

A method, comprising:

• receiving, via a controller, a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, wherein the controller comprises a memory, a processor, and instructions stored on the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer model has a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tailored to a geometry of the part to provide a desired solidification profile of the part during a casting process, wherein the variable wall thickness gradually varies along a first axis and a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are crosswise to one another;
• and
• controlling, via the controller, an additive manufacturing system to produce the mold based on the computer model,
• wherein the mold comprises a turbomachinery part mold and the part comprises a turbomachinery part, wherein the turbomachinery part comprises an airfoil shaped blade or an airfoil shaped vane of a gas turbine system, wherein the turbomachinery part varies in thickness along the first axis between a base and a tip and along the second axis between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold varies in an inverse manner relative to the thickness of the turbomachine part along the first axis between the base and the tip and along the second axis between the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the second axis comprise a camber line, wherein the turbomachinery part comprises a suction side and a pressure side on opposite sides of the camber line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the variable wall thickness comprises a first variable thickness between an interior and a suction side portion of the mold, wherein the variable wall thickness comprises a second variable thickness between the interior and a pressure side portion of the mold, wherein the first and second variable thicknesses vary along the camber line, wherein, for each point along the camber line, the first and second variable thicknesses are equal to another along lines perpendicular to the respective suction and pressure side portions of the mold.

A system, comprising:

• an additive manufacturing system configured to manufacture a mold configured to cast a part;
• a controller configured to control the additive manufacturing system to manufacture the mold using a computer model of the mold, wherein the controller comprises a memory, a processor, and instructions stored on the memory and executable by the processor, and the computer model of the mold is stored on the memory,
• the mold manufactured by the additive manufacturing system, wherein the mold has a variable wall thickness thermally tailored to a geometry of the part to provide a desired solidification profile of the part during a casting process, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold varies in an inverse manner relative to a thickness of the part along a first axis and a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are crosswise to one another,
• wherein the mold comprises a turbomachinery part mold and the part comprises a turbomachinery part, wherein the turbomachinery part comprises an airfoil shaped blade or an airfoil shaped vane of a gas turbine system, wherein the turbomachinery part varies in thickness along the first axis between a base and a tip and along the second axis between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold varies in an inverse manner relative to the thickness of the turbomachine part along the first axis between the base and the tip and along the second axis between the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the second axis comprise a camber line, wherein the turbomachinery part comprises a suction side and a pressure side on opposite sides of the camber line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the variable wall thickness comprises a first variable thickness between an interior and a suction side portion of the mold, wherein the variable wall thickness comprises a second variable thickness between the interior and a pressure side portion of the mold, wherein the first and second variable thicknesses vary along the camber line, wherein, for each point along the camber line, the first and second variable thicknesses are equal to another along lines perpendicular to the respective suction and pressure side portions of the mold.