Method for producing flexible tooling for casting a ceramic core

A method of forming a ceramic core for an investment casting from a flexible tooling liner, comprising:

• producing a reference object representative of the ceramic core to be cast and further comprising a separation feature;
• disposing the reference object into a containment vessel configured to receive a liquid tooling material in a cavity defined by the containment vessel and the reference object, wherein the reference object is configured to separate the cavity into a 1 st volume that is located on a 1st side of the separation feature and a 2nd volume that is located on a 2nd side of the separation feature opposite the 1st side, that is sealed from the 1st volume, and that is separated from the 1st volume by the separation feature;
• filling the 1st volume and the 2nd volume with the liquid tooling material so that both a 1st side and a 2nd side of the reference object sare encapsulated by the liquid tooling material on the surfaces whose topography is intended to be imparted in the flexible tooling liner formed upon the curing of the liquid tooling material;
• allowing the liquid tooling material to cure to form a cured flexible tooling liner comprising a 1st mold portion formed by the 1st volume and a 2nd flexible mold portion that is formed by the 2nd volume and that is discrete from the 1st flexible mold portion;
• separating the 1st flexible mold portion from the 2nd flexible mold portion and removing the reference object;
• preparing the flexible tooling liner to receive a ceramic material;
• casting the ceramic material in the flexible tooling liner to form the ceramic core in a shape of the reference object without the separation feature;
• and
• removing the cured ceramic core from the flexible tooling liner.

A method for producing a contoured flexible tooling liner for casting a ceramic core by controlling a thickness of a flexible tooling liner, comprising:

• producing a reference object representative of the ceramic core to be cast and further comprising a separation feature;
• disposing the reference object into a containment vessel configured to receive a liquid flexible tooling liner material within a cavity defined by the containment vessel and the reference object, wherein the reference object is configured to separate the cavity into a 1st volume that is located on a 1st side of the separation feature and a 2nd volume that is located on a 2nd side of the separation feature opposite the 1st side, that is sealed from the 1st volume, and that is separated from the 1st volume by the separation feature;
• producing a contoured tooling object configured to form an outward facing surface of an inner liner or to form an inward facing surface of an outer liner;
• disposing the contoured tooling object into the containment vessel so that an inner cavity is defined by the reference object and the contoured tooling and an outer cavity is defined by the contoured tooling and the containment vessel, wherein a 1st portion of the inner cavity and a 1st portion of the outer cavity are disposed in the 1st volume, and a 2nd portion of the inner cavity and a 2nd portion of the outer cavity are disposed in the 2nd volume;
• filling the inner cavity or the outer cavity with the liquid flexible tooling liner material;
• allowing the liquid flexible tooling liner material to cure thereby creating a first liner comprising a first liner 1st portion disposed in the 1st volume and a first liner 2nd mold portion disposed in the 2nd volume;
• removing the contoured tooling object from the cavity of the containment vessel;
• filling the remaining cavity a remainder of 1st volume and a remainder of the 2nd volume with the liquid flexible tooling liner material;
• allowing the liquid flexible tooling liner material to cure within the remainder of the 1st volume and the remainder of the 2nd volume, thereby creating a second liner comprising a second liner 1st portion disposed in the remainder of the 1st volume and a second liner 2nd portion disposed in the remainder of the 2nd volume;
• removing the cured first liner and the cured second liner from the containment vessel;
• and
• separating the first liner 1st portion and the second liner 1st portion from the first liner 2nd portion and the second liner 2nd portion and removing the reference object,
• wherein the thickness of the first liner is controlled to be within a thickness range of 0.10 to 0.40 in.