System and method for investment casting an object
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDaniel J. Braley, Elaine MacDonald, Andrew Pfeiffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making an object through investment casting includes additively manufacturing a mold for the object with a printing head on a carriage supported by a frame with the mold being additively manufactured from multiple layers on a build platform supported by the frame. An interior surface of the mold is machined with a machining device on the carriage after a predetermined number of layers have been added to the mold through additive manufacturing. The object is investment cast by directing a casting material into the mold while the mold is supported by the build platform.
Claims20
A method of making an object through investment casting, the method comprising:
- additively manufacturing a mold for the object with a printing head on a carriage supported by a frame, wherein the mold is additively manufactured from a plurality of layers on a build platform supported by the frame;
- machining an interior surface of the mold with a machining device on the carriage after a predetermined number of layers have been added to the mold through additive manufacturing;
- and
- investment casting the object by directing a casting material from a feeder to a kiln supported by the frame and into the mold while the mold is supported by the build platform.
A hybrid investment casting assembly for making an object, the assembly comprising:
- a frame;
- an additive manufacturing portion including:
- at least one printing head attached to a carriage and supported by the frame with the at least one printing head configured to move along an X-Y plane;
- a build platform supported by the frame and configured to move along a Z-axis;
- a machining device attached to the carriage;
- and
- an actuated door to allow the carriage to translate in and out of a build chamber;
- an investment casting portion including a feeder supported by the frame and configured to direct a casting material into a kiln supported by the frame;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- additively manufacture a mold for the object by directing a printing head on the carriage supported by the frame, wherein the mold is additively manufactured from a plurality of layers on the build platform supported by the frame;
- machine an interior surface of the mold by directing a machining device on the carriage after a predetermined number of layers have been added to the mold through additive manufacturing;
- and
- investment cast the object by directing the casting material into the mold while the mold is supported by the build platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.