Fugitive patterns for investment casting
AssigneeHowmet Research Corporation
InventorMichael W. Mertins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fugitive pattern of an article to be investment cast wherein the pattern includes a plurality of locator embossments disposed in an array to provide a datum reference system by which the pattern can be held and positioned by a manipulator, such as for example a gripper device to a computer controlled robotic device, for assembly with another component of the pattern assembly. The datum embossments are located on a portion of the pattern that will be removed from the final metallic casting made to replicate the pattern. The casting includes integral cast datum embossments thereon by which the casting can be held and positioned.
Claims39
A fugitive pattern for use in investment casting comprising a plurality of locators disposed on the pattern by which the pattern can be held and positioned by a manipulator.
A method of making a fugitive pattern assembly, comprising placing an attaching surface of a fugitive pattern held by a robotic gripper device in proximity to and facing a surface of a fugitive support member, placing a heating device in a space between the attaching surface and the surface of the support member to melt a puddle of the fugitive material on the surface of the support member, moving the heating device out of the space, and relatively moving the pattern and the support member to contact the pattern attaching surface and the melted puddle, which is solidified during such contact to form a joint therebetween.
The method of clam 10 wherein the pattern attaching surface is first moved below the surface of the puddle and then moved in an opposite direction to form a smooth filleted corner at the joint between the pattern and the support member.
In a method of making a fugitive pattern assembly where a fugitive pattern is attached to a surface area of a fugitive support member, the improvement comprising the steps of determining a planar orientation of said surface area on said fugitive support member and attaching said attaching surface of said fugitive pattern to said surface area with said pattern attaching surface having the same planar orientation as that of said surface area during said attachment.
A gripper device adapted to pick up a fugitive pattern at a plurality of locators on said pattern, comprising a plurality of gripper arms for receiving a respective one of the locators, and a heating device movable mounted on said device and movable to a position spaced below a surface of said pattern.
A cast metallic article comprising a plurality of locators disposed thereon by which the cast article can be held and positioned by a manipulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.