Method of producing monolithic metal blanks by freezing-on techniques

Abstract

A method of producing monolithic metal blanks by freezing-on techniques resides in that the surface of a liquid metal melt is heated with the formation of a variable temperature field, defined by the temperature gradient between heating zones and cooling zones. The lines of equal temperatures constitute isotherms. The heating zones are disposed so that the isotherms having a temperature close to the crystallization temperature T.sub.c repeat the shape of the cross-section of the blank to be produced. A dummy bar is immersed equidistantly to the isotherm with the temperature of crystallization T.sub.c. Subsequent drawing out of the dummy bar from the melt with a linear speed defined by the rate of crystallization results in the formation of the blank.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.