Methods of making spray formed rapid tools
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDawn R. White, Joseph A. Szuba, Daniel E. Wikosz
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Abstract
Method of making a rapid tool, comprising: making a plastic pattern of the tool by free form fabrication techniques following a computer aided design, the design having a base and no undercuts taken in a direction perpendicular to base; constructing a ceramic mold as the inverse of the pattern; separating the pattern from the mold by a separating movement in a direction perpendicular to the base to leave a surface defining a casting cavity within the mold; and thermally spraying tool steel particles against the casting cavity surface is a thickness exceeding 1 inch while rapidly cooling the sprayed particles to effect a net shape tool without the need for further working or heat treatment.
Claims10
A method of making a rapid tool, comprising:
- (a) making a plastic pattern of the tool by free-form fabrication techniques following a computer aided design, said design having an exposed base with no undercuts taken in a direction perpendicular to the base;
- (b) constructing a ceramic mold as the inverse of the pattern;
- (c) separating the pattern from the mold by a separating movement in a direction perpendicular to the base to leave a ceramic surface defining a casting cavity within the mold;
- and
- (d) thermally spraying tool steel particles against said casting cavity ceramic surface in a thickness exceeding 1 inch while rapidly cooling the sprayed particles to effect a near net shape tool possessing a hardness of at least HRc 40, without need for further working or heat treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.