Casting of particle-based hollow shapes
AssigneeMartin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
InventorPaul Menchhofer
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Abstract
A method for the production of hollow articles made of a particle-based material; e.g., ceramics and sintered metals. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a thermally settable slurry containing a relatively high concentration of the particles is coated onto a prewarmed continuous surface in a relatively thin layer so that the slurry is substantially uniformly coated on the surface. The heat of the prewarmed surface conducts to the slurry to initiate a reaction which causes the slurry to set or harden in a shape conforming to the surface. The hardened configurations may then be sintered to consolidate the particles and provide a high density product.
Claims6
A one-piece seamless substantially closed continuous-walled ceramic article defining an interior space therein, said article being produced by the steps of providing a thermally settable ceramic slurry containing ceramic particles dispersed therein, providing a substantially continuous and substantially spheroidal forming surface, coating the slurry onto at least a portion of the spheroidal forming surface in a relatively thin layer, tumbling the spheroidal forming surface so that the slurry substantially uniformly coats the spheroidal forming surface, controlling the temperature of the slurry so that the coated slurry sets into a relatively hard mass having a hollow, spheroidal shape generally conforming to the spheroidal shape of the forming surface, and separating the hardened mass from the spheroidal forming surface as a substantially self-supporting solid spheroid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.