Apparatus, mold, and method for manufacturing metal-ceramic composite member

An apparatus for manufacturing a metal-ceramic composite member by joining metal onto a surface of a ceramic member by a direct joining strength of a ceramic and a metal on an interface therebetween in such a manner that the ceramic member is placed in a mold member, a molten metal is poured into the mold member so as to come into contact with the surface of the ceramic member, and the molten metal is cooled and solidified, the manufacturing apparatus comprising:

• at least one mold member;
• a plurality of process regions;
• and
• a passage member extending through the plurality of process regions and providing a conduit through which the mold member is configured to move through each of the plurality of process regions,
• wherein the passage member is shaped so that when the mold member moves through the passage member, the mold member is substantially shielded from the atmosphere when the molten metal is poured into the mold member,
• the plurality of process regions comprise an atmosphere replacing/heating region in which the atmosphere in the mold member is replaced with an inert gas atmosphere, a molten metal push out region, and a cooling region, and
• the plurality of process regions are partitioned so as to be spatially distinct from one another.