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US 8,851,151 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for production of a cast component
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsDonald J. Frasier, Matthew Kush, Max Eric Schlienger, Michael Baldwin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for producing cast components from molten metal. One form of the present invention includes a system for the precision pouring of molten metal within a casting mold.
Claims20
A method for producing a cast component, comprising:
- forming a thin shell ceramic casting mold with a core integral therein by photopolymerization of a ceramic filled resin, wherein a portion of the mold formed by the photopolymerization of a ceramic filled resin extends to the core and is configured to provide orientation of the core during a molten metal pouring operation;
- pouring a molten metal into the thin shell ceramic casting mold;
- and
- actively moving a thermal gradient through the molten metal within the thin shell ceramic casting mold to cause solidification into a cast component with a single crystal or directionally solidified microstructure, wherein the actively moving involves one of varying a flow rate of a fluid through a conduit in a conductive thermal relationship with the molten metal to provide heat conduction into the metal poured into the thin shell ceramic casting mold.
1 more element
A method for producing a cast component, comprising:
- forming a free form fabricated ceramic casting mold with a thin outer wall and at least one casting core formed as a contiguous single structure with the outer wall and having a molten metal receiving cavity disposed between the outer wall and the at least one casting core;
- pouring a molten metal into the molten metal receiving cavity;
- and
- after the beginning of the pouring, solidifying the molten metal within the molten metal receiving cavity and around the integral casting core by adjusting a heat flow dependent upon a stage of solidification.
1 more element
A method for producing a cast component, comprising:
- forming a free form fabricated ceramic casting mold with a thin outer wall and at least one casting core formed as a continuous single structure with the outer wall and having a molten metal receiving cavity disposed between the outer wall and the at least one casting core;
- pouring a molten metal into the thin shell ceramic casting mold;
- and
- moving a thermal gradient through the molten metal within the thin shell ceramic casting mold to cause solidification into a cast component with a single crystal or directionally solidified microstructure such that the moving includes imparting a first gradient during nucleation and imparting a second gradient higher than the first gradient during growth of a crystal, the moving created by flowing a fluid through a conduit in thermal conductivity with the molten metal.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.