# US 9,517,503 B2 · Process cycle including laser assisted casting and related system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,503 B2 - Document ID: US9517503B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/072,789 - Filed: 2016-03-17 - Published: 2016-07-07 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-08 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Zhaoli Hu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517503B2 ## CPC - B22C 7/02: Lost patterns - B22C 9/04: Use of lost patterns - B22C 9/043: {Removing the consumable pattern} - B22D 2/00: Arrangement of indicating or measuring devices, e.g. for temperature or viscosity of the fused mass - B22C: FOUNDRY MOULDING (moulding refractory materials in general B28B) - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) ## Abstract Various embodiments include methods and related systems for laser-assisted casting. Some embodiments include a method including: performing laser ablation on a preliminary wax casting model to form a modified wax model including at least one additional feature absent from the preliminary wax casting model; coating the modified wax model to form a mold shape around the modified wax model; removing the modified wax model to leave a casting mold including the at least one additional feature; forming a shape from a casting material using the casting mold having the at least one additional feature; and scanning the modified wax model to image the at least one additional feature after the performing of the laser ablation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: performing laser ablation on a preliminary wax casting model of a turbomachinery part to form a modified wax model a turbomachinery part including at least one additional feature absent from the preliminary wax casting model, wherein the laser ablation applies an ultra-short-pulse laser to the preliminary wax casting model to directly vaporize a portion of the preliminary wax casting model, forming the at least one additional feature; coating the modified wax model to form a mold shape around the modified wax model; removing the modified wax model to leave a casting mold including the at least one additional feature; forming a shape from a casting material using the casting mold having the at least one additional feature; and scanning the modified wax model of the turbomachinery part with an optical trepanning system to image the at least one additional feature after the performing of the laser ablation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the casting material includes steel or alloys including steel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the forming of the shape includes: pouring the casting material into the casting mold having the at least one additional feature; and cooling the casting material to solidify the shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the laser ablation includes applying an ultra-short-pulse laser to the preliminary wax casting model to directly vaporize a portion of the preliminary wax casting model, forming the at least one additional feature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the directly vaporizing includes increasing a local temperature of the portion of the preliminary wax casting model above approximately 500 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the directly vaporizing includes maintaining a temperature of an adjacent portion of the preliminary wax casting model below approximately 120 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a subsequent laser ablation to the modified wax model based upon the image of the at least one additional feature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the subsequent laser ablation includes a modified laser ablation approach including a modified at least one of: laser power, laser focus, laser scanning speed or laser pulse duration, compared with the laser ablation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional feature includes a surface texture element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the surface texture element includes a microchannel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional feature includes a cooling hole. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: performing laser ablation on a preliminary wax casting model to form a modified wax model of a turbomachinery part including at least one additional feature absent from the preliminary wax casting model, wherein the performing of the laser ablation includes applying a pulsed laser to the preliminary wax casting model to directly vaporize a portion of the preliminary wax casting model, forming the at least one additional feature, wherein the directly vaporizing includes: increasing a local temperature of the portion of the preliminary wax casting model above approximately 500 degrees Celsius; and maintaining a temperature of an adjacent portion of the preliminary wax casting model below approximately 120 degrees Celsius; scanning the modified wax model of the turbomachinery part using an optical trepanning system to image the at least one additional feature after the performing of the laser ablation; and performing a subsequent laser ablation to the modified wax model based upon the image of the at least one additional feature, wherein the subsequent laser ablation includes a modified laser ablation approach including a modified at least one of: laser power, laser focus, laser scanning speed or laser pulse duration, compared with the laser ablation, wherein the pulsed laser includes an ultra-short-pulse laser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: coating the modified wax model of the turbomachinery part to form a mold shape around the modified wax model of the turbomachinery part; removing the modified wax model of the turbomachinery part to leave a casting mold including the at least one additional feature; forming a shape from a casting material using the casting mold having the at least one additional feature; and scanning the modified wax model of the turbomachinery part with an optical trepanning system to image the at least one additional feature after the performing of the laser ablation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the casting material includes steel or alloys including steel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the forming of the shape includes: pouring the casting material into the casting mold having the at least one additional feature; and cooling the casting material to solidify the shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one additional feature includes a surface texture element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the surface texture element includes a microchannel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one additional feature includes a cooling hole.