Combined technology investment casting process

• US 10,639,705 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Fuccio, Sam T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kerns, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ha, Steven S
• Application Number:
  US15/390,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20180178272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 7/02 Lost patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/04 Use of lost patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/00 Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/757 Moulds, cores, dies
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A method of fabricating a finished part includes generating or creating a master pattern using an additive manufacturing process, and the master pattern corresponds in shape to the finished part. A shell is created by applying one or more layers of one or more coating materials to the master pattern. The master pattern is then dissolved while the master pattern is in the shell to create a cavity in the shell that corresponds in shape to the finished part. A molten material is then poured into the cavity of the shell. The molten metal is allowed to cool and to harden and/or to reach a determined temperature such that the molten metal becomes the finished part. The shell is then removed from around the finished part.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a finished part, the method including:

creating a master pattern using an additive manufacturing process, the master pattern corresponding in shape to the finished part, wherein the master pattern consists of one or more plastic materials;

creating a shell of the master pattern by applying one or more layers of one or more coating materials to the master pattern, wherein the one or more coating materials is different than the one or more plastic materials;

ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell to create a shell cavity in the shell that corresponds in shape to the finished part;

pouring a molding material into the shell cavity, the molding material being a material that is different than the one or more plastic materials and the one or more coating materials;

allowing the molding material to harden and to reach a determined temperature such that the hardened molding material becomes the finished part; and

removing the shell from around the finished part.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell comprises directing ultrasonic energy at the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell comprises ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell in an ultrasonic bath of liquid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell does not involve subjecting the shell to a temperature increase.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing process includes a machine that adds successive layers of liquid or powder material in a layer-upon-layer fashion to fabricate the master pattern.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additive manufacturing process is one of a three-dimensional printing process, a stereolithography process, a fused deposition modeling process, a multi-jet modeling process, and a selective laser sintering process.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the machine uses a virtual model created using a Computer Aided Design program to fabricate the master pattern.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

using a Computer Aided Design program to create a virtual model of the master pattern, and the virtual model is used by the machine to fabricate the master pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the molding material is a molten metal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell does not involve melting the master pattern using an elevated temperature.

11. A method of fabricating a finished part, the method including:

creating a master pattern using an additive manufacturing process, the master pattern corresponding in shape to the finished part, wherein the master pattern is created from a first material;

creating a shell of the master pattern by applying one or more layers of one or more coating materials to the master pattern, wherein the one or more coating materials is different than the first material;

dissolving the master pattern with ultrasonic energy by using an ultrasonic bath of liquid by directing the ultrasonic energy at the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell to create a shell cavity in the shell that corresponds in shape to the finished part;

pouring a molding material into the shell cavity, the molding material being a second material that is different than the first material and the one or more coating materials;

allowing the molding material to harden and to reach a determined temperature such that the hardened molding material becomes the finished part; and

removing the shell from around the finished part.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell does not involve subjecting the shell to a temperature increase.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive manufacturing process includes a machine that adds successive layers of liquid or powder material in a layer-upon-layer fashion to fabricate the master pattern.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the additive manufacturing process is one of a three-dimensional printing process, a stereolithography process, a fused deposition modeling process, a multi-jet modeling process, and a selective laser sintering process.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the machine uses a virtual model created using a Computer Aided Design program to fabricate the master pattern.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using a Computer Aided Design program to create a virtual model of the master pattern, and the virtual model is used by the machine to fabricate the master pattern.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the molding material is a molten metal.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein ultrasonically dissolving the master pattern while the master pattern is in the shell does not involve melting the master pattern using an elevated temperature.