Method and apparatus for production of a cast component

• US 8,087,446 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Frasier, Donald J., Schlienger, M. Eric, Brady, Guy Allen, Kush, Matthew T., Vessely, Patrick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kerns, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US11/999,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20090020257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 164/122.1, 164/122.2, 164/338.1
• US Class Current: 164/122.1
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 47/00 Casting plants
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 11/00 Single-crystal growth by normal freezing or freezing under temperature gradient, e.g. Bridgman-Stockbarger method C30B13/00, C30B15/00, C30B17/00, C30B19/00 take precedence; under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 11/002 Crucibles or containers for supporting the melt
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 11/14 characterised by the seed, e.g. its crystallographic orientation
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/52 Alloys
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0037 Production of three-dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0047 characterised by additives for obtaining a metallic or ceramic pattern, e.g. by firing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 117/90 Apparatus characterized by composition or treatment thereof, e.g. surface finish, surface coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/10 Apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1016 with means for treating single-crystal [e.g., heat treating]

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. The precision pouring system is driven by a pressure differential.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

building a ceramic casting mold having an integral core and shell by a free form fabrication technique, the casting mold shell has an internal cavity adapted to receive a molten metal;

reinforcing the ceramic casting mold shell with an external reinforcement placed between the ceramic casting mold and a container, the external reinforcement supportingly coupled with the container and the mold;

positioning a metallic starter seed within the ceramic casting mold shell, the metallic starter seed is positioned to receive molten metal therein;

filling the internal cavity with molten metal; and

withdrawing heat through the metallic starter seed to directionally solidify the molten metal within the internal cavity;

wherein the metallic starter seed includes a passageway formed therein, and wherein said withdrawing includes flowing a heat transfer media through the passageway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said withdrawing includes mechanically connecting at least one heat transfer member with the starter seed to maintain a conductive heat transfer path with the metallic starter seed during the directional solidification.

3. The method of claim 2, which further includes flowing a heat transfer media through a passageway within the at least one heat transfer member.

4. The method of claim 1, which further includes selectively heating the metallic starter seed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selectively heating includes passing a current through the metallic starter seed to resistant heat the seed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said building includes three-dimensional printing of layers to form the ceramic casting mold shell.

7. The method of claim 6, which further includes removing any unbonded material within the internal cavity prior to said filling.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said building includes selective laser activation of layers to form the ceramic casting mold.

9. The method of claim 1, which further includes creating a build file to define the casting mold shell built in said building.

10. The method of claim 1, which further includes providing a meltable member, the meltable member is positioned within the casting mold shell at a location wherein molten metal melts the meltable member and mixes with the melted meltable member.

11. A method, comprising:

building an integral ceramic casting mold shell by a free form fabrication technique, the casting mold shell has an internal cavity adapted to receive a molten metal;

reinforcing the ceramic casting mold shell;

positioning a metallic starter seed within the ceramic casting mold shell to receive molten metal therein, the metallic starter seed including a passageway formed therein;

filling the internal cavity with molten metal; and

flowing a heat transfer media through the metallic starter seed passageway.

12. The method of claim 11, which further includes withdrawing heat through the metallic starter seed to directionally solidify the molten metal within the internal cavity.

13. The method of claim 11, which further includes selectively heating the metallic starter seed.

14. The method of claim 11, which further includes removing any unbonded material within the internal cavity prior to said filling.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said building includes selective laser activation of layers to form the ceramic casting mold.

16. A method, comprising:

building an integral ceramic casting mold shell by a free form fabrication technique, the casting mold shell has an internal cavity adapted to receive a molten metal;

reinforcing the ceramic casting mold shell;

positioning a metallic starter seed within the ceramic casting mold shell, the metallic starter seed is positioned to receive molten metal therein;

filling the internal cavity with molten metal;

withdrawing heat through the metallic starter seed to directionally solidify the molten metal within the internal cavity; and

providing a meltable member positioned within the casting mold shell at a location wherein molten metal melts the meltable member and mixes with the melted meltable member.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said withdrawing includes mechanically connecting at least one heat transfer member with the starter seed to maintain a conductive heat transfer path with the metallic starter seed during the directional solidification.

18. The method of claim 16, which further includes selectively heating the metallic starter seed.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the metallic starter seed includes a passageway formed therein, and wherein said withdrawing includes flowing a heat transfer media through the passageway.

20. A method, comprising:

building a ceramic casting mold having an integral core and shell by a free form fabrication technique, the casting mold shell has an internal cavity adapted to receive a molten metal;

reinforcing the ceramic casting mold shell with an external reinforcement placed between the ceramic casting mold and a container, the external reinforcement supportingly coupled with the container and the mold;

positioning a metallic starter seed within the ceramic casting mold shell, the metallic starter seed is positioned to receive molten metal therein;

filling the internal cavity with molten metal;

withdrawing heat through the metallic starter seed to directionally solidify the molten metal within the internal cavity; and

providing a meltable member, the meltable member is positioned within the casting mold shell at a location wherein molten metal melts the meltable member and mixes with the melted meltable member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said withdrawing includes mechanically connecting at least one heat transfer member with the starter seed to maintain a conductive heat transfer path with the metallic starter seed during the directional solidification.

22. The method of claim 21, which further includes flowing a heat transfer media through a passageway within the at least one heat transfer member.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the metallic starter seed includes a passageway formed therein, and wherein said withdrawing includes flowing a heat transfer media through the passageway.

24. The method of claim 20, which further includes selectively heating the metallic starter seed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the selectively heating includes passing a current through the metallic starter seed to resistant heat the seed.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said building includes three-dimensional printing of layers to form the ceramic casting mold shell.

27. The method of claim 26, which further includes removing any unbonded material within the internal cavity prior to said filling.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said building includes selective laser activation of layers to form the ceramic casting mold.

29. The method of claim 20, which further includes creating a build file to define the casting mold shell built in said building.