Method of forming a cast metal article
First Claim
1. A method of forming a metal cast article, said method comprising the steps of forming a ceramic core containing a cavity by interconnecting layers of ceramic material to form the cavity with dimensions which are greater than a thickness of a plurality of said layers, positioning the core in a mold, at least partially filling a cavity in the mold with molten metal while maintaining the cavity in the core at least substantially free of molten metal, solidifying the molten metal in the mold to form a cast metal article which at least partially contains the core, and removing the core from the cast metal article, said step of removing the core from the cast metal article includes at least partially filling the cavity in the core with a leaching liquid while the core is at least partially disposed in the cast metal article and engaging the layers of ceramic material with the leaching liquid filling the cavity in the core.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cast metal article is formed with an internal cavity. The internal cavity is formed by a ceramic core which is removed from the cast metal article to leave the cavity. The ceramic core is formed with a cavity to facilitate removal of the core from the cast metal article. To remove the core from the cast metal article, the cavity in the core is filled with a leaching liquid.
24 Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A method of forming a metal cast article, said method comprising the steps of forming a ceramic core containing a cavity by interconnecting layers of ceramic material to form the cavity with dimensions which are greater than a thickness of a plurality of said layers, positioning the core in a mold, at least partially filling a cavity in the mold with molten metal while maintaining the cavity in the core at least substantially free of molten metal, solidifying the molten metal in the mold to form a cast metal article which at least partially contains the core, and removing the core from the cast metal article, said step of removing the core from the cast metal article includes at least partially filling the cavity in the core with a leaching liquid while the core is at least partially disposed in the cast metal article and engaging the layers of ceramic material with the leaching liquid filling the cavity in the core.
- 20. A method of forming a cast metal article, said method comprising the steps of forming a ceramic core having a root end portion and a blade portion, the blade portion of the core having first and second edge portions which are connected with a second end portion of the core which is opposite from the root end portion of the core, said step of forming a ceramic core includes interconnecting layers of ceramic material with at least some of the layers of ceramic material at least partially disposed in the first edge portion of the blade portion of the core, with at least some of the layers of ceramic material at least partially disposed in the second edge portion of the blade portion of the core, and with at least some of the layers of ceramic material disposed in the second end portion of the core, said step of interconnecting the layers of ceramic material includes forming at least a portion of a cavity in the first edge portion of the blade portion of the core, forming at least a portion of a cavity in the second edge portion of the blade portion of the core, and forming at least a portion of a cavity in the second end portion of the core, positioning the core in a cavity in a mold, said step of positioning the core in a cavity in the mold includes positioning the core in a cavity having a configuration corresponding to the configuration of an airfoil, at least partially filling the cavity in the mold with molten metal while maintaining cavities in the core at least substantially free of molten metal, solidifying the molten metal in the cavity in the mold to form a cast metal airfoil which at least partially contains the core, and removing the core from the cast metal airfoil, said step of removing the core from the cast metal airfoil includes conducting a flow of a leaching liquid from the root end portion of the core to the portion of a cavity disposed in the first edge portion of the core and engaging at least some of the layers of ceramic material disposed in the first edge portion of the blade portion of the core with the leaching liquid, conducting a flow of the leaching liquid from the root end portion of the core to the portion of a cavity disposed in the second edge portion of the core, and engaging at least some of the layers of ceramic material disposed in the second edge portion of the blade portion of the core with the leaching liquid, and conducting a flow of leaching liquid from the root end portion of the core to the second end portion of the core and engaging at least some of the layers of ceramic material disposed in the second end portion of the core with the leaching liquid.
Specification