Systems, Devices, and/or Methods for Manufacturing Castings

• US 20110189440A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mikro Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Appleby, Michael, Paulus, John, Fraser, Iain
• Granted Patent: US 9,315,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/04 Use of lost patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/10 Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores breaker cores B22C9/084
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/246 Laminated dies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/301 Modular mould systems [MMS], i.e. moulds built up by stacking mould elements, e.g. plates, blocks, rods B29C33/0088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/38 characterised by the material or the manufacturing process B29C33/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3835 Designing moulds, e.g. using CAD-CAM
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a composition, system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, and/or user interface adapted for, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise, after removing a cast device from a stack-lamination-derived mold, said cast device formed from a molding composition, applying a desired shape to said cast device to form a shaped cast device, said molding composition comprising: a ceramic composition comprising silica; an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; and a solvent composition adapted to dissolve said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A molding composition comprising:

a ceramic composition comprising silica;

an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition;

a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; and

a solvent composition adapted to dissolve said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition.

15. The molding composition of claim 14, wherein:

said ceramic composition comprises approximately 1 percent to approximately 20 percent cristobalite by weight of said ceramic composition

16. The molding composition of claim 14, wherein:

said ceramic composition comprises zircon.

17. The molding composition of claim 14, wherein:

said ceramic composition comprises alumina.

18. The molding composition of claim 14, wherein:

said epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition are dissolvable via a predetermined solvent.

20. A method comprising:

causing cross-linking of at least a portion of a plurality of cross-linkable molecules comprised by said molding composition of claim 14 while said molding composition is within a stack-lamination-derived mold.

54. A method comprising:

after removing a cast device from a stack-lamination-derived mold, said cast device comprising a reduced solvent version of said molding composition of claim 14, applying a desired shape to said cast device to form a shaped cast device.

59. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

firing said shaped cast device.

60. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

sintering particles of said ceramic composition in said shaped cast device.

61. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

coupling said cast device to a part.

62. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

coupling said shaped cast device to a part.

63. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

casting investment material around said shaped cast device.

64. The method of claim 54, wherein:

said cast device defines a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by a plurality of layers of a metallic foil stack lamination ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

65. The method of claim 54, wherein:

said shaped cast device defines a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by a plurality of layers of a metallic foil stack lamination ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

66. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

casting investment material around said shaped cast device to form an investment cast part.

67. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

after casting investment material around said shaped cast device to form an investment cast part, removing said shaped cast device from said investment cast part.

68. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

casting investment material around said shaped cast device to form an investment cast part, said investment cast part defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by a plurality of layers of a metallic foil stack lamination ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

19. A method comprising:

causing crosslinking of at least a portion of a plurality of cross-linkable molecules comprised by a predetermined molding composition comprising;

a ceramic composition comprising silica;

an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition;

a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; and

a solvent composition adapted to dissolve said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

mixing ingredients of said molding composition in said stack-lamination-derived mold.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

creating said molding composition in said stack-lamination-derived mold.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

placing a photolithographically-derived foil structure into said stack-lamination-derived mold such that a first alignment feature of said foil structure interacts with a corresponding second alignment feature formed in said stack-lamination-derived mold, said foil structure comprising a plurality of apertures.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

while said molding composition is present within said stack-lamination-derived mold, placing an insert into said molding composition.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

while said molding composition is present within said stack-lamination-derived mold, placing an insert into said molding composition, said insert comprising an insert alignment feature that aligns with a mold alignment feature comprised by said stack-lamination-derived mold.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

while said molding composition is present within said stack-lamination-derived mold, placing a photolithographically-derived insert into said molding composition.

29. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

while said molding composition is present within said stack-lamination-derived mold, densifying particles of said ceramic composition in said molding composition.

37. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

after said causing cross-linking, separating said molding composition from said stack-lamination-derived mold.

38. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

after said causing cross-linking, separating a cast device from said stack-lamination-derived mold.

39. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

after said causing cross-linking, pulling a cast device from said stack-lamination-derived mold non-perpendicularly to a pull-plane of said stack-lamination-derived mold.

40. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

after said causing cross-linking, applying a desired shape to a cast device formed from said molding composition.

41. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said crosslinking is caused while said molding composition is located within a stack-lamination-derived mold that is derived from a photolithographically-generated stack-foil lamination mold.

42. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said crosslinking is caused while said molding composition is located within a said stack-lamination-derived mold that defines a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by a plurality of layers of a metallic foil stack lamination ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

90. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said crosslinking is caused while said molding composition is located within a stack-lamination-derived mold, said molding composition.

91. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

after said causing cross-linking, sintering a combination of a first cast device formed from said molding composition and a second cast device.

23. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

30-36. -36. (canceled)

43-51. -51. (canceled)

52. A device comprising:

a device composition comprising;

a ceramic composition comprising silica;

an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said device composition; and

a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said device composition;

said device formed via a predetermined mold, said device defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

92. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said predetermined mold is a stack-lamination-derived mold.

93. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination mold.

94. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said device comprises a first planar surface adapted to be transformed into a non-planar surface via thermoforming said composition.

95. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said device composition comprises approximately 1 percent to approximately 20 percent cristobalite by weight of said ceramic composition.

96. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said device composition comprises zircon.

97. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said device composition comprises alumina.

98. The device of claim 52, wherein:

said epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition are dissolvable via a predetermined solvent.

53. A method comprising:

after removing a cast device from a stack-lamination-derived mold, said cast device formed from a molding composition, applying a desired shape to said cast device to form a shaped cast device, said molding composition comprising;

a ceramic composition comprising silica;

an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition;

a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; and

a solvent composition adapted to dissolve said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition.

55-58. -58. (canceled)

69. A device comprising:

a ceramic composition comprising silica;

said device formed via a predetermined stack-lamination-derived mold, said device defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

70. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said ceramic composition comprises approximately 1 percent to approximately 20 percent cristobalite by weight of said ceramic composition.

71. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said ceramic composition comprises zircon.

72. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said ceramic composition comprises alumina.

73. The device of claim 69, further comprising:

a photolithographically-derived foil structure substantially surrounded by said ceramic composition.

74. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as an investment casting core.

75. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as a core for an investment cast product.

76. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as a core for an investment cast turbomachine component.

77. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as a core for an investment cast air foil.

78. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as a core for an investment cast blade.

79. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as a core for an investment cast vane.

80. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is adapted to serve as a core for an investment cast nozzle.

81. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device defines a plurality of cooling passages for an investment cast product.

99. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination.

100. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said ancestor mold surface is defined by a plurality of layers of said ancestor mold, said ancestor mold a metallic foil stack lamination.

101. The device of claim 69, wherein:

said device is removable from said ancestor mold without damage to said device and without damage to said ancestor mold.

82. A device comprising:

a ceramic composition comprising silica; and

a photolithographically-derived foil structure substantially surrounded by said ceramic composition;

said device formed via a predetermined stack-lamination-derived mold, said device defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

83. The device of claim 82, wherein:

said device is a core for an investment cast product.

84. The device of claim 82, wherein:

said device is a core for an investment cast turbomachine component.

85. The device of claim 82, wherein:

said device is a core for an investment cast air foil.

102. The device of claim 82, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination.

103. The device of claim 82, wherein:

said ancestor mold surface is defined by a plurality of layers of said ancestor mold, said ancestor mold a metallic foil stack lamination.

86. A method comprising:

casting investment material around a shaped cast device to form an investment cast part, said investment cast part defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume, said shaped cast device formed from a molding composition, said molding composition comprising;

a ceramic composition comprising silica;

an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition;

a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; and

a solvent composition adapted to dissolve said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition.

104. The device of claim 86, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination.

105. The device of claim 86, wherein:

said ancestor mold surface is defined by a plurality of layers of said ancestor mold, said ancestor mold a metallic foil stack lamination.

87. A method comprising:

casting investment material around a shaped cast device to form an investment cast part, said investment cast part defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume.

106. The device of claim 87, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination.

107. The device of claim 87, wherein:

said ancestor mold surface is defined by a plurality of layers of said ancestor mold, said ancestor mold a metallic foil stack lamination.

108. The device of claim 87, wherein:

said shaped cast device is removable from said ancestor mold without damage to said shaped cast device and without damage to said ancestor mold.

88. A method comprising:

casting investment material around a shaped cast device to form an investment cast part, said investment cast part defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume, said shaped cast device comprising;

a ceramic composition comprising silica; and

a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said shaped cast device.

109. The device of claim 88, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination.

110. The device of claim 88, wherein:

said ancestor mold surface is defined by a plurality of layers of said ancestor mold, said ancestor mold a metallic foil stack lamination.

111. The device of claim 88, wherein:

said shaped cast device is removable from said ancestor mold without damage to said shaped cast device and without damage to said ancestor mold.

89. An apparatus comprising:

a first device formed via a predetermined stack-lamination-derived mold, said first device defining a plurality of wall surfaces, a wall surface from said plurality of wall surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate an ancestor mold surface defined by an ancestor mold, said plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features comprising at least one protruding undercut, said plurality of wall surfaces defining a periphery of a layer-less volume; and

a second device not formed via any stack-lamination-derived mold, said second device operatively fastened to said first device.

112. The device of claim 89, wherein:

said ancestor mold is a metallic foil stack lamination.

113. The device of claim 89, wherein:

said ancestor mold surface is defined by a plurality of layers of said ancestor mold, said ancestor mold a metallic foil stack lamination.

114. The device of claim 89, wherein:

said first device is removable from said ancestor mold without damage to said first device and without damage to said ancestor mold.