92results about "Metal founding" patented technology

A low melting point metal material is made to a thixotropic state in which liquid phases and solid phases coexists. In the thixotropic state of the low melting point metal material, a carbon nano material is kneaded with the low melting point metal material and forms a composite material. Thus obtained composite material is supplied to a metal molding machine and injected into a mold in a thixotropic state or a completely molten state of the metal so that the composite material fills the mold, thereby the composite material is molded to a composite metal product. With the above process, it is possible to injection mold the composite metal product to which the characteristics of the carbon nano material are applied.

A valve for controlling the flow of a gas therethrough which requires no machining in order to attain an effective seal between the valve seating surface and a rotatable plug element. The valve seat surface remains as cast while the plug consists of an overmolded plastic. The overmolding defines an array of pliable sealing ridges. The use of overmolding facilitates the use of cost-saving plastic materials, and obviates the need for expensive machining of the cooperating surfaces.

A method and apparatus for the semisolid forming of alloys to enable shaped parts having a fine-grained, spherical thixotropic structure to be produced in a convenient, easy and inexpensive manner without relying upon the conventional mechanical or electromagnetic agitation. In the method, a molten alloy having crystal nuclei at a temperature not lower than the liquidus temperature or a partially solid, partially molten alloy having crystal nuclei at a temperature not lower than a molding temperature is fed into an insulated vessel and is maintained in the insulated vessel for 5 seconds to 60 minutes as it is cooled to the molding temperature where a specified liquid fraction is established, thereby crystallizing fine primary crystals in the alloy solution, and the alloy is fed into a forming mold, where it is shaped under pressure.

A method for producing a silicon ingot having a directional solidification structure comprising the steps of: placing a silicon raw material into a crucible of a melting device constructed by mounting a chill plate on an underfloor heater, mounting a crucible with a large cross-sectional area on the chill plate, providing an overhead heater over the crucible, and surrounding the circumference of the crucible with a heat insulator; heat-melting the silicon raw material by flowing an electric current through the underfloor heater and overhead heater; chilling the bottom of the crucible by halting the electric current through the underfloor heater after the silicon raw material has been completely melted to form a molten silicon; chilling the bottom of the crucible by flowing an inert gas through the chill plate; and intermittently or continuously lowering the temperature of the overhead heater by intermittently or continuously decreasing the electric current through the overhead heater, and an apparatus for producing the silicon ingot.

The apparatus of the invention is an injection molding apparatus of a type adapted to cool a molten metal under shearing by an extrusion screw in a substantially vertical chamber into a semi-solidified slurry and then inject the semi-solidified slurry discharged from a discharge port at the lower end of a channel into molding plates, in which a clamping device is adapted to open or close a movable plate relative to a stationary plate in the horizontal direction, and a connection member having, at the inside, a vertical first channel and a second channel extending in the horizontal direction from the lower end of the first channel and in communication with the stationary plate is connected to the discharge port at the lower end of the chamber. Since this can inject and mold light metal molding products of high quality with less pore or shrinkage without excessively enlarging the size for the height of the apparatus, casting products of high quality can be obtained at a reduced cost by injection molding.

The apparatus of the invention is an injection molding apparatus of a type adapted to cool a molten metal under shearing by an extrusion screw in a substantially vertical chamber into a semi-solidified slurry and then inject the semi-solidified slurry discharged from a discharge port at the lower end of a channel into molding plates, in which a clamping device is adapted to open or close a movable plate relative to a stationary plate in the horizontal direction, and a connection member having, at the inside, a vertical first channel and a second channel extending in the horizontal direction from the lower end of the first channel and in communication with the stationary plate is connected to the discharge port at the lower end of the chamber. Since this can inject and mold light metal molding products of high quality with less pore or shrinkage without excessively enlarging the size for the height of the apparatus, casting products of high quality can be obtained at a reduced cost by injection molding.

A method of producing on-demand, semi-solid material for a casting process includes the steps of first heating a metal alloy until it reaches a molten state and maintaining that molten state within a desired temperature range. The next step is to ladle out a portion of the molten alloy and transfer it into a processing vessel. In one arrangement the vessel is configured with its own cooling arrangement so as to begin the solidification process for the molten alloy. In another embodiment, a thermal jacket is used to facilitate the cooling of the vessel and accordingly the cooling of the molten alloy. The next step is to apply an electromagnetic field to the molten alloy in order to create a stirring action which results in a desired flow pattern of the molten alloy within the vessel. The electromagnetic stirring begins as soon as the molten alloy is placed in the vessel and continues while the cooling continues in order to create a slurry billet of the desired metallurgical composition. The final step is to discharge the slurry billet from the vessel directly into a shot sleeve of a casting machine. The apparatus related to the described method includes a vessel which is constructed and arranged for receipt of the molten alloy. A robotic arm is provided in one embodiment for moving the vessel into a stator and then from the stator to the discharge location. In another embodiment, pneumatic cylinders are used in cooperation with structural linkages to effect movement of the vessel first into the stator and then from the stator to the discharge location. Suitable cooling arrangements for the vessel include cooling lines within the vessel, the passage of cooling air between the stator and the vessel, and the use of a thermal jacket.

An apparatus for molding a metal material. The apparatus includes a vessel with portions defining a passageway through the vessel. An inlet is located toward one end and a member or agitation means is located within the passageway. A plurality of heaters are located a length of the vessel. The first of the heaters is located immediately downstream of the inlet and is a low frequency induction coil heater whereby the temperature gradient through the vessel's sidewall is minimized.

The invention relates to a method of manufacture of a piston for an internal combustion engine, the said piston being formed from a metal part cast in one piece, wherein heating of a billet is carried out so as to bring it to an intermediate temperature between its solidus temperature and its liquidus temperature, and that shaping thereof by thixoforging is carried out. The invention also relates to a piston (12) for an internal combustion engine, composed of a metal part cast in one piece, wherein it has been manufactured by heating of a billet so as to bring it to an intermediate temperature between its solidus temperature and its liquidus temperature, followed by shaping by thixoforging.

A metal alloy is heated to a molten state, and a grain refiner may be added. The molten alloy is poured into a shallow chamber of a shot sleeve of a vertical die cast press and on top of a shot piston. The shot sleeve is transferred to an injection station while the molten alloy cools to a semi-solid slurry with a globular, generally non-dendritic micro structure. An inner portion of the shallow slurry is injected upwardly by the piston through a gate opening into a die cavity while an outer more solid portion of the slurry is entrapped in an annular recess. After the slurry solidifies, the shot piston retracts, and the shot sleeve is transferred to a position where the residual biscuit is removed. The shot piston may have internal grooves to provide a large heat transfer area for cooling water to absorb heat from the molten alloy.

A injection-molding process injects a semi-solid slurry with a solids content ranging from approximately 60% to 85% into a mold at a velocity sufficient to completely fill the mold. The slurry is injected under laminar or turbulent flow conditions and produces a molded article that has a low internal porosity.

A metal alloy is heated to a molten state and is poured into a shot sleeve of a vertical die cast press and on top of a shot piston. The shot sleeve is transferred to an injection station while the molten alloy is cooled to a semi-solid slurry and a globular, generally non-dendritic microstructure. A retractable cooling pin is temporarily inserted into a center portion of the slurry while in the shot sleeve to obtain optimum cooling. A center portion of the slurry is injected upwardly by the piston through a gate opening into a die cavity while an outer more solid portion of the slurry is entrapped in an annular recess. After the slurry solidifies, the shot piston retracts, and the shot sleeve is transferred to a position where the residual biscuit is removed. Another shot sleeve filled with the molten allow is transferred, and the process is repeated.

A metal injection molding apparatus is provided with features which reduce the amount of metal which enters the drive mechanism of the apparatus. The apparatus contains a piston having the head and the shaft, the shaft having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the head. At least one piston ring circumscribes the piston shaft. The apparatus contains an injection chamber having an accumulation portion and a shaft housing portion. The shaft housing portion has openings in the sidewalls and a polygonal internal cross section. The accumulation portion of the injection chamber is maintained at a higher temperature than the shaft housing portion.

A method of shaping a semisolid metal to provide shaped parts which are produced in a convenient, easy and inexpensive manner, without relying upon the conventional mechanical or electromagnetic agitation. The method includes feeding, without using a cooling jig, into an insulating vessel, a molten alloy containing an element for promoting generation of crystal nuclei and being held to be superheated to less than 100° C. above a liquidus temperature of the alloy; maintaining the molten alloy in the insulating vessel for 5 seconds to 60 minutes as the alloy is cooled at a cooling rate of 0.01° C. / s to 3.0° C. / s thereby crystallizing fine primary spherical crystals in an alloy solution containing a specified liquid fraction; and feeding the alloy solution into a forming mold for shaping the alloy under pressure.

Made up of a step of preparing a map expressing a correlation between solid phase percentage and viscosity of a slurry-form semi-solid metal (27) for a given metal composition; a step of setting a target viscosity corresponding to a target solid phase percentage using this map; a viscosity measuring step of measuring the viscosity of a semi-solid metal in a vessel (13) while cooling it; and a step of carrying out cooling until this viscosity reaches the target viscosity, by these steps being carried out in from the preparation of the map expressing the correlation between solid phase percentage and viscosity of the semi-solid metal to the end of cooling of the semi-solid metal the solid phase percentage of the semi-solid metal is made to match the target solid phase percentage. Because the viscosity is detected, the affects of cooling rate changes and time can be eliminated, and it is possible to raise management accuracy of the solid phase percentage of the semi-solid metal much further than with related art management based on time.

A material melting device of metal injection molding machine comprises a main feeding cylinder; a plurality of preheating feed cylinders parallel arranged at a lateral side of a main feeding cylinder of a metal injection molding machine; a plurality of material outlets formed at a side of each preheating feed cylinder. The material outlets are communicated to the main feeding cylinder through the guide tubes. Thereby, an inner side of the preheating feed cylinder is pre-heated so as to get preheated grains by adjusting the preheating screw rods in the preheating feed cylinder. Moreover, the preheating feed cylinders can be replaced by feeding funnels and the guide tubes are replaced by heating pipes.

A piston for an internal combustion engine is formed from a metal part cast in one piece. Heating of a billet is carried out so as to bring it to an intermediate temperature between its solidus temperature and its liquidus temperature, and shaping thereof by thixoforging is carried out.

An apparatus for fabrication of a magnesium-based carbon nanotube composite material, the apparatus includes a thixomolding machine, and a feeding device. The thixomolding machine includes a heating barrel, a feeding inlet, a nozzle, a heating portion, and a plunger. The heating barrel includes a first end and a second end. The feeding inlet is disposed at the first end. The nozzle is disposed at the second end. The heating portion is disposed around the heating barrel. The plunger is disposed at a center of the heating barrel. The feeding device includes a hopper; an aspirator connected to the hopper, a first container, and a second container. The hopper is in communication with the first container and the second container. A method for fabricating a magnesium-based carbon nanotube composite material is also provided.

A method of forming a material includes the steps of: vibrating a molten material at an ultrasonic frequency while cooling the material to a semi-solid state to form non-dendritic grains therein; forming the semi-solid material into a desired shape; and cooling the material to a solid state. The method makes semi-solid castings directly from molten materials (usually a metal), produces grain size usually in the range of smaller than 50 μm, and can be easily retrofitted into existing conventional forming machine.

By determining an amount of a metal to be prepared into a slurry in its liquid state, thereafter applying a motion to the melted metal via a mechanical or physical means when at least a part of the melted metal reaches a temperature below the liquidus temperature and cooling the melted metal in a slurry preparing container to prepare the melted metal into a metal slurry in a semi-solid state, and by concurrently making the semi-solid metal slurry in the slurry preparing container with a shape to be kept almost unchanged, and feeding the semi-solid metal slurry in a state wherein the shape is nearly kept as it is into the shot sleeve / prechamber of the part making machine, a semi-solid metal slurry with the non-dendritic (spherical) primary crystal particles being fine and almost uniform can be fed into the part making machine, with no need of any specifically complex process but with a simple system and plain equipment. Thus, a shaped part with high quality can be produced.

A method for the refining of primary aluminum in hypoeutectic alloys by mixing at least two hypoeutectic alloys into a solid / semi-solid hypoeutectic slurry is described. The method provides control of the morphology, size, and distribution of primary Al in a hypoeutectic Al—Si casting by mixing a hypoeutectic Al—Si liquid with solid hypoeutectic Al—Si particles to impart desirable mechanical properties. The invention enables SSM molding of hypoeutiectic alloys without the need for secondary processing steps associated with other rheocasting processes.

A method of forming a material includes the steps of: vibrating a molten material at an ultrasonic frequency while cooling the material to a semi-solid state to form non-dendritic grains therein; forming the semi-solid material into a desired shape; and cooling the material to a solid state. The method makes semi-solid castings directly from molten materials (usually a metal), produces grain size usually in the range of smaller than 50 μm, and can be easily retrofitted into existing conventional forming machine.

A molten material supply unit includes a heating cylinder. The heating cylinder may receive and heat the material in a substantially vacuum condition. A molding apparatus may include a pressurizing and charging unit in addition to the molten material supply unit. The pressurizing and charging unit is adapted to receive the melted material from the molten material supply unit and to charge the melted material into a die under pressure.

A method for the refining of primary aluminum in hypoeutectic alloys by mixing at least two hypoeutectic alloys into a solid / semi-solid hypoeutectic slurry is described. The method provides control of the morphology, size, and distribution of primary Al in a hypoeutectic Al—Si casting by mixing a hypoeutectic Al—Si liquid with solid hypoeutectic Al—Si particles to impart desirable mechanical properties. The invention enables SSM molding of hypoeutiectic alloys without the need for secondary processing steps associated with other rheocasting processes.

A metallic alloy having a semi-solid range between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature of the metallic alloy is processed by cooling the metallic alloy from an initial metallic alloy elevated temperature to a semi-solid temperature of less than the liquidus temperature and more than the solidus temperature, and maintaining the metallic alloy at the semi-solid temperature for a sufficient time to produce a semi-solid structure in the metallic alloy of a globular solid phase dispersed in a liquid phase. The cooling may be accomplished by providing a crucible at a crucible initial temperature below the solidus temperature, pouring the metallic alloy into the crucible, and allowing the metallic alloy and the crucible to reach a thermal equilibrium between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature of the metallic alloy. The method further includes removing at least some, but not all, of the liquid phase present in the semi-solid structure of the metallic alloy to form a solid-enriched semi-solid structure of the metallic alloy, and forming the metallic alloy having the solid-enriched semi-solid structure into a shape.

A method for producing dental restoration components includes filling a retort cylinder of a retort system with a forming mass, the retort cylinder being at least partially encircled by a charging body, and hardening the forming mass. After the hardening of the forming mass, the retort cylinder and the charging body are removed from the forming mass, thereby leaving behind a retort. Thereafter, with the assistance of a press blank apparatus, a press blank having an outer contour substantially corresponding to the outer contour of the charging body is pressed into the retort.

A light metal alloy material has excellent plastic workability. The method of producing the light metal alloy material comprises a light metal as a matrix, which is injection-molded at a solid phase proportion of not more than 20%. The injection molded material has a limiting upsetting rate of not more than 70% and excellent moldability. This injection molded material can be molded into a final molded article by means of single-step forging.

A method and apparatus for producing a metal component from a non-dendritic, semi-solid metal alloy slurry involves the use of a graphite agitator that is functionally equivalent to conventional metal rod agitators, and has the additional advantage of having a very low surface wettability, whereby labor and expenses associated with removing a metal alloy skin formed after withdrawal of the agitator from a metal slurry is eliminated or at least substantially reduced. The invention also provides an improved process and apparatus for producing a metal component from a non-dendritic semi-solid metal slurry by transferring the slurry to a cooling vessel for subsequent cooling and raising of the solids content without agitation after the slurry has been formed with agitation in a first vessel, whereby more rapid cooling of the slurry and increased production rates are achievable.