Systems and methods for casting using molds with thermally conditioned walls

Abstract

The system includes a controller configured to receive a computer model of a mold configured to cast the part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and the controller configured to control a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION This application relates generally to gas turbine systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for casting components of gas turbine systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Gas turbine systems may include compressors, combustors, and turbines. Various components of gas turbine systems may have complex geometries that are difficult to manufacture through a casting process. For example, compressor or turbine components (e.g., blades or vanes) may have complex geometries with variations in thickness or cross-sectional area across the component. Unfortunately, complex geometries can pose challenges to the casting process because thickness variations generally result in variations in the cooling and solidification of a component, since the amount of latent heat generated during solidification is proportional to the cross-sectional area of ​​the metal. Typically, locations with large cross sections or thick walls tend to experience slower cooling rates and less thermal gradients, increasing the likelihood of grain defect formation, such as stray grains, slivers, and freckles. Molds with constant wall thicknesses do not accommodate these thickness variations, which results in undesirable cooling and solidification of the component during the casting process. Therefore, a mold tailored to the component's complex geometry, particularly thickness variations, is needed to help improve the cooling and solidification of the component during the casting process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2019-0117833 Summary of the Invention

[0004] Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed embodiments; rather, these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the presently claimed embodiments may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0005] In certain embodiments, the system includes a controller configured to receive a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and the controller configured to control a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

[0006] In certain embodiments, a method includes receiving, via a controller, a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and controlling, via the controller, a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

[0007] In certain embodiments, the system includes a controller configured to receive a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and the controller configured to control a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

[0008] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosed techniques will become better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a manufacturing system for casting a part using a mold, the mold having a variable wall thickness adjusted to accommodate varying thicknesses of the part. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a mold used to cast a part with the manufacturing system of FIG. 1; FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1 and 2, further showing interior details of the mold body. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, illustrating variations in wall thickness of the mold. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, illustrating variations in wall thickness of the mold. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2, illustrating variations in wall thickness of the mold. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2, illustrating variations in wall thickness of the mold. [Figure 8] 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a solidification profile (e.g., a concave downward solidification profile) of the material of the part transitioning from a liquid state to a solid state in the mold during cooling in the casting system of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a solidification profile (e.g., a flat solidification profile) of the material of the part transitioning from a liquid state to a solid state in the mold during cooling in the casting system of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1-7, further illustrating thickness variations of the part and mold body. [Figure 11] FIG. 8 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the mold of FIGS. 1-7, further illustrating thickness variations of the part and mold body. [Figure 12] 8 is a graph of one embodiment of the relationship between part thickness and thermal resistance of the mold of FIGS. 1-7. [Figure 13] 8 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a manufacturing process for casting a part using the mold of FIGS. 1-7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The following describes one or more specific embodiments of the presently disclosed embodiments. While an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments is made, it is understood that not all features of an actual implementation may be described herein. It should be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, as with any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made that may vary from implementation to implementation in order to achieve the developer's particular goals, including compliance with system-related and business-related constraints. It should further be understood that such a development effort may be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0011] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presently disclosed embodiments, the words "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0012] As described below, the disclosed embodiments include systems and methods for casting parts, such as turbomachinery parts, through molds thermally tuned to complex shapes and varying thicknesses of the part. In certain embodiments, the turbomachinery part may be part of a compressor, a turbine, a pump, or any combination thereof. For example, the turbine may include a gas turbine, a steam turbine, a water turbine, a wind turbine, or any combination thereof. The part may include moving parts, such as stationary or rotating parts. For example, the part may include a turbomachinery blade or vane, such as a gas turbine blade or vane. Thus, the thickness of the part may vary substantially throughout the part. The disclosed embodiments generate modified or improved molds using various computer models, historical data, casting data, and part data to generate molds that improve heat transfer, cooling, and solidification profiles for casting parts using the mold. For example, the mold may include thickness variations that are inverse or opposite to the thickness variations of the part, thereby providing thicker mold walls in thinner areas of the part and thinner mold walls in thicker areas of the part. In certain embodiments, the mold has a shape that includes variations in wall thickness that are computer-designed and manufactured via additive manufacturing to control heat transfer, cooling, and solidification. The resulting solidification profile may be a substantially flat solidification profile or a concave-down solidification profile. A concave-down solidification profile helps ensure that cooling and solidification progress from the inside to the outside during the casting process. A substantially flat solidification profile helps ensure that cooling and solidification progresses approximately uniformly throughout both the inside and outside of the part during the casting process. The molds of the disclosed embodiments may also help reduce casting grain defects, such as stray grains, misoriented grains, and freckles. While the following description relates to the casting process of turbomachinery parts, the disclosed embodiments may be used for any part in any industry.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a manufacturing system 10 configured to provide thermal improvements when manufacturing various equipment, such as turbomachinery components. In the illustrated embodiment, the manufacturing system 10 includes a computer 12, an additive manufacturing system 14 (e.g., a 3D printing system) coupled to the computer 12, and a casting system 16 configured to cast a part 20 using a mold 18 manufactured by the additive manufacturing system 14. In certain embodiments, the part 20 may be a portion of a turbomachine (e.g., a turbomachinery component), which may include a turbine, a compressor, a pump, or other equipment. For example, the manufacturing system 10 may be configured to manufacture turbomachinery blades or vanes, such as turbine blades or vanes, compressor blades or vanes, pump blades or vanes, or combinations thereof, as the part 20. Thus, the manufacturing system 10 may be used to manufacture parts 20, such as blades or vanes for a gas turbine engine in a power plant.

[0014] As described in detail below, the manufacturing system 10 helps improve the cooling and solidification profile of the part 20 during the casting process by tailoring the mold 18 to the part 20, where tailoring specifically includes varying the thickness of the mold 18 to accommodate variations in the thickness of the part 20 to control the cooling and solidification profile. While the disclosed embodiments primarily discuss thickness variations to control heat transfer (e.g., cooling) and solidification profiles, the mold 18 can be produced based on variations in thermal conductivity, emissivity, alloy-dependent latent heat of solidification, wall thickness, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments of the mold 18 are applicable to parts 20 having single crystal, directionally solidified columnar grain structure castings, equiaxed grain structure castings, or even hybrid grain structure castings. A hybrid grain structure casting may include directionally solidified (DS) or single crystal grains in some locations of the part 20 cast with the mold 18 and equiaxed grains in other locations. In certain embodiments, the mold 18 may be used with single-mold casting or multiple mold trees for casting with the casting system 16.

[0015] Computer 12 may include one or more processors 22, a memory 24, instructions 26 stored in memory 24 and executable by one or more processors 22 to perform various functions of a computer-aided design (CAD) system 30, and communications circuitry 28 (e.g., wired and / or wireless communication circuitry) configured to communicate with additive manufacturing system 14 and casting system 16. Computer 12 further includes casting data 32, a plurality of models 34, such as models 36, 38, and 40, and various other data acquisition and processing devices to facilitate operation of CAD system 30. CAD system 30 is configured to receive and process casting data 32 and a plurality of models 34 to generate a CAD model 42 of mold 18 of part 20.

[0016] The casting data 32 and model 34 are used to help align the CAD model 42 of the mold 18 to achieve the desired heat transfer (e.g., cooling) and solidification (e.g., solidification profile) during casting of the part 20. Thus, the casting data 32 may include historical casting data, simulated casting data (e.g., casting data using a computer simulation), test casting data (e.g., casting data using a test mold to obtain feedback), or any combination thereof. The casting data may include various inputs and outputs of the casting process, where the inputs may include the casting temperature, the speed at which the mold 18 moves during casting, the material used for casting, the geometry of the part 20, and the geometry of the mold 18. The outputs may include the temperature, solidification, and material properties of the part 20 resulting from casting using the mold 18, where the outputs may include spatial profiles of the mold 18 and the entire part 20 over time. In certain embodiments, for test casting data, one or more test molds 18 can be modeled via CAD model 42, manufactured by additive manufacturing system 14, and tested by casting system 16, and the heat transfer (e.g., cooling) and solidification (e.g., solidification profile) of part 20 can be monitored, and the CAD model 42 of mold 18 (and mold 18 itself) can be further refined with any number of test iterations.

[0017] Model 36 may include one or more computer simulation models of part 20, model 38 may include one or more computer simulation models of part mold 18 and / or the casting process, and model 40 may include one or more computer simulation models of a turbomachine (e.g., a gas turbine engine). Each of models 36, 38, and 40 may include one or more physics-based models, heat or heat transfer models, solidification-based models, fluid-based models, existing or baseline CAD models, or any combination thereof. The heat or heat transfer models may model the temperature, heat transfer, and solidification throughout mold 18 and part 20 to generate a thermal profile (e.g., a temperature profile, a heat transfer profile, a cooling profile, etc.), a solidification profile (e.g., a liquid / solid interface), or any combination thereof, at one or more cross sections of mold 18 and part 20 during the casting process. For example, models 36 and / or 38 may include a model of the casting process that includes the effect of variations in mold thickness on the temperature, cooling, solidification profile, material properties, and other characteristics of the part 20 being produced by the mold 18 in the casting process.

[0018] CAD system 30 may be configured to generate CAD model 42 of part 20 such that CAD model 42 has variable thickness to tailor heat transfer and solidification of part 20 during the casting process. For example, as described in further detail below, CAD model 42 of mold 18 may be tailored to part 20 to include a thicker thickness to slow heat transfer and solidification of part 20 in thinner regions of part 20, a thinner thickness to accelerate heat transfer and solidification of part 20 in thicker regions of part 20, or a combination thereof. The thickness variations in CAD model 42 of mold 18 may vary longitudinally along part 20, laterally across the cross-section of part 20, or any combination thereof. Thus, the thickness variations in CAD model 42 of mold 18 are configured to help achieve desired heat transfer, cooling, and solidification of part 20 during the casting process by casting system 16.

[0019] The additive manufacturing system 14 is configured to generate the mold 18 for use by the casting system 16 using a CAD model 42 of the mold 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the additive manufacturing system 14 includes a controller 44 having one or more processors 46, a memory 48, instructions 50 stored in the memory 48 and executable by the processor 46 to perform a desired additive manufacturing process to generate the mold 18 according to the CAD model 42, and communication circuitry 52 (e.g., wired and / or wireless communication circuitry) configured to communicate with the computer 12 and the casting system 16. The additive manufacturing system 14 may be specifically designed to handle particular materials, such as a ceramic-specific additive manufacturing system 14. For example, the additive manufacturing system 14 may include an additive ceramic 3D printing system that uses the CAD model 42, such as a layer-by-layer sintering system configured to additively manufacture the mold 18 using ceramic powder. In certain embodiments, the additive manufacturing system 14 may include a direct digital manufacturing (DDM) system that uses the CAD model 42.

[0020] The additive manufacturing system 14 also includes one or more material supplies 54, one or more material applicators 56, one or more energy applicators 58, and one or more positioning tools 60. The material supplies 54 may include a gas supply, a liquid supply, and a solid supply, such as a solid powder supply. The material supplies 54 may include a plastic material, a metal material, a ceramic material, a ceramic-metal (e.g., cermet) material, or any combination thereof. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the additive manufacturing system 14 may use a ceramic material in the material supplies 54 to generate the ceramic mold 18. However, the material may vary depending on the desired heat transfer through the mold 18 and the structure of the part 20. In certain embodiments, the ceramic material may include silica, alumina, zircon, chromium oxide, aluminum silicate, silicon carbide, alumina-chromium-silica, or any combination or mixture thereof configured to produce a corresponding ceramic mold 18. The material applicator 56 can include a layer applicator, a printer, a coating system, a sprayer, a jet or fluid nozzle, or any combination thereof. The energy applicator 58 can include one or more lasers, torches, or any other high-energy source to generate layers of material from the material supply 54 through the material applicator 56. The positioning tool 60 can include an electric drive, a fluid drive (e.g., a pneumatic and / or hydraulic drive), a gear assembly or transmission, a robotic arm, a press, a conveyor, or any combination thereof. The positioning tool 60 can be configured to operate in one or more axes, such as the X, Y, and Z axes, to provide three-dimensional movement of the material applicator 56, energy applicator 58, or other equipment.

[0021] During operation, the additive manufacturing system 14, via the controller 44, imports the CAD model 42 of the mold 18 and controls the material supply 54, material applicator 56, energy applicator 58, and positioning tool 60 to provide or generate the mold 18 having a varying wall thickness according to the CAD model 42 of the mold 18. The end result of the additive manufacturing system 14 is the mold 18 having a varying thickness for subsequent use in the casting system 16. In certain embodiments, the manufacturing system 10 may use the CAD model 42 of the mold 18 with another type of additive manufacturing system 14 that may be configured to generate the mold 18 having a varying wall thickness according to the CAD model 42. Thus, the manufacturing system 10 is not limited to only the additive manufacturing system 14, but may use any suitable process to create the mold 18 having a variable thickness to facilitate a desired heat transfer and solidification profile of the part 20.

[0022] The casting system 16 includes a furnace 62 having an enclosure 64, such as an insulating-liner enclosure, that may include a high-temperature chamber 66 and a cooling chamber 68. The enclosure 64 may be reinforced with one or more layers of insulation 70, such as refractory brick, ceramic material, or any combination thereof. The casting system 16 may also include a partition or separation wall 72 between the high-temperature chamber 66 and the cooling chamber 68, the separation wall 72 including an opening 74 configured to allow passage of the mold 18 from the high-temperature chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68. The furnace 62 may also include an access door 76 in the cooling chamber 68 to facilitate removal of the mold 18 after completion of the casting process. The casting system 16 may also be coupled to one or more of a material supply 78, a heating system 80, a controller 82, a cooling system 84, and a positioning system 86. In the illustrated embodiment, the material supply 78 may include one or more fluid supplies, solids supplies, or a combination thereof. For example, material supply 78 may include a solid powder supply that may include a plastic powder, a metal powder, a ceramic powder, a cermet powder, or any other suitable powder material. Material supply 78 may include a conduit or injection line 88 that extends from material supply 78 to a top funnel 90 of mold 18. Thus, material supply 78 is configured to deliver the desired material through top funnel 90 and into mold 18, which may occur prior to or during heating of mold 18 within high temperature chamber 66 of furnace 62.

[0023] Heating system 80 is configured to apply heat to high temperature chamber 66, as indicated by arrow 92. Heating system 80 may include a combustion system that combusts a fuel (e.g., a liquid, gaseous, or solid fuel) with an oxidizer, such as air. Heating system 80 is configured to apply heat 92 to high temperature chamber 66 sufficient to maintain a desired temperature within high temperature chamber 66 for melting or liquefying material supplied by material supply 78 into mold 18.

[0024] The controller 82 includes one or more processors 94, memory 96, and instructions 98 stored in memory 96 and executable by the processor 94 to facilitate monitoring and control of the material supply 78, heating system 80, cooling system 84, and positioning system 86. The controller 82 also includes communications circuitry 100 configured to communicate with the material supply 78, heating system 80, cooling system 84, and positioning system 86 of the casting system 16, as well as with the computer 12 and the additive manufacturing system 14 via wired or wireless communication. In operation, the controller 82 is configured to control the casting process of the part 20 using the mold 18 generated by the additive manufacturing system 14 based on the CAD model 42. In particular, the controller 82 may be configured to operate the casting system 16 using specific parameters related to the CAD model 42, such as the temperatures of the hot chamber 66 and the cooling chamber 68, the speed of movement of the mold 18 between the hot chamber 66 and the cooling chamber 68, and other casting parameters.

[0025] The cooling system 84 is configured to provide cooling or heat transfer from the cooling chamber 68, as indicated by arrows 102. For example, the cooling system 84 may circulate a coolant to and from the cooling chamber 68 as the mold 18 moves from the hot chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68 to regulate the temperature within the cooling chamber 68, thereby controlling the cooling of the mold 18 and the solidification of the part 20. The cooling system 84 may include a gas cooling system, a liquid cooling system, or any combination thereof. For example, the cooling system 84 may circulate cooled air, cooled water, or another cooled thermal fluid to and from the cooling chamber 68. In certain embodiments, the cooling system 84 may include one or more fans for circulating a flow of air or an inert gas within the cooling chamber 68 and / or between the cooling chamber 68 and the external environment. However, using the disclosed embodiment molds 18, the casting system 16 may be configured to operate without the cooling system 84, such as with gas cooling or other high gradient casting techniques.

[0026] The positioning system 86 is configured to move the mold 18 between the high temperature chamber 66 and the cooling chamber 68 in a controlled manner, thereby helping to control the thermal and solidification profiles of the part 20. For example, the positioning system 86 may include one or more electric drives, fluid drives (e.g., pneumatic drives and / or hydraulic drives), gear assemblies or transmissions, lifting assemblies, robotic arm assemblies, or any combination thereof. The positioning system 86 may be configured to move the mold 18 axially 104 along a central axis 106 of the furnace 62, thereby controlling the rate at which the mold 18 enters the cooling chamber 68. In certain embodiments, the positioning system 86 may also be configured to rotate the mold 18 about the central axis 106, move the mold 18 laterally relative to the central axis 106, or any combination thereof. Each movement made by the positioning system 86 may be configured to help control heat transfer from the mold 18 and part 20, the solidification profile of the part 20, or any combination thereof. The positioning system 86 may also be controlled by the controller 82 based at least in part on the variable thickness of the mold walls of the mold 18 to help control the heat transfer and solidification profile of the part 20 .

[0027] Thus, during operation, the casting system 16 receives material from the material supply 78 through the top funnel 90 and into the mold 18, heats and liquefies the material in the mold 18 in the high temperature chamber 66, controls the temperature profile in the high temperature chamber 66 via the heating system 80, and controls the movement of the mold 18 from the high temperature chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68 via the positioning system 86. As the mold 18 moves from the high temperature chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68, the cooling system 84 is controlled by the controller 82 to provide a desired temperature profile in the cooling chamber 68, thereby helping to control the heat transfer from the mold 18 and the cooling and solidification of the part 20 in the cooling chamber 68. The variable wall thickness of the mold 18 and the speed of movement of the mold 18 from the high temperature chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68 help to control the heat transfer and solidification profile of the part 20, as described in further detail below. Once the mold 18 has moved from the hot chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68, the casting system 16 may continue to supply cooling to the cooling chamber 68 until the mold 18 and part 20 have cooled sufficiently and the part 20 has solidified. At this point, the casting system 16 may open the access door 76 to allow removal of the mold 18, as indicated by arrow 108. The part 20 may then be removed from the mold 18, as indicated by arrow 110.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, the mold 18 has a mold body 112 disposed between an upper funnel 90 and a lower heat transfer plate or starter block 114. As described above, the upper funnel 90 is configured to assist in directing material from the material supply 78 into the mold body 112. The heat transfer plate 114 is configured to assist in transferring heat from the mold body 112 during the cooling and solidification process of the part 20. As will be described in further detail below, the mold body 112 has a wall 116 disposed about an interior or casting chamber 118. The wall 116 surrounds the interior 118, while an exterior 120 is disposed about the wall 116. The wall 116 also has a wall thickness 122 that varies in various directions to provide more uniform cooling and solidification of the part 20, the wall thickness 122 being based on the CAD model 42 of the mold 18, as described above.

[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the wall thickness 122 may vary in one or more of an axial direction 124, a radial direction 126 generally perpendicular to the axial direction 124, and a circumferential direction 128 disposed about the axial direction 124 relative to a central axis 130 of the mold 18. For example, at a particular axial location along the central axis 130, the wall thickness 122 may vary across a cross-sectional plane of the mold 18. Furthermore, in the axial direction 124 along the central axis 130, the wall thickness 122 may vary between the top funnel 90 and the heat transfer plate 114. In certain embodiments, the heat transfer plate 114 may be positioned toward a tip portion 132 of the part 20, and the top funnel 90 may be positioned adjacent a base portion 134 of the part 20 being cast by the casting system 16. However, the orientation of the part 20 may vary depending on the particular part and application. Further details of the mold 18 and the casting process are described in greater detail below.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a mold 18 used to cast a part 20 by the manufacturing system 10 of FIG. 1. As shown, the mold 18 includes a mold body 112 disposed between the top funnel 90 and a heat transfer plate 114. The mold also includes a tip portion 132 adjacent the heat transfer plate 114 and a base portion 134 adjacent the top funnel 90. As shown in FIG. 2, the shape of the mold body 112 varies between the top funnel 90 and the heat transfer plate 114. More specifically, the mold body 112 has a variation in wall thickness 122 at various cross-sectional areas along the central axis 130 of the mold 18. For example, the wall thickness 122 varies at each cross-sectional area of ​​a plane passing through the mold 18, as shown by lines 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7. As will be described in more detail below, the wall thickness 122 varies across a planar cross-sectional area, and the wall thickness 122 varies axially 124 along a central axis 130 .

[0031] 3 is a cutaway perspective view of one embodiment of the mold 18 of FIGS. 1 and 2 , further illustrating interior details of the mold body 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the mold 18 may be configured to produce a part 20 having an airfoil shape, such as an airfoil-shaped blade or vane for a turbine, compressor, or other turbomachinery. Accordingly, the mold body 112 includes an airfoil-shaped cavity 150 having a plurality of interior portions 152 configured to provide a hollow portion of the part 20 upon completion of the casting process. Thus, the airfoil-shaped cavity 150 has an interior 118 with an airfoil-shaped interior profile, while the exterior 120 also has an airfoil-shaped exterior profile separated from the interior 118 by a wall thickness 122. Again, the wall thickness 122 varies around the airfoil-shaped cavity 150 to facilitate a desired heat transfer and solidification profile of the part 20.

[0032] Airfoil-shaped cavity 150 extends from a leading edge 154 to a trailing edge 156, which are joined by a suction side 158 and a pressure side 160 of interior 118. The aforementioned shape of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 forms the exterior of part 20 upon completion of the casting process. Exterior 120 of mold body 112 generally follows the contour of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 (albeit with variable wall thickness 122), with exterior 120 having a leading edge portion 162, a trailing edge portion 164, a suction side portion 166, and a pressure side portion 168 that are generally along or aligned with leading edge 154, trailing edge 156, suction side 158, and pressure side 160 of interior 118. However, the wall thickness 122 of the wall 116 varies around the airfoil-shaped cavity 150 from the leading edge 154 to the trailing edge 156, and therefore the wall thickness 122 of the wall 116 also varies around the exterior 120 from the leading edge portion 162 to the trailing edge portion 164. Additionally, the wall thickness 122 may vary in the axial direction 124 along the central axis 130 of the mold 18, as described above.

[0033] In certain embodiments, portions of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 that define thinner portions of part 20 may be surrounded by thicker portions of wall 116 (e.g., thicker wall thickness 122), and portions of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 that define thicker portions of part 20 may be surrounded by thinner portions of wall 116 (e.g., thinner wall thickness 122). In other words, thinner portions of part 20 formed by mold 18 may cool and solidify faster than thicker portions of part 20 formed by mold 18, and thus mold 18 adjusts for these changes in thickness and solidification rate of part 20 by providing thicker wall thickness 122 to slow the cooling and solidification of thinner portions of part 20, and by providing thinner wall thickness 122 to speed the cooling and solidification of thicker portions of part 20. In this manner, adjustments to the mold 18 are made by varying the wall thickness 122 of the mold 18 inversely or oppositely to the variation in thickness of the part 20 being cast within the mold 18. The variation in wall thickness 122 can be based on a variation in the thickness of the part 20, a variation in the cooling of the entire part 20, a variation in the solidification of the entire part 20, or any combination thereof, to help achieve the desired cooling and solidification of the part 20 during the casting process.

[0034] Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are cross-sectional views of one embodiment of the mold 18 of Figures 1-3 taken along lines 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7, respectively, of Figure 2. The cross-sectional views of Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 illustrate the variation in wall thickness 122 at different axial locations along the central axis 130, as well as the variation in wall thickness 122 between the leading edge 154 and the trailing edge 156. In particular, as shown in each cross-sectional view, the wall thickness 122 of the wall 116 is generally thicker at the trailing edge portion 164 of the mold body 112 and generally thinner at the leading edge portion 162 of the mold body 112, corresponding to the generally thinner cavity portion of the airfoil-shaped cavity 150 at the trailing edge 156 and the generally thicker cavity portion of the airfoil-shaped cavity 150 at the leading edge 154. Thus, thickness 122 is generally greater in thinner regions of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 (and part 20), and thickness 122 is generally less in thicker regions of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 (and part 20).

[0035] 4, 5, 6, and 7, a centerline or camber line 170 extends from the leading edge 154 to the trailing edge 156 of the airfoil-shaped cavity 150, with the camber line 170 being midway or centered between the suction side 158 and the pressure side 160. Along the camber line 170, the wall thickness 122 of the wall 116 may be substantially equal in both the suction side portion 166 and the pressure side portion 168 of the mold body 112 at each location along the camber line 170. In this manner, the wall thicknesses of both the suction side portion 166 and the pressure side portion 168 are equal or uniform at each location along the camber line 170, which helps to provide uniform heat transfer at each location along the camber line 170 (e.g., toward the suction side portion 166 and the pressure side portion 168, in a direction opposite to the camber line 170), thereby helping to provide a desired cooling and solidification profile for the part 20. However, as the mold body 112 extends along the camber line 170, the wall thickness 122 generally varies between the leading edge portion 162 and the trailing edge portion 164 of the mold body 112 depending on the thickness of the airfoil-shaped cavity 150 (and thus the part 20). The variation in wall thickness 122 is configured to facilitate more uniform heat transfer and cooling during the casting process within the casting system 16, as well as more uniform solidification of the liquefied material within the mold 18 to form the part 20.

[0036] As an example, at point 172 along camber line 170, wall thickness 122 may be equal at segments 174 and 176 corresponding to suction side portion 166 and pressure side portion 168 of mold body 112. Similarly, at point 178 along camber line 170, wall thickness 122 of wall 116 may be substantially equal at segments 180 and 182 corresponding to suction side portion 166 and pressure side portion 168 of mold body 112. However, comparing points 172 and 178, wall thickness 122 differs between pair of segments 174, 176 and pair of segments 180, 182. Wall thickness 122 may have similar variations at other points along camber line 170, thereby varying wall thickness 122 to achieve desired heat transfer depending on the thickness of airfoil-shaped cavity 150 and the desired solidification profile for casting part 20.

[0037] 8 and 9 are schematic illustrations of an embodiment of a solidification profile 190 of material 192 of part 20 transitioning from a liquid state 194 to a solid state 196 within mold 18 during cooling of casting system 16 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 8, solidification profile 190 has a concave solidification profile 198, whereby during the cooling process of casting system 16, liquid state 194 transitions to solid state 196 of material 192 outward from central axis 130 toward outer periphery 200 of part 20. In particular, the concave solidification profile 198 is achieved by the variation in wall thickness 122 of mold 18 and the rate of travel of mold 18 from hot chamber 66 to cooling chamber 68 of casting system 16, causing part 20 to cool and solidify from the inside out, as indicated by arrows 202. The part 20 undergoes this solidification profile 190 (eg, a concave downward solidification profile 198 ) while the mold 18 moves from the hot chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68 , as indicated by arrow 104 .

[0038] However, in certain embodiments, solidification profile 190 can have another solidification profile, such as a flat or substantially flat solidification profile 204 as shown in FIG. 9. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, flat solidification profile 204 can be achieved by controlling the variable wall thickness 122 of mold 18 and the speed of movement of mold 18 between hot chamber 66 and cooling chamber 68, as indicated by arrow 104, thereby allowing material 192 to transition from liquid state 194 to solid state 196 substantially uniformly between central axis 130 and periphery 200. Manufacturing system 10 of FIG. 1 can be configured to achieve either concave down solidification profile 198 or flat solidification profile 204 by control of the CAD model 42 generated by computer 12, mold 18 generated by additive manufacturing system 14, and the shape of the mold via various controls of casting system 16.

[0039] 1-7 are schematic, partial cross-sectional views of the mold 18 embodiment, further illustrating the thickness variations of the part 20 and mold body 112. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the walls 116 of the mold body 112 generally vary in wall thickness 122 at various locations longitudinally along the centerline or camber line 170 between the interior 118 and the exterior 120. Similarly, the thickness 210 of the part 20 generally varies longitudinally along the centerline or camber line 170 between the interior 118 and the camber line 170 of the mold 18. As will be appreciated, the thickness 210 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 may be one-half of the overall thickness of the part 20, such that the thickness 210 is equal on both sides of the camber line 170. Similarly, the thickness 122 of the walls 116 of the mold body 112 may be substantially equal on both sides of the camber line 170, depending on the particular part being constructed. 10 , thickness 122 generally increases while thickness 210 decreases along camber line 170, and thickness 122 generally decreases while thickness 210 generally increases along camber line 170. In other words, thicknesses 122 and 210 may vary inversely or oppositely (e.g., inversely proportionally) to one another such that total thickness 212 may control the overall heat transfer and solidification profile during cooling of mold 18 and part 20 within casting system 16. In certain embodiments, total thickness 212 may be substantially uniform along camber line 170. However, in certain embodiments, total thickness 212 may also vary (e.g., increase or decrease) along camber line 170, thereby helping to control the cooling and solidification profile to achieve desired solidification profile 190, as described above with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .

[0040] 10 , the wall 116 of the mold 18 may have a solid wall structure made of a material suitable for enhancing or controlling heat transfer. For example, the material 214 of the mold 18 may include a ceramic material, a metal material, a plastic material, a composite material, a ceramic-metal material, or any combination thereof. For example, a ceramic material may be used in the material 214 of the mold 18 to control the heat transfer, cooling, and solidification profile 190 of the part 20.

[0041] 11 , the wall 116 of the mold 18 may have a partially hollow structure, with a hollow chamber 216 disposed within the mold body 112 of the mold 18. For example, the hollow chamber 216 may be configured to further control heat transfer longitudinally along the camber line 170. The hollow chamber 216 may have a thickness 218 that is constant along the camber line 170 or that varies longitudinally. For example, the thickness 218 of the hollow chamber 216 may generally decrease with decreasing wall thickness 122 and / or increase with increasing wall thickness 122 along the camber line 170. In certain embodiments, the wall 116 of the mold 18 may include multiple hollow chambers 216 forming a honeycomb structure, the wall 116 of the mold 18 may include a multi-wall structure having multiple walls separated by hollow chambers 216, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the hollow chambers 216 may be empty under vacuum, filled with a liquid or gas (e.g., an inert gas), or filled with a different material (e.g., an insulating material). However, any suitable arrangement, number, shape, or configuration of hollow chambers 216 may be disposed within the wall 116 of the mold body 112 to help control the heat transfer and solidification profile of the part 20.

[0042] 12 is a graph 230 of one embodiment of the relationship between part thickness 232 and mold thermal resistance 234 versus position 236 along the mold 18 and part 20, e.g., along camber line 170. As shown in FIG. 12, part thickness 232 and mold thermal resistance 234 vary inversely or oppositely (e.g., inversely proportionally) with changes in position 236 along the mold 18 (e.g., along camber line 170 and / or along central axis 130).

[0043] For example, part thickness 232 generally decreases in response to a change in location 236, while mold thermal resistance 234 generally increases in response to a change in location 236, or vice versa. In other words, in thicker regions of part 20, as indicated by part thickness 232, mold 18 may be designed, constructed, and used with a relatively thinner thickness, as indicated by mold thermal resistance 234. A thinner wall thickness 122 helps reduce mold thermal resistance 234, thereby helping to increase heat transfer, cooling, and solidification rates in thicker regions of part 20. Conversely, in thinner regions of part 20, as indicated by part thickness 232, mold 18 may be designed, constructed, and used with a thicker wall thickness 122 and corresponding mold thermal resistance 234. The greater wall thickness 122 and mold thermal resistance 234 serve to slow or reduce the heat transfer, cooling, and solidification rate in the thinner regions of the part 20 such that the thinner regions of the part 20 do not solidify substantially faster than the thicker regions of the part 20. In this manner, the variable wall thickness 122 of the mold 18 serves to control the mold thermal resistance 234 as a function of the thickness of the part 20, and thus to achieve the desired solidification profile 190, as described above with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

[0044] 13 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a manufacturing process 250 for casting a part 20 using a mold 18 having a variable wall thickness 122 tailored to the part 20, as described in detail above. In the illustrated embodiment, process 250 includes receiving a part model of the part to be cast in the mold, as indicated by block 252. The part model may correspond to model 36 of part 20, which may include a turbomachinery component (e.g., a vane or blade of a turbine, compressor, or pump). Process 250 may also include receiving other models, such as models 38 and 40. Process 250 further includes receiving casting data, as indicated by block 254. As described above, casting data 32 may include historical casting data, simulated casting data (e.g., casting data using a computer simulation), test casting data (e.g., casting data using a test mold to obtain feedback), material data, temperature data, solidification data, operating parameters of a casting system 16 for casting part 20 using mold 18, or any combination thereof. The process 250 may then proceed to generate a mold model having varying thermal resistance based on varying thickness and / or solidification rates throughout the part's shape, as indicated by block 256. The mold model may correspond to the CAD model 42 of the mold 18, as described above. The varying thermal resistance may be achieved by varying the wall thickness 122 of the walls 116 of the mold body 112, as described above, thus helping to achieve the solidification profile 190 as described above with reference to FIGS.

[0045] The process 250 may then proceed to manufacturing a mold based on the mold model via a suitable manufacturing process, such as additive manufacturing, as indicated by block 258. For example, the process 250 may use the additive manufacturing system 14 to generate the mold 18 having the variable wall thickness 122, as described in detail above. The process 250 may then proceed to inserting the mold into a casting system, as indicated by block 260. For example, the mold 18 may be inserted into the high temperature chamber 66 of the furnace 62 of the casting system 16. The process 250 may then proceed to supplying and liquefying material to the mold in the high temperature chamber of the casting system, as indicated by block 262. For example, the material supply 78 may deliver material into the mold 18 via the top funnel 90 such that the material liquefies while the mold 18 is disposed in the high temperature chamber 66 of the furnace 62. The process 250 may then proceed to moving the mold from the high temperature chamber of the casting system to a cool-down chamber, as indicated by block 264. For example, the mold 18 may be moved from the hot chamber 66 to the cooling chamber 68 by a positioning system 86 of the casting system 16, which is controlled by the controller 82 to control the speed of movement of the mold 18, as indicated by arrow 104.

[0046] The process 250 is configured to control the solidification of the liquefied material through the movement of the mold and the varying thermal resistance of the mold, as represented by block 266. For example, the controller 82 can control the positioning system 86 to control the speed of movement of the mold 18 so that the liquefied material gradually cools and solidifies as the mold 18 moves into the cooling chamber 68. Furthermore, the varying thermal resistance of the mold 18 can be achieved by varying the varying wall thickness 122 of the walls 116 of the mold body 112. The process 250 can then proceed to removing the cast part from the mold, as represented by block 268. For example, the mold 18 can be removed from the furnace 62 through the access door 76. At this point, the part 20 can be removed from the mold 18 for final inspection and processing.

[0047] Technical effects of the disclosed embodiments may include a purpose-built mold 18 having a varying wall thickness 122 configured to control heat transfer (e.g., cooling), solidification, and material properties associated with casting a part 20, which may include a turbomachinery component. The varying wall thickness 122 may generally increase in thinner portions of the part 20 and decrease in thicker portions of the part 20. Thus, the varying wall thickness 122 serves to slow down cooling and solidification in portions of the part 20 that would otherwise cool and solidify too quickly, and to accelerate cooling and solidification in portions of the part 20 that would otherwise cool and solidify too slowly. The specific shape and dimensions of the varying wall thickness 122 may be realized via the CAD system 30 using various casting data 32 and models 34. The additive manufacturing system 14 may then be used to produce the mold 18 with the varying wall thickness 122, such as by additively manufacturing the mold 18 with various layers to generate the complex shape of the mold 18. During operation, the varying wall thickness 122 may vary axially 124, radially 126, and / or circumferentially 128 relative to a central axis 130 of the mold 18 and part 20. Advantageously, the varying wall thickness 122 of the mold 18 helps to control the solidification profile 190 such that a concave downward solidification profile 198 or a flat solidification profile 204 can be achieved for solidification of the part 20 in the casting system 16.

[0048] The subject matter detailed above may be defined by one or more clauses as set forth below.

[0049] In certain embodiments, the system includes a controller configured to receive a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and the controller configured to control a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

[0050] 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold is designed to provide a desired solidification profile of the part during the casting process.

[0051] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the solidification profile comprises a concave-down solidification profile or a substantially flat solidification profile. The concave-down solidification profile is configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state circumferentially from the interior to the exterior of the part during the casting process. The substantially flat solidification profile is configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state substantially uniformly within and outside the part during the casting process.

[0052] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the part varies in thickness between the first end and the second end, and wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold varies inversely with the thickness of the part.

[0053] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the mold comprises a turbomachinery component mold and the component comprises a turbomachinery component.

[0054] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the turbomachinery component comprises an airfoil-shaped blade or an airfoil-shaped vane of a gas turbine system.

[0055] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the turbomachinery component varies in thickness between its leading edge and its trailing edge, and wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold varies inversely with respect to the thickness of the turbomachinery component between its leading edge and its trailing edge.

[0056] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the turbomachine component includes a suction side and a pressure side on opposite sides of a camber line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the variable wall thickness includes a first variable thickness between an interior of the mold and the suction side portion, and a second variable thickness between the interior of the mold and the pressure side portion, wherein the first variable thickness and the second variable thickness vary along the camber line, and for each point along the camber line, the first variable thickness and the second variable thickness are equal to one another along a line perpendicular to the respective suction side and pressure side portions of the mold.

[0057] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the computer model of the mold includes a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the mold based at least in part on the casting data and one or more models of the part.

[0058] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the manufacturing system comprises an additive manufacturing system.

[0059] 10. The system of any preceding clause, comprising an additive manufacturing system coupled to a controller.

[0060] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the controller is configured to control a casting system to cast a part using the mold.

[0061] 10. The system of any preceding clause, including a casting system coupled to the controller, the casting system including a furnace having a high temperature chamber and a cool-down chamber, the controller configured to control movement of the mold from the high temperature chamber to the cool-down chamber.

[0062] 10. The system of any preceding clause, including a mold produced by the manufacturing system, a part produced by the casting system, or a combination thereof, based on the computer model of the mold.

[0063] In certain embodiments, a method includes receiving, via a controller, a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and controlling, via the controller, a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

[0064] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold is designed to provide a desired solidification profile of the part during the casting process, the solidification profile including a concave-down solidification profile or a substantially flat solidification profile. The concave-down solidification profile is configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state circumferentially from the interior to the exterior of the part during the casting process. The substantially flat solidification profile is configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state substantially uniformly within and outside the part during the casting process.

[0065] The method of any preceding clause, wherein the mold comprises a turbomachinery component mold and the component comprises a turbomachinery component. The turbomachinery component comprises an airfoil-shaped blade or an airfoil-shaped vane of a gas turbine system. The turbomachinery component varies in thickness between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and the variable wall thickness of the mold varies inversely with respect to the thickness of the turbomachinery component between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The turbomachinery component comprises a suction side and a pressure side on opposite sides of a camber line between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The variable wall thickness comprises a first variable thickness between an interior of the mold and the suction side portion, and a second variable thickness between the interior of the mold and the pressure side portion. The first variable thickness and the second variable thickness vary along the camber line, and for each point along the camber line, the first variable thickness and the second variable thickness are equal to one another along a line perpendicular to the respective suction side and pressure side portions of the mold.

[0066] In certain embodiments, the system includes a controller configured to receive a computer model of a mold configured to cast a part, the computer model having a variable wall thickness of the mold thermally tuned to a shape of the part, and the controller configured to control a manufacturing system to manufacture the mold based on the computer model.

[0067] 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold is designed to provide a desired solidification profile of the part during the casting process, the solidification profile comprising a concave-down solidification profile or a substantially flat solidification profile, the concave-down solidification profile configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state circumferentially from the interior to the exterior of the part during the casting process, and the substantially flat solidification profile configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state substantially uniformly within and outside the part during the casting process.

[0068] 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the turbomachinery component comprises an airfoil-shaped blade or airfoil-shaped vane of a gas turbine system, the first end being a leading edge and the second end being a trailing edge, the turbomachinery component including a suction side and a pressure side on opposite sides of a camber line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the variable wall thickness including a first variable thickness between an interior of the mold and the suction side portion and a second variable thickness between the interior of the mold and the pressure side portion, the first and second variable thicknesses varying along the camber line, and for each point along the camber line, the first and second variable thicknesses are equal to one another along a line perpendicular to the respective suction side and pressure side portions of the mold.

[0069] This specification uses examples to describe the present embodiments, including the best mode, and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosed embodiments, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the presently disclosed embodiments is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 10 Manufacturing Systems 12. Computers 14 Additive Manufacturing System 16 Casting System 18 Ceramic molds, test molds, part molds 20 parts 22 processors 24 memory 26 (computer) instructions 28 Communication Circuit 30 Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Systems 32 Casting Data 34 models 36 models 38 models 40 models 42 Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Models 44 Controller (of additive manufacturing systems) 46 processors 48 memory 50 (Additive Manufacturing System) Instructions 52 Communication Circuit 54 Material supply unit (of additive manufacturing system) 56 Material Applicator 58 Energy Applicator 60 Positioning Tools 62 Furnace 64 cabinet 66 High Temperature Chamber 68 Cooling Chamber 70 Insulation Layer 72 Separation wall 74 Opening 76 Access Door 78 (Casting system) material supply section 80 Heating System 82 (Casting system) controller 84 Cooling System 86 Positioning System 88 Conduits, injection lines 90 Upper funnel 92 Arrow (heated) 94 processors 96 memory 98 (Casting System) Instructions 100 Communication Circuit 102 Arrow (Cooling) 104 Arrow (Axial) 106 Center axis 108 Arrow 110 Arrow (removal) 112 Cast fuselage 114 Heat transfer plate, starter block 116 Wall 118 Interior, casting chamber 120 External 122 variable wall thickness, thickness 124 Axial 126 Radial 128 Circumferential 130 Center axis 132 Tip part 134 (part) base 150 cavity 152 Internal part 154 leading edge 156 Trailing edge 158 Negative pressure side 160 positive pressure side 162 leading edge 164 Trailing edge part 166 Negative pressure side part 168 positive pressure side 170 Camber Line 172 points (along the camber line) 174 segments 176 segments 178 points (along the camber line) 180 segments 182 segments 190 Coagulation Profile 192 (Parts) Materials 194 Liquid State 196 Solid State 198 Concave coagulation profile 200 (part) circumference 202 Arrow (direction of cooling and solidification) 204 Substantially flat coagulation profile 210 (Part) Thickness 212 total thickness 214 (Mold) Materials 216 Hollow Chamber 218 (Hollow chamber) thickness 230 graphs 232 (part) thickness 234 Thermal Resistance of Mold 236 (along the camber line) position 250 Manufacturing Process

Claims

1. A system (10), comprising: A controller (44, 82), the controller (44, 82) receiving a computer model of a mold (18) configured to cast a part (20), the computer model having a variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) thermally tuned to the shape of the part (20); Controlling a manufacturing system (10) to manufacture the mold (18) based on the computer model. The system (10) is configured as follows.

2. The system (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) is designed to provide a desired solidification profile of the part (20) during a casting process.

3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the solidification profile comprises a downwardly concave solidification profile or a substantially flat solidification profile, the downwardly concave solidification profile configured to solidify the material from a liquid state to a solid state circumferentially from an interior to an exterior of the part during the casting process, and the substantially flat solidification profile configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state substantially uniformly within the interior and the exterior of the part during the casting process.

4. 2. The system (10) of claim 1, wherein the part (20) varies in thickness between a first end and a second end, and the variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) varies inversely with respect to the thickness of the part (20).

5. The system (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the mold (18) comprises a turbomachinery component mold and the component (20) comprises a turbomachinery component.

6. The system (10) of claim 5, wherein the turbomachinery component comprises an airfoil-shaped blade or an airfoil-shaped vane of a gas turbine system.

7. 6. The system (10) of claim 5, wherein the turbomachinery component varies in thickness between a leading edge (154) and a trailing edge (156), and the variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) varies inversely with respect to the thickness of the turbomachinery component between the leading edge (154) and the trailing edge (156).

8. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the turbomachine component includes a suction side and a pressure side on opposite sides of a camber line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the variable wall thickness including a first variable thickness between an interior of the mold and a suction side portion, and the variable wall thickness including a second variable thickness between the interior of the mold and a pressure side portion, the first and second variable thicknesses varying along the camber line, and for each point along the camber line, the first and second variable thicknesses are equal to one another along a line perpendicular to the respective suction side and pressure side portions of the mold.

9. 2. The system (10) of claim 1, wherein the computer model of the mold (18) comprises a computer-aided design (CAD) model (42) of the mold (18) based at least in part on casting data (32) and one or more models of the part (20).

10. The system (10) of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing system (10) comprises an additive manufacturing system (14).

11. The system (10) of claim 10, comprising the additive manufacturing system (14) coupled to the controller (44).

12. The system (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the controller (82) is configured to control a casting system (16) to cast the part (20) using the mold (18).

13. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising the casting system coupled to the controller, the casting system comprising a furnace having a high temperature chamber and a cool-down chamber, the controller configured to control movement of the mold from the high temperature chamber to the cool-down chamber.

14. 10. The system (10) of claim 1, comprising the mold (18) produced by the manufacturing system (10), the part (20) produced by a casting system (16) based on the computer model of the mold (18), or a combination thereof.

15. 1. A method comprising: receiving, via a controller (44), a computer model of a mold (18) configured to cast a part (20), the computer model having a variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) thermally tuned to the shape of the part (20); controlling a manufacturing system (10) via said controller (44) to manufacture said mold (18) based on said computer model; A method comprising:

16. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold is designed to provide a desired solidification profile of the component during a casting process, the solidification profile comprising a downwardly concave solidification profile or a substantially flat solidification profile, the downwardly concave solidification profile configured to solidify the material from a liquid state to a solid state circumferentially from an interior to an exterior of the component during the casting process, and the substantially flat solidification profile configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state substantially uniformly throughout the interior and the exterior of the component during the casting process.

17. The mold (18) comprises a turbomachinery component mold, the component (20) comprises a turbomachinery component, the turbomachinery component comprising an airfoil-shaped blade or an airfoil-shaped vane of a gas turbine system, the turbomachinery component varying in thickness between a leading edge (154) and a trailing edge (156), the variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) varying inversely with respect to the thickness of the turbomachinery component between the leading edge (154) and the trailing edge (156), and the turbomachinery component having a suction side (158) and a pressure side (160) on opposite sides of a camber line (170) between the leading edge (154) and the trailing edge (156).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the variable wall thickness comprises a first variable thickness between an interior and a suction side portion of the mold, the variable wall thickness comprises a second variable thickness between the interior and a pressure side portion of the mold, the first and second variable thicknesses vary along the camber line, and for each point along the camber line, the first and second variable thicknesses are equal to one another along a line perpendicular to the respective suction side and pressure side portions of the mold.

18. 1. A system (10) comprising: a mold (18) configured to cast a part (20), the mold (18) having a variable wall thickness (122) thermally tuned to a shape of the part (20), the variable wall thickness (122) of the mold (18) varying inversely with a thickness of the part (20) between a first end and a second end, the mold (18) comprising a turbomachinery component mold, and the part (20) comprising a turbomachinery component.

19. 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the variable wall thickness of the mold is designed to provide a desired solidification profile of the component during a casting process, the solidification profile comprising a downwardly concave solidification profile or a substantially flat solidification profile, the downwardly concave solidification profile configured to solidify a material from a liquid state to a solid state circumferentially from an interior to an exterior of the component during the casting process, and the substantially flat solidification profile configured to solidify the material from the liquid state to the solid state substantially uniformly throughout the interior and the exterior of the component during the casting process.

20. The turbomachinery component comprises an airfoil-shaped blade or an airfoil-shaped vane of a gas turbine system, the first end being a leading edge (154) and the second end being a trailing edge (156), the turbomachinery component comprising a suction side (158) and a pressure side (160) on opposite sides of a camber line (170) between the leading edge (154) and the trailing edge (156), and the variable wall thickness (122) comprises a first variable thickness between an interior (118) of the mold (18) and a suction side portion (166).

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the variable wall thickness includes a second variable thickness between the interior and a pressure side portion of the mold, the first and second variable thicknesses varying along the camber line, and for each point along the camber line, the first and second variable thicknesses are equal to one another along a line perpendicular to the respective suction side and pressure side portions of the mold.

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