Sand casting tooling pattern plate with a ceramic coating and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a sand casting tooling pattern plate, the tooling pattern plate used to form a mold from foundry sand, the method including: providing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; forming a pattern with the base plate; and applying a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.

Description

Attorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001SAND CASTING TOOLING PATTERN PLATE WITH A CERAMIC COATING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAMECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 701,672, filed on October 1, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.FIELD

[0002] Embodiments relate to a sand casting tooling pattern plate and a method of manufacturing the same.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] To produce parts in metals via a sand casting method, it is necessary to compress prepared foundry sand with tooling (e.g., a tooling pattern plate) to form suitable mold cavities into which metal may be poured.SUMMARY

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of manufacturing a sand casting tooling pattern plate, the tooling pattern plate used to form a mold from foundry sand, the method including: providing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; forming a pattern with the base plate; and applying a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tooling pattern plate including: a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a pattern formed with or otherwise coupled to the base plate; and a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. l is a method for manufacturing a sand casting hybrid tooling pattern plate.Attorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001

[0007] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a sand casting hybrid tooling pattern plate formed via the method of FIG. 1 .DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the application is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. Other embodiments than those described below, are capable of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a method 100 of manufacturing a sand casting tooling pattern plate (e g., tooling pattern plate) 200. The resulting tooling pattern plate 200, once manufactured, is used to form a mold from foundry sand. The method includes, at step 104, providing a base plate 204 having a first surface 204a and a second surface 204b opposite the first surface 204a. The method further includes, at step 108, providing a pattern 208 with the base plate 204. The pattern 208 may be integrally formed with, coupled to, or coupled within one or both surfaces 204a, 204b of the base plate 204. The pattern 208 may be comprised of one or more pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c. There are three pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c in the illustrated embodiment, but there may be any suitable number of pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c on either side of the base plate 204 in other embodiments. The method further includes, at step 112, applying a ceramic coating to the tooling pattern plate 200. The ceramic coating may aid in the durability and performance of the tooling pattern plate 200. In some embodiments, the ceramic coating may be applied to all or a portion of the base plate 204, all or a portion of the pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c, or both.

[0010] The ceramic coating increases the surface hardness of the tooling pattern plate 200, particularly the pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c. Accordingly, the ceramic coating may increase the longevity of the tooling pattern plate 200. Additionally, over time, the ceramic coating can be reapplied to maintain the hardness of the tooling pattern plate with successive use. The ceramic coatings can include combinations of multiple different engineering ceramics, refractory resins, pigments, and other functional additives. In some embodiments, the ceramic coating includes a pigment. Suitable example ceramic coatings include formulations from, butAttorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001 are not limited to, some CERAKOTE® oven-cured and air-cured products. In some embodiments, the ceramic coating is comprised of a suitable polymer system such as, but not limited to, a polyurethane, epoxy, acrylate, methyl or phenyl modified silicone, utilized as a matrix material to form a composite coating with engineering ceramics, such as but not limited to, alumina, zirconia, carbides, and nitrides.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method includes applying a second ceramic coating. The second ceramic coating can be applied to at least a portion (e.g., surface) of the ceramic coating. The description of the ceramic coating can also be applied to the second ceramic coating. Embodiments that include the ceramic coating and the second ceramic coating can be used to assess wear of the tooling pattern plate 200. For example, the ceramic coating can include a pigment, and the second ceramic coating can include a pigment that is different from the pigment of the ceramic coating. As the second ceramic coating experiences wear and is removed from the tooling pattern plate 200, the pigment of the ceramic coating will become more visible. The change of color can be used to assess wear of the ceramic coating(s) and inform a user when the tooling pattern plate 200 requires additional application of a ceramic coating.

[0012] In some embodiments, the base plate 204 and the pattern 208 may be integrally formed of the same material. For example, in some embodiments, the base plate 204 and the pattern 208 may be formed from casting, machining or any other suitable method. Additionally, the base plate 204 and the pattern 208 may be formed from metal, such as aluminum or steel.

[0013] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, the base plate 204 and the pattern 208 may be formed separately from the same or different materials. In other words, the tooling pattern plate 200 may be hybrid tooling pattern plate. That is, the base plate 204 may be formed from a first material and the pattern 208 may be formed from a second material. In some embodiments, the first material may be a metal, such as aluminum or steel, polymer, or wood, while the second material may be a non-metal material, such as a polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer is a photopolymer.

[0001] In the illustrated embodiment, the pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c of the pattern 208 may be coupled within one or more recesses 212 in the base plate 204. In otherAttorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001 embodiments, the pattern members 208a, 208b, 208c may be coupled directly to the surfaces 204a, 204b of the base plate 204.

[0002] Clauses

[0003] Clause 1. A method of manufacturing a sand casting tooling pattern plate, the tooling pattern plate used to form a mold from foundry sand, the method comprising: providing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; forming a pattern with the base plate; and applying a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.

[0004] Clause 2. The method of clause 1, wherein the ceramic coating is derived from a polymer system selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, an epoxy, an acrylate, a methyl or phenyl modified silicone, and any of the foregoing further comprising an engineering ceramic.

[0005] Clause 3. The method of clause 1, wherein the ceramic coating comprises a pigment.

[0006] Clause 4. The method of clause 1, wherein the base plate comprises a metal.

[0007] Clause 5. The method of clause 4, wherein the metal comprises aluminum or steel.

[0008] Clause 6. The method of clause 1, wherein the pattern comprises a non-metal material.

[0009] Clause 7. The method of clause 6, wherein the non-metal material comprises a polymer or a wood.

[0010] Clause 8. The method of clause 1, further comprising applying a second ceramic coating on at least a portion of the ceramic coating.

[0011] Clause 9. The method of clause 8, wherein the second ceramic coating comprises a pigment, the pigment of the second ceramic coating being different from the pigment of the ceramic coating.Attorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001

[0012] Clause 10. A tooling pattern plate comprising: a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a pattern formed with or otherwise coupled to the base plate; and a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.

[0013] Clause 11. The tooling pattern plate of clause 10, wherein the ceramic coating is derived from a polymer system selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, an epoxy, an acrylate, a methyl or phenyl modified silicone, and any of the foregoing further comprising an engineering ceramic.

[0014] Clause 12. The tooling pattern plate of clause 10, wherein the ceramic coating comprises a pigment.

[0015] Clause 13. The tooling pattern plate of clause 10, wherein the base plate comprises a metal.

[0016] Clause 14. The tooling pattern plate of clause 13, wherein the metal comprises aluminum or steel.

[0017] Clause 15. The tooling pattern plate of clause 10, wherein the pattern comprises a non-metal material.

[0018] Clause 16. The tooling pattern plate of clause 15, wherein the non-metal material comprises a polymer or a wood.

[0019] Clause 17. The tooling pattern plate of clause 10, further comprising applying a second ceramic coating on at least a portion of the ceramic coating.

[0020] Clause 18. The tooling pattern plate of clause 17, wherein the second ceramic coating comprises a pigment, the pigment of the second ceramic coating being different from the pigment of the ceramic coating.

[0021] Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described.Attorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001

[0022] Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

Attorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a sand casting tooling pattern plate, the tooling pattern plate used to form a mold from foundry sand, the method comprising: providing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; forming a pattern with the base plate; and applying a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic coating is derived from a polymer system selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, an epoxy, an acrylate, a methyl or phenyl modified silicone, and any of the foregoing further comprising an engineering ceramic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic coating comprises a pigment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base plate comprises a metal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the metal comprises aluminum or steel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises a non-metal material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the non-metal material comprises a polymer or a wood.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a second ceramic coating on at least a portion of the ceramic coating.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second ceramic coating comprises a pigment, the pigment of the second ceramic coating being different from the pigment of the ceramic coating.

10. A tooling pattern plate comprising: a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a pattern formed with or otherwise coupled to the base plate; andAttorney Docket No. 208273-0016-W001 a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the base plate, at least a portion of the pattern, or both.

11. The tooling pattern plate of claim 10, wherein the ceramic coating is derived from a polymer system selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, an epoxy, an acrylate, a methyl or phenyl modified silicone, and any of the foregoing further comprising an engineering ceramic.

12. The tooling pattern plate of claim 10, wherein the ceramic coating comprises a pigment.

13. The tooling pattern plate of claim 10, wherein the base plate comprises a metal.

14. The tooling pattern plate of claim 13, wherein the metal comprises aluminum or steel.

15. The tooling pattern plate of claim 10, wherein the pattern comprises a non-metal material.

16. The tooling pattern plate of claim 15, wherein the non-metal material comprises a polymer or a wood.

17. The tooling pattern plate of claim 10, further comprising applying a second ceramic coating on at least a portion of the ceramic coating.

18. The tooling pattern plate of claim 17, wherein the second ceramic coating comprises a pigment, the pigment of the second ceramic coating being different from the pigment of the ceramic coating.

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