Ceramic Core Manufacturing Using Sacrificial 3D Printed Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of complex cooling passageways in gas turbine components requires expensive and detailed tooling due to the geometric constraints and cooling enhancements, making it difficult and costly to produce ceramic cores for efficient cooling.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a cavity block, adapter insert, and core die insert with a sacrificial material, where the core die insert is additively manufactured using a water-soluble 3-D printable polymer, allowing for the creation of complex geometries and easier removal from the solidified core, reducing production time and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional detailed tooling is used to manufacture ceramic cores for complex cooling passageways, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the core die insert from traditional metal to a sacrificial material that can be easily removed. This parameter change allows the core to be produced with high precision while the tooling itself becomes simpler and less expensive, as the sacrificial material eliminates the need for complex tooling design and removal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a sacrificial core die insert made of inexpensive material that is intentionally designed to be destroyed or removed after use. This disposable approach replaces expensive, complex traditional tooling with a cheap, simple alternative that serves its purpose and is then discarded, significantly reducing device complexity and production cost.
2Reliability
If traditional tooling methods are used for core production, then manufacturing reliability is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core die insert from the traditional permanent tooling system and makes it a removable, sacrificial component. This extraction allows for faster production cycles as the sacrificial material can be quickly removed or destroyed after curing, eliminating the time-consuming processes of traditional tooling removal while maintaining core production reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables rushing through the traditional time-consuming steps of tooling removal and setup by using a sacrificial material that can be quickly eliminated. This allows the manufacturing process to move faster from core formation to core removal, significantly improving productivity while maintaining the reliability of the core casting process.
3Reliability
If complex geometries are produced in ceramic cores, then cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inexpensive sacrificial core die insert that can form complex geometries without requiring expensive traditional tooling. The sacrificial material itself is cheap and its temporary nature allows for complex shape formation that would be prohibitively expensive with conventional tooling, thereby improving cooling efficiency while reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material properties of the core die insert to a sacrificial material that can be easily formed into complex geometries and then removed. This parameter change in material selection enables the production of complex core shapes that improve cooling efficiency while keeping the manufacturing process simple and cost-effective.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables faster production of ceramic cores with more complex geometries, reducing the time and expense associated with traditional tooling methods while maintaining the ability to produce cores usable in casting processes.
Implementation Method 1
The core die insert is additively manufactured using a water-soluble 3-D printable polymer
Data Source
AI summary
A system for producing a core including a core profile for use in casting. The system comprises a cavity block including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a recessed cavity in each of the upper portion and the lower portion; an adapter insert including a first portion and a second portion, the adapter insert sized to fit within the recessed cavity in each of the upper portion and the lower portion of the cavity block; and a core die insert sized to fit and be positioned within the adapter insert. The core die insert includes a sacrificial material and a hollow internal profile, with the hollow profile of the core die insert corresponding to the core profile.