Tapered Powder Metal Mold Elements for Easy De-molding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current powder metal mold casting processes face issues with mold elements sticking together, leading to poor filling and yield, and require additional material for strength, which creates a backing that is difficult to remove, especially for high aspect ratio features.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a manufacturing assembly with a tool base and tapered tool extensions that form a mold with layers of material, allowing for easier separation and removal of the mold from the cast part, and featuring tapered mold extensions that facilitate the casting and de-casting processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If extra material is added to the slurry to provide strength for de-molding, then the mold strength is improved, but a backing is created that is difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by transitioning from a flat mold top to a tapered mold extension with a tapered surface. This tapered geometry allows the mold extension to be easily separated from the cast part by following the tapered path, eliminating the difficult backing removal problem while maintaining mold strength through the extended structure
2Device complexity
If the mold top is kept flat, then the mold structure is simple, but the casting process and de-casting process are not enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tapered surface on the mold extension that curves away from the cast part during de-casting. This curved/tapered geometry enhances the de-casting process by providing a natural separation path, improving productivity without adding excessive complexity to the mold structure
3Manufacturing precision
If extra material is added to fill fine featured-high aspect ratio silicon molds, then the mold filling is improved, but the backing creation problem worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered surface on the mold extension creates a gradual separation path that allows the mold to be easily removed from the cast part. This curved geometry prevents the formation of a problematic backing while still allowing sufficient material to be added to fill fine features during the casting process
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Manufacturing assemblies and molds are provided herein. The manufacturing assembly includes a tool base (404), a plurality of tool elements (406) extending from the tool base, the plurality of tool elements defining a shape of a formed part, with a cell formed between adjacent tool elements, and a tapered tool extension (410) extending between the tool base and at least one tool element.