Unitary Core-Shell Mold for Fine-Detail Casting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional casting techniques for gas turbine engine components, such as investment or lost-wax casting, are time-consuming and limit the resolution of the mold and core, resulting in decreased ability to develop fine-detail cast features.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using an additively manufactured unitary core-shell mold, which allows for the casting of fine details and intricate structures by minimizing the thickness of the mold walls and incorporating reinforcement recesses with support members to manage stress concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional investment or lost-wax casting techniques are used, then the manufacturing process is simpler to implement, but the mold and core resolution is limited, resulting in decreased ability to develop fine-detail cast features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mold and core into a single unitary structure manufactured through additive manufacturing. This integration eliminates the need for separate mold and core manufacturing processes, achieving high resolution fine-detail cast features while simplifying the overall manufacturing workflow despite the advanced manufacturing technique required.
2Productivity
If conventional separate mold and core manufacturing techniques are used, then the manufacturing steps are more straightforward, but the production time is longer
Solution Approach 1:
By combining mold and core into one unitary component manufactured simultaneously through additive manufacturing, the patent reduces production time despite requiring advanced manufacturing capabilities. The integrated structure eliminates sequential manufacturing steps and assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The unitary core-shell structure is prepared in advance with built-in support features and reinforcement recesses during the additive manufacturing process, eliminating the need for subsequent assembly operations and reducing overall production time.
3Manufacturing precision
If the mold wall thickness is reduced to enable finer details, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the stress concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating reinforcement recesses at specific locations where stress concentrations are most likely to occur. These recesses contain support members that provide localized strengthening without increasing the overall mold wall thickness, thus maintaining fine-detail resolution while managing stress concentrations at critical points.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is provided for casting a component (170). Accordingly, data indicative of at least one location of a unitary core-shell mold (300) which is susceptible to a stress concentration is received. An additive manufacturing process is employed to form the unitary core-shell mold (300) defining a casting cavity (302). The unitary core-shell mold (300) includes a shell wall (304) defining an outer component (170) shape and a core wall (306) positioned inward of the shell wall (304). The core wall (306) defines an inner component shape. The core wall (306) and/or the shell wall (304) defines at least one reinforcement recess (308) adjacent to the at least one location which is susceptible to the stress concentration. Following the forming of the unitary core-shell mold (300), at least one support member (310) is positioned within the reinforcement recess (308) in contact with the at least one location. With the support member (310) in place, the component (170) is cast within the casting cavity (302).