Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous perform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid and continuous skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example, selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.

Abstract: An alloy of aluminum, lithium, magnesium, zirconium, and scandium is formed with a rapid solidification process to retain desired metastable phases. A solid freeform fabrication device uses a heat source to melt a feedstock delivered through one or more guide nozzles. The heat source and the nozzles are mounted to a movable platform that positions the heat source and the nozzles in a desired location for each section or layer of the part being formed. The nozzles are located at 90° increments in an array having a selected radius from, and being centered on the heat source. The device forms adjacent, side-by-side layers to form the width of the part, and is used to form adjacent, stacked layers to create the height of the part.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for continuous casting of metal billets comprising a horizontal casting mold having and inlet end and an outlet end. It includes a feed trough for feeding molten metal to the mold inlet end and a horizontal conveyor for receiving a cast billet from the mold outlet end. A moveable cutting saw is operable to move synchronously with the conveyor for cutting a continuous billet into lengths while supported on the conveyor. The billet is resiliently supported and the saw mechanism is isolated so as to minimize transmission of low and high frequency vibrations from the cutting and conveying operations to the mold.

Abstract: A method of modifying a surface of a casting involves providing a casting mould; placing a perforated mask with the mould to define a masked area of the mould; spray-coating the masked area of the mould with a coating material selected for forming a surface layer on the casting; introducing a liquid casting material to the mould; and, solidifying the liquid casting material to form a surface modified casting. The present method reduces the tendency for the coating material to spall from the mould and permits the formation of thicker coating layers on the mould. Thicker and better quality surface layers may be formed on castings.

Abstract: A metal-matrix material in the form of a carbide powder together with a sodium fluoride flux is deposited as a charge within a crucible for induction heating thereof to a flux melting temperature to thereby initiate pretreatment. The molten flux is spread over and covers powder particles of the metal-matrix carbide throughout, in response to stirring by rotation of an agitator during said flux melt heating within the crucible. The charge may be covered within the crucible by an air-purging blanket of argon gas during said heating. The powder fluxed charge is then cooled within the crucible before removal therefrom and sealingly packaged within aluminum soda cans or foil wrappings for future use storage. Such packaged charges are transferred from storage and introduced into a casting mold for enhanced centrifugal cast molding of metallurgical products, such as a metallic ring having an outer carbide bronze surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing heat-resistant casting molds from molding sand containing binder, particularly for producing an inner contour of casting molds for prototypes, large volumes and deep grooves often being produced especially in the machining of molds for rapid production of prototypes from casting materials. To increase efficiency, in a first step blocks of molding material are produced whose dimensions correspond to a mold cavity depth typically of 300 mm to 400 mm. The inner contour of the mold is then produced oversized with spacing close to the contour of the inner wall of the mold cavity by means of a roughing tool (4) that has an effective cutting diameter of 12 mm to 35 mm. The mold cavity is then machined by fast milling away of the oversize material following the contour, with a finishing cutter (3) that has a diameter-to-length ratio between 1:10 and 1:30.

Abstract: A molten metal feed apparatus of a die casting machine preventing shortening of the lifetime of a sleeve due to local heating of the sleeve, provided with a ladle having a receptacle for holding the molten metal and a conveyor system for conveying the ladle to a predetermined feed position of the sleeve of the die casting machine and tilting the ladle to pour the scooped up molten metal into the sleeve, wherein the position of a front end of a pouring spout of the ladle with respect to the sleeve is changed in accordance with a change in posture of the ladle while pouring the molten metal into the sleeve.

Abstract: A die casting machine obtain to obtain a suitable reduced pressure and reliably prevent the entry of molten metal into a valve when reducing the pressure in a cavity and injecting and filling it with a molten metal for casting, provided with the valve for opening and closing an exhaust path, a position detector for detecting an open/closed state of the exhaust path by the valve, an injection apparatus, a position detector for detecting the position of the injection plunger, and a control apparatus for controlling the injection. The control apparatus outputs a control instruction for making it close the exhaust path to the valve when the detected position of the injection plunger reaches a valve closing position set before the speed switching position and stops the drive of the injection plunger when not detecting completion of closure of the exhaust path when the injection plunger reaches the speed switching position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mold rollover apparatus including a wheel member defining an axis and selectively rotatable about the axis and at least one carrier member carried by the wheel member and adapted to carry at least one mold member having a cast part disposed therein. The at least one carrier member is selectively rotatable at least from a first position, wherein the cast part is generally retained in the at least one mold member, to a second position, wherein the cast part is generally free to fall or drop from the at least one mold member. According to the present invention, the at least one carrier member is selectively rotatable about the axis at least from the first position to the second position independent of the rotation of the wheel member about the axis.

Abstract: A slab handling apparatus comprising a foundation structure, a plurality of longitudinally spaced buffer members positioned on the foundation structure, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced roller assemblies connected to the respective buffer members with a lost motion connection. The lost motion connections allow relative movement between the buffer members and the roller assemblies between a slab loading position in which the buffer members are supported on the foundation structure with upper edges thereof above the roller assemblies, whereby to allow the loading of a slab onto the upper edges without damage to the roller assemblies, and a slab slitting position in which the roller assemblies are above the upper edges of the buffer members, whereby to allow the roller assemblies to rollably support the slab to facilitate selective longitudinal adjustment of the slab to accommodate the slab slitting operation.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for starting and stopping a horizontal casting machine, e.g. a caster for continuous casting of metal ingots. The caster comprises a feed trough for carrying molten metal, at least one casting mould and a connecting trough separately connecting each casting mould to the feed trough. A shutoff gate is associated with each connecting trough and movable between an open position and a closed position. Each connecting trough includes a drop-down portion located between the shutoff gate and the casting mould, this drop-down portion being adapted to swing downwardly and thereby rapidly drain molten metal from the connecting trough and an entrance of the mould. The apparatus may also include an elongated starter block, adapted to be inserted into the casting mould and having a threaded recess formed therein for receiving molten metal. An O-ring is fitted to the starter block to seal the block against the casting mould.

Abstract: A bearing arrangement for a centrifugation injection mold, comprising an upper mold portion (10) and a lower mold portion (20), which are respectively and rotatively mounted to an upper bearing (30) and to a lower bearing (40), the latter comprising: a first flat ring (41) affixed to a machine structure (E) and presenting a radial gap that is internal in relation to the lower mold portion (20); an annular cage (42) bearing spheres (44) seated on the first flat ring (41), said annular cage (42) presenting radial gaps that are external and internal in relation to the machine structure (E) and to the lower mold portion (20), respectively; and a second flat ring (45) inferiorly seated on the spheres (44) of the annular cage (42) and maintaining radial gaps that are external and internal in relation to the machine structure (E) and to the lower mold portion (20), respectively, axially bearing the latter.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous preform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.

Abstract: A process for the injection of an electric motor rotor, said rotor comprising: a lamination stack (10) having a central axial bore (11) and a plurality of axial channels (12); and a cage (30) of aluminum, which is formed by an upper end ring (31) and a lower end ring (32), which are interconnected by a plurality of bars (33) molten in the axial channels (12).

Abstract: Molds are fabricated having a substrate of high density, high strength ultrafine grained isotropic graphite, and having a mold cavity coated with a refractory metal such as W or Re or a refractory metal carbide such as TaC or HfC. The molds may be made by making the substrate (main body) of high density, high strength ultrafine grained isotropic graphite, by, for example, isostatic or vibrational molding, machining the substrate to form the mold cavity, and coating the mold cavity with titanium carbide via either chemical deposition or plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering or sputtering. The molds may be used to make various metallic alloys such as nickel, cobalt and iron based superalloys, stainless steel alloys, titanium alloys and titanium aluminide alloys into engineering components by melting the alloys in a vacuum or under a low partial pressure of inert gas and subsequently casting the melt in the graphite molds under vacuum or low partial pressure of inert gas.

Abstract: A trough is described for carrying molten metal, comprising an outer shell defined by a bottom wall and two side walls, an insulating layer filling the outer shell and a conductive U-shaped refractory trough body for carrying molten metal, the trough body being embedded in the insulating layer. At least one heating element is positioned in the insulating layer, adjacent to but spaced apart from the trough body, to provide an air gap between the heating element and the trough body.

Abstract: The invention provides a molding die in which a whole or a part of an exclusive portion forming a cavity can be swiftly changed while leaving a general portion in a molding machine. A fixed insert, a movable insert, a pressing plate and a slide core which correspond to an exclusive portion can be automatically attached to and detached from a fixed main die, a movable main die, a pressing rod and a slide holder which correspond to a general portion by an attaching and detaching mechanism. Further, the fixed insert, the movable insert, the pressing plate and the slide core can be integrated in a die close state by a connection mechanism.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for implementing post-heat treatment after spray forming is ended to achieve stress control in the manufacture of a spray formed metallic tool involves providing a spray-formed metallic tool by applying a spray-forming material on a mold substrate and causing substantially homogenous metallic phase transformations of the spray forming material within the spray-formed metallic tool to a substantially homogenous distribution of commingled metallic phases consisting, for example, of predetermined proportions of at least a bainite phase and a martinsite phase.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for machining a mold material to produce a mold. By casting based on a cast mold model (15), a mold material (20) is produced in a form having a work margin. Thereafter, a shape of the mold material (20) is measured by a measuring device (16), and measurement data and an envelope model (M2) generated based on the measurement data are stored in a storage unit (12A) of a computer (12). Thereafter, a mold model (M1) based on mold design data and an envelope model (M2) are displayed on a display unit (12C), and the envelope model (M2) is linearly moved in direction of three axes X, Y and Z orthogonal to one another respectively and rotated around the three axes to bring a product forming plane (M2B) of the envelope model (M2) into close proximity of a product forming plane (M1B) of the mold model (M1).

Abstract: A die casting machine injecting and filling a molten metal into a cavity formed between a pair of dies so as to cast a product, comprising an ejecting pin for ejecting a casting by its front and sticking out inside the cavity and a powder feeder for feeding a powder release agent for promoting release of the casting from the dies, the ejecting pin including a release agent feed path for guiding powder release agent fed from the powder feeder to a front end of the ejecting pin and feeding it to the cavity.