Abstract: Composite mold for use in casting a metal or alloy includes an inner mold region that includes a mold cavity and a fugitive metallic outer backup mold region residing on the inner mold region, wherein the metallic material of the backup mold region has such a melting temperature that the backup mold region melts from the inner mold region after the molten metal or alloy is cast and at least partially solidified in the mold. The inner mold region can comprise a non-metallic refractory or ceramic shell mold, while the backup mold region can comprise tin or other relatively low melting point metal or alloy.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for casting a metallic material involves the steps of providing a non-metallic mold in a mold-receiving chamber disposed in at least one of relatively movable first and second members, communicating a mold cavity in the mold to a gating passage disposed in at least one of the first and second metallic members, communicating the gating passage to a shot sleeve, and flowing metallic material from the shot sleeve to the gating passage and into the non-metallic mold.