Abstract: Devices are disclosed for the high speed centrifugal casting of one or more spheroids. One or more hollow spherical molds are each caused to rotate at high speed about two substantially perpendicular axes intersecting at the center of the mold. Where the mold is partially filled with casting material, a hollow spheroid having walls of even thickness results. Where the mold is filled with multiple casting materials with different densities, the resulting spheroid will have a core that is less dense than its outer layers. Such spheroids are useful as sporting goods, bearing balls, insulation material, and in numerous other applications.

Abstract: An automatic fluxing machine is provided and includes a dispensing section including a surface having through holes formed therein through which flux material is dispensable toward a braze joint and a plugging section disposed below the braze joint to prevent downward flow of dispensed flux material.

Abstract: A method for producing a hollow metal part by casting, wherein a destructible core (20) is provided including a body (22) made of aggregate, and a shell (40) which surrounds the body and adheres thereto; the core (20) is positioned inside a mold (50); metal is melted and the liquid metal is injected, generally under pressure, into the mold (50), surrounding the core (20) embodying an interior space of the part; after solidification of the part, the body is disaggregated and it is removed through removal openings provided in the shell and the part; and the shell is destroyed and removed through removal openings provided in the part.

Abstract: Apparatus for gravity flow and feeding of alloy in a casting operation has a supply vessel for holding a supply of alloy, a furnace in which the vessel is contained and in which the vessel is heatable to maintain the supply of alloy at suitable casting temperature, and a die mounted laterally outwardly from the vessel in relation to the furnace. A conduit provides communication between the vessel and the die. The apparatus further includes means for reversibly tilting an assembly including the furnace, the vessel and the die about a substantially horizontal axis to enable or prevent the flow of the alloy from the vessel to a die cavity defined by the die.

Abstract: In a setting step, a plurality of steel plates configuring a rotor core stacked in an axial direction of a rotor is set in a predetermined position in a mold that is capable of being opened and closed by relative movement in the axial direction. In a casting step, molten metal is fed into a molten metal introduction passage to form a conductive member of the rotor. The molten metal introduction passage has a ring-shaped gate that is opened so as to oppose one axial end surface of the steel plates set in the mold. In a cutoff step, the molten metal is cut off in the molten metal introduction passage so as to be separated into a gate side and a molten metal introduction opening side. In a mold-releasing step, the mold is opened such that a casting configuring the rotor is removed from the mold.

Abstract: A casting core assembly (140) includes a metallic core (144, 146, 148; 360; 380; 400) and a ceramic core (142). A protuberant portion (184) of a metallic core is received in compartment (186) of the ceramic core.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for reduction of gas pressure within a core, such as a sand casting core package, during a casting process in order to reduce bubble defects. Some embodiments may comprise a mold configured to receive a molten metal to create a metal casting, such as an engine block casting. The mold may comprise a mold core configured to create a cavity within the metal casting. The system may further comprise a filling device configured for delivering a molten metal into the mold for creating the metal casting. The mold core may comprise a material that is permeable to certain gases known to often result in bubble defects. The system may further comprise a vacuum configured to be coupled with the mold to reduce gas pressure within a permeable portion of the mold in order to reduce the incidence of bubble defects within the casting.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided for creating fugitive foam patterns for use in investment casting operations. In certain illustrative embodiments, a fugitive foam pattern is assembled from independently formed portions. A first section is formed in a mold. Once cured, a mating surface of the first section is exposed to the cavity of a second mold and the section is formed. The second section integrally adheres to the first section. The process is repeated as necessary. In alternative embodiments, a channel is created in a foam pattern using a temporary core that is removed without chemical leaching. The core material comprises water-soluble materials, acid-soluble materials, low-melting point materials, or a combination thereof. A pattern may also be created by inserting foam around a core that remains with the foam pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bolster of a railway car truck includes providing a drag portion and a cope portion of a mold. In a main body section of the mold, a parting line that separates the drag portion from the cope portion is substantially centered between portions of the mold that define brake window openings in sides of the bolster. One or more cores are inserted into the mold and a molten material is poured into the mold to thereby case the bolster.

Abstract: A seal, fill head, and system are provided. The seal is adapted to cooperate with a fill head that is configured to place conductive bonding material into cavities on a mold. The seal comprises a first outer wall that is configured to abut a first adjacent wall of a support groove in a fill head. A second outer wall is configured to abut a second adjacent wall of a support groove in a fill head. An outer horizontal wall is situated between the first outer wall and the second outer wall. The outer horizontal wall comprises at least a first portion that is configured to abut an upper portion of the support groove. A convex bottom portion extends from the first and second outer walls. The convex bottom portion is configured to cooperate with a top surface of a mold.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a railcar coupler knuckle includes, before casting, positioning an external chill within a cope mold portion and a drag mold portion offset from and adjacent internal walls of a pulling face and a throat of the cope and drag mold portions, thus producing a casting with reduced micro-shrinkage in at least the throat, a high-stress section of the casting. Use of subsurface chills produces an improved surface with fewer inclusions when compared to an equivalent surface produced in a process without use of a subsurface chill. The external chill may be a cone chill of a larger size to improve cooling and solidification at and below the surface. The external chill may also be a cylindrical and/or oblong chill with a tapered design that may correspond to the internal walls of the cope and drag mold portions between the pulling face and the throat.

Abstract: An investment casting process for a hollow component such as a gas turbine blade utilizing a ceramic core (10) that is cast in a flexible mold (24) using a low pressure, vibration assisted casting process. The flexible mold is cast from a master tool (14) machined from soft metal using a relatively low precision machining process, with relatively higher precision surfaces being defined by a precision formed insert (22) incorporated into the master tool. A plurality of identical flexible molds may be formed from a single master tool in order to permit the production of ceramic cores at a desired rate with a desired degree of part-to-part precision.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a side frame of a rail car, where the side frame includes a pair of pedestals for mounting wheel sets, includes providing a side frame pattern for forming a drag portion and a cope portion of a mold. Cores that define an interior region of a cast side frame are also provided. The side frame pattern and the cores are configured to constrain a spacing between the pair of pedestals to within about ±0.038 inches.

Abstract: An electronic device module comprises: A. At least one electronic device, e.g., a solar cell, and B. A polymeric material in intimate contact with at least one surface of the electronic device, the polymeric material comprising an ethylene multi-block copolymer. Typically, the polyolefin material is an ethylene multi-block copolymer with a density of less than about 0.90 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc). The polymeric material can fully encapsulate the electronic device, or it can be laminated to one face surface of the device. Optionally, the polymeric material can further comprise a scorch inhibitor, and the copolymer can remain uncrosslinked or it can be crosslinked.

Abstract: Provided is a compact casting apparatus capable of producing a high-quality casted product. While the internal pressures of a mold and a hopper are directly reduced by depressurizing means through a pipe and a branch pipe, the mold and the hopper are gradually tilted to fill the mold with a molten metal accommodated in the hopper. After the filling is completed, an open-close gate closes a runner. The molten metal is solidified with only the mold being directly pressured by pressurizing means through the pipe.

Abstract: A low-carbon steel slab producing method includes: adding Ti to a molten steel decarbonized to have a carbon concentration of 0.05 mass % or less, and subsequently adding at least one of La and Ce to adjust a constitution, and producing a smelted molten steel; and pouring the smelted molten steel into a casting mold via a tundish; wherein at least one of La and Ce in a total amount of 0.2 to 1.2 times an increased amount of oxygen in the smelted molten steel during contained in the tundish is added to the smelted molten steel in the tundish, so as to obtain a steel slab having inclusions which contain oxides of Ti and at least one of La and Ce as chief components, and so as to make a composition of each of the inclusions have a mass ratio of 0.1 to 0.7, in terms of (La2O3+Ce2O3)÷TiOn (n=1˜2).

Abstract: A casting arrangement for the single crystal casting of a component in which a common feed for molten metal is provided with a filtration arrangement that incorporates an annular filter. Outlets in a housing surrounding the filter direct the filtered molten metal on to a seed crystal and into a spiral grain selector.

Abstract: A flask for containing mold sand within it prevents any mold shifting or mold dropping. Each of an upper flask 2 and a lower flask 3 includes a body that defines an opening in which a sand mold is to be molded. The body has at least one inlet 101 for introducing the mold sand into the opening. Two flanges 102 are extended from the body such that they are opposed to each other across the opening. Each flange has a through bore. The flask also includes engaging members for engaging an actuator in the outside of the flask such that a force or forces from said actuator could be transmitted to the flask. An upper flask 104 and a lower flask 105 are opposed to each other across a pattern plate 107. They are integrally assembled to make a flask unit by means of a pair of connecting rods 106 that are fitted in each bore.

Abstract: A hot-top is disclosed that continuously casts an ingot by pouring molten metal down into a cylindrical space in a continuous casting mold from a molten metal flow-down port. The inner shape of a flow-down port forming part corresponds to the inner shape of a cylindrical space forming part. The hot-top forms an annular groove about the molten metal flow-down port, and has a barrier between the annular groove and the flow-down port.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing weld flash from a structural assembly are provided. The apparatus generally includes a tool with a head that defines an edge and first and second opposite surfaces disposed at an angle converging toward the edge. A shaft, which extends from the first surface of the head, is configured to be engaged to a shaft holder of an actuation device so that the head extends from the actuation device and is configured to lift the flash from a surface of the assembly as the tool is moved in a path along a surface of the assembly with the edge contacting the flash.