Abstract: A wax or similar material may be molded to a base plate of an investment casting shelling fixture. The molding may provide for enhanced positioning of wax patterns or may provide a precise surface shape for the shell.

Abstract: A wax or similar material may be molded to a base plate of an investment casting shelling fixture. The molding may provide for enhanced positioning of wax patterns or may provide a precise surface shape for the shell.

Abstract: An apparatus for shelling an investment casting pattern has a tank containing a coating material. There are means for holding the pattern immersed in the coating material. There may be means for vibrating the pattern during immersion of the pattern and a vacuum source coupled to the tank to withdraw air from at least one headspace of the tank.

Abstract: An apparatus for shelling an investment casting pattern has a tank containing a coating material. There are means for holding the pattern immersed in the coating material. There may be means for vibrating the pattern during immersion of the pattern and a vacuum source coupled to the tank to withdraw air from at least one headspace of the tank.

Abstract: A vacuum vapor deposition apparatus having a plurality of electron beam sources spaced about the periphery of the molten alloy pool is provided. The electron beam sources have associated therewith focusing and deflection devices for directing each electron beam onto the pool surface opposite its source in the form of an inwardly curved impingement band. These create an approximate toroidal shaped heating pattern to the pool, this pattern providing uniform temperature and minimizing severe thermal gradients therein. As a result, variations in the chemistry of the vapor emanating from the pool are substantially reduced, thereby providing improved control of the as-deposited coating composition. The apparatus is especially useful in vaporizing alloys of complex chemistry, such as coating alloys in the MCrAlY family.