Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for directly producing a lost mold by machining a sand mold made with curable binders. The invention is intended in particular to decrease tool wear and to increase dimensional accuracy and exactness in the reproduction of the mold, in that a mold blank (1) to be machined is constructed by means of a pattern set (4) with the use of a variable or fixed molding box (2) and includes in its volume the desired contours of the casting mold and a machining allowance for the milling of the mold material. After filling of the molding box (2) with curable foundry mold materials, curing, and removal from the mold, the mold blank (1) is transformed into the casting mold by removal of the machining allowance by high-speed machining, milling or 3-D machining of freeform surfaces. The invention concerns lost molds for metal castings and the fabrication of casting prototypes and odd parts in the range of small-and medium-sized articles and production runs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bainitically hardened brake disk comprising at least one ring-shaped cast disk (1) body with radially extending ring sections in contact with brake shoes (2). Said brake disk is mounted on the hub of a bicycle wheel (5) for braking purposes. In order to avoid noise emissions and vibrations, the inventive disk is made of cast iron, is highly tough and has a low weight. The aim is to avoid the disadvantages of combining disk brakes with an aluminium wheel hub. The inventive disk is characterized in that it has a thoroughly bainitically hardened body (1) made of cast iron with lamellar graphite (AGI), the brake disk is designed as a single piece and is linked to the wheel hub (5) through composite casting by forming a positive material fitting joint (15) in the area where the hub (5) is connected to the base (3) of the disk.

Abstract: A composite casting process for the production of brake elements is described. The brake element has a hub and a flange for fastening to a vehicle wheel, and brake body component bearing a friction surface for interaction with brake jaws for braking The brake body component is made of a first cast iron material having lamellar graphite with a high resistance to thermal shocks, and the hub and the flange are made of a second cast iron material with a higher-grade tensile strength greater than the tensile strength of the first cast iron material. The brake body component is connected to the hub by forming a material union between the hub and the brake body component by casting a melt of one of the cast iron materials on a solid body of the other cast iron material that is placed into a mold cavity. After the casting of the melt forming the material union, which forms a juncture between the cast iron materials, a temperature is provided that is at least 10° C.

Abstract: The geometry of the cast part is provided as a digital pattern and an inverse pattern for the lost casting mold including any core is generated from the digital pattern. A layer of a particulate molding material is provided. The molding material is made of a first material and a second material. The first material is chemically inert when irradiated by electromagnetic radiation. The second material is curable by a chemical curing process that is initiated by electromagnetic radiation. The layer is scanned by irradiating electromagnetic radiation on places of the layer corresponding to the inverse pattern for the lost casting mold including any core. The irradiation is controlled to initiate the chemical curing process in the second material.