Abstract: A furnace system for melting and casting metals, alloys, and superalloys and a related method. A melt chamber of the furnace system is configured and arranged to include at least two melt boxes, thereby increasing the volume of alloy charge that can be rendered molten during a single furnace heating cycle. Accordingly, a number of ceramic casting molds equal to the number of melt boxes can be used to form castings following a single furnace heating cycle. The ceramic casting molds can be pre-heated in an external oven before being introduced to the mold or loading chamber of the furnace system. The throughput of the furnace system is increased by the ability to pour more than one casting per alloy charge melting cycle.

Abstract: Using Zero Make Ready Bed Die Cutting, the top surface of the Cutting Plate/Platen/counter of a Flat Bed Die Cutting Machine is etched or engraved by laser or other method, to create a “female” channel. The channel should be sufficiently deep and wide, to accommodate the male cutting blades of the Cutting Forme being used. Cutting blade contact with the base of the channel, whilst not desirable, may occur due to reasons of machine age and/or wear or Operator ability or preference. The fundamentals of Zero Make-Ready remain unaffected. The Cutting Plate/Platen can be of a single or multi layered composition and should be affixed and registered at the same time that the cutting Forme is loaded and located. Using centre lines, locating pins, or any other method of registering the two, the female channel must register with and accommodate, the male cutting blades to affect a clean cut of the required design of die cut blank or shape.