Abstract: Aluminum alloys having improved high temperature mechanical properties are provided. An aluminum alloy suitable for sand casting, permanent mold casting, or semi-permanent mold casting includes about 3 to about 12 weight percent silicon; about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight percent copper; about 0.2 to about 0.6 weight percent magnesium; about 0 to about 0.5 weight percent chromium; about 0 to about 0.3 weight percent each of zirconium, vanadium, cobalt, and barium; about 0 to about 0.3 weight percent each of strontium, sodium, and titanium; about 0 to about 0.5 weight percent each of iron manganese, and zinc; and about 0.0.1 weight percent of other trace elements. Also disclosed is a semi permanent mold cast article, such as an engine cylinder head.

Abstract: A mold assembly for manufacturing a metal alloy casting includes a cope and drag mold, a plurality of sand cores and a pressure core. The cope mold includes an upper portion of a mold cavity. The drag mold includes a gating system, a lower portion of the mold cavity, and an upper portion of a plurality of riser cavities. The gating system is in communication with the riser cavities to provide pressurized liquid metal alloy to the riser cavities. The pressure core has a plurality of protrusions that are disposed in each of the upper portion of the plurality of riser cavities.

Abstract: An occupant support structure and a method of customizing an occupant support structure. The occupant support structure may comprise a base and a reconfigurable cushion carried by the base. The reconfigurable cushion may include an occupant support surface and a bladder. The bladder may include an outer wall that defines an inner cavity underlying the occupant support surface and two or more overlapping material layers disposed within the cavity. The overlapping material layers may be adapted to selectively transition from a compliant state to a rigid state and vice versa by selective control of a pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder to reconfigure or conform the occupant support surface of the cushion to a contour of a portion of an occupant supported by the cushion.

Abstract: A stretchable adjustable-stiffness assembly includes a casing and first and second friction layers. The casing can be fluidly sealed and includes an interior compartment containing a fluid. The fluid can shift between a first interior pressure and a second interior pressure less than the first interior pressure and an exterior pressure. The first and second friction layers are disposed within the interior compartment. The assembly can shift between relaxed and fixed configurations. In the relaxed configuration, the fluid has the first interior pressure, the casing is stretchable between a first dimension and a second dimension greater than the first dimension, and the assembly has a first stiffness. In the fixed configuration, the first fluid has the second interior pressure, the casing length is fixed, the first and second friction layers are engaged, and the assembly has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.

Abstract: A method of forming a thermal barrier coating onto a surface of a ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part involves depositing a layer of hollow microspheres to a surface of the component part or to a previously deposited layer of hollow microspheres through heating and cooling of a metallic precursor setting layer composed of copper, a copper alloy, or a nickel alloy. Once deposited in place, the layer(s) of hollow microspheres are heated to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to form an insulating layer.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy that can be cast into structural components wherein at least some of the raw materials used to produce the alloy are sourced from secondary production sources. In addition to aluminum as the primary constituent, such an alloy includes 5 to 14% silicon, 0 to 1.5% copper, 0.2 to 0.55% magnesium, 0.2 to 1.2% iron, 0.1 to 0.6% manganese, 0 to 0.5% nickel, 0 to 0.8% zinc, 0 to 0.2% of other trace elements selected from the group consisting essentially of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, molybdenum and cobalt. In a preferred form, most of the aluminum is from a secondary production source. Methods of analyzing a secondary production aluminum alloy to determine its constituent makeup is also disclosed, as is a method of adjusting the constituent makeup of such an alloy in situations where the alloy is out of tolerance when measured against its primary source counterpart.

Abstract: A brake rotor comprising a brake pad wear surface; a hat surface; and a decorative insert comprising an insert material, the decorative insert disposed on the brake pad wear surface, the hat surface, or both; wherein at least one of a friction coefficient between the decorative insert and a brake pad is substantially the same as a friction coefficient between the brake pad wear surface and the brake pad, a wear rate of the decorative insert is substantially the same as or greater than a wear rate of the brake pad wear surface, or a wear rate of the decorative insert is substantially the same as or greater than a wear rate of the hat surface; and at least a portion of the decorative insert is visible on the brake pad wear surface, the hat surface, or both.

Abstract: This invention relates to “lost” cores for use high pressure die casting, the cores preferably comprising a water-soluble synthetic ceramic aggregate having an appropriate strength and tolerance for various casting pressures and temperatures, an inorganic binder comprising sodium silicate, an additive comprising particulate amorphous silicon dioxide, and a refractory coating, wherein the cores have the capacity to be removed from a casting by dissolution with water.

Abstract: A method of making an aluminum alloy containing zirconium includes heating a first composition comprising aluminum to a first temperature of greater than or equal to about 580° C. to less than or equal to about 800° C. The method further includes adding a second composition including a copper-zirconium compound to the first composition to form a third composition. The copper-zirconium compound of the second composition has a molar composition of greater than or equal to about 41% zirconium to less than or equal to about 67% zirconium and a balance of copper. The method also includes solidifying the third composition at a cooling rate of greater than or equal to about 0.1° C./second to less than or equal to about 100° C./second to a second temperature less than or equal to a solidus temperature and decomposing the copper-zirconium compound at a third temperature of less than or equal to about 715° C.

Abstract: A method of making an aluminum alloy containing zirconium includes heating a first composition including aluminum to a first temperature. The first temperature is greater than or equal to a liquidus temperature of the first composition. The method further includes adding a second composition including a copper-zirconium compound to the first composition. The method further includes decomposing at least a portion of the copper-zirconium compound into copper and zirconium. The method further includes forming a third composition by dissolving at least some of the copper from the decomposing in the aluminum of the first composition. The method further includes cooling the third composition to a second temperature to form a first solid material. The second temperature is less than or equal to a solidus temperature of the third composition. The method further includes heat treating the first solid material to form the aluminum alloy containing zirconium.

Abstract: A method of forming a thermal barrier coating onto a surface of a ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part involves depositing a layer of hollow microspheres to a surface of the component part or to a previously deposited layer of hollow microspheres through heating and cooling of a metallic precursor setting layer composed of copper, a copper alloy, or a nickel alloy. Once deposited in place, the layer(s) of hollow microspheres are heated to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to form an insulating layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming an insulating coating from thermal spraying are provides. In one variation, the method includes thermally spraying a jetted stream having a maximum temperature of greater than or equal to about 900° C. towards a substrate to form the insulating coating on the substrate. The thermal spraying may be a high-velocity oxygen flame (HVOF) process. The jetted stream comprises a plurality of hollow microspheres, which may comprise a metal, such as nickel or iron. The insulating coating as formed has a thermal conductivity (K) of less than or equal to about 200 mW/m·K at standard temperature and pressure conditions and may have a thermal capacity (cv) of greater than or equal to about 100 kJ/m3·K.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a highly insulating three-dimensional (3D) structure is provided. The method includes depositing a first layer of hollow microspheres onto a base. The hollow microspheres have a metallic coating formed thereon. A laser beam is scanned over the hollow microspheres so as to sinter the metallic coating of the hollow microspheres at predetermined locations. At least one layer of the hollow microspheres is deposited onto the first layer. Scanning by the laser beam is repeated for each successive layer until a predetermined 3D structure is constructed. The 3D structure includes a composite thermal barrier coating (TBC), which may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine, and the like. The composite TBC is bonded to the components of the engine to provide low thermal conductivity and low heat capacity insulation that is sealed against combustion gasses.

Abstract: A device and method for transferring filtered molten metal to a die casting mold. The device and method include a casting filtration system that includes a funnel and a continuously replaceable filter placed fluidly between a molten metal source and a casting mold. Both the funnel and filter are automatically moved into cooperation with a molten metal receptacle such as a shot sleeve prior to each casting operation, and then automatically moved out of the way so that pressurization of the filtered molten metal may take place in the receptacle. In addition, the filter may be formed on a continuous strand such that indexed movement of the strand will advance the used portion of the filter out of the way to make room for a new unused filter portion that will be ready for a subsequent repeated casting operation.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition which comprises (a) a PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor which is 9,10-Dimethoxy-2-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino)-3-(N-carbamoyl-2-aminoethyl)-3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-pyrimido[6,1-a]isoquinolin-4-one or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof and (b) a muscarinic receptor antagonist.

Abstract: A composite thermal barrier coating (TBC) may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine. The composite TBC provides low thermal conductivity and low heat capacity insulation that is sealed against combustion gasses. The composite TBC includes three layers, bonded to one another, i.e., a first (bonding) layer, a second (insulating) layer, and a third (sealing) layer. The insulating layer is disposed between the bonding layer and the sealing layer. The bonding layer is bonded to the component and to the insulating layer. The insulating layer includes hollow microspheres that are sintered together to form insulation that provides a low effective thermal conductivity and low effective heat capacity. The sealing layer is a thin film that is configured to resist the high temperatures, present within the engine. The sealing layer is impermeable to gasses and presents a smooth surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition which comprises (a) a PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor which is 9,10-Dimethoxy-2-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino)-3-(N-carbamoyl-2-aminoethyl)-3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-pyrimido[6,1-a]isoquinolin-4-one or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof and (b) a ?2-adrenergic receptor agonist.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition which comprises (a) a PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor which is 9,10-Dimethoxy-2-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino)-3-(N-carbamoyl-2-aminoethyl)-3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-pyrimido[6,1-a]isoquinolin-4-one or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof and (b) a muscarinic receptor antagonist.

Abstract: A high pressure die casting apparatus for forming metal components includes a die cast mold, a shot sleeve, and a plunger. The shot sleeve includes a pivotable pouring lid disposed in an inlet of the shot sleeve. The pouring lid is disposed in at least one of a closed position and an open position while having a pouring profile shape for promoting smooth non turbulent flow of liquid metal from a pouring ladle to the shot sleeve.

Abstract: A method of transferring molten metal to a die casting mold is disclosed. The method includes providing a ladle with a dip well and a dispensing nozzle having a fluid metal filter formed therein as well as providing a receptacle fluidly between the ladle and the mold. Further the method includes delivering the molten metal from the ladle to the receptacle by positioning an exit face of the dispensing nozzle over the receptacle and rotating the ladle such that the exit face of the dispensing nozzle is repositioned proximal the bottom of the receptacle and conveying the molten metal that has been delivered to the receptacle into a mold cavity that is placed in fluid communication therewith.