Abstract: A method of producing a ceramic core for investment casting is provided. The method includes injecting a slurry into a disposable die. The slurry includes ceramic particles, a binder, and carbon fibers. The method also includes a first heating to eliminate the disposable die, leaving a cured ceramic core including the ceramic particles, binder, and carbon fibers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cooled gas turbine component includes forming a core with an outer surface. The outer surface includes a core feature. The method also includes casting an outer wall of an airfoil about the core. The outer wall has an exterior surface and an interior surface. The interior surface includes a shaped inlet portion that corresponds to the core feature. Moreover, the method includes forming an outlet portion through the outer wall to fluidly connect the outlet portion to the shaped inlet portion. The shaped inlet portion and the outlet portion cooperatively define a cooling aperture through the outer wall.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cooled gas turbine component includes forming a core with an outer surface. The outer surface includes a core feature. The method also includes casting an outer wall of an airfoil about the core. The outer wall has an exterior surface and an interior surface. The interior surface includes a shaped inlet portion that corresponds to the core feature. Moreover, the method includes forming an outlet portion through the outer wall to fluidly connect the outlet portion to the shaped inlet portion. The shaped inlet portion and the outlet portion cooperatively define a cooling aperture through the outer wall.

Abstract: A casting core assembly includes a metallic core, a ceramic core having a compartment in which the portion of the metallic core is received, and a ceramic coating at least partially covering the metallic core and the ceramic core.

Abstract: A core for use in casting an internal cooling circuit within a gas turbine engine component includes an additively manufactured skeleton core portion manufactured of a refractory metal, a surround core portion that at least partially encapsulates the additively manufactured skeleton core portion, the surround core portion manufactured of a ceramic material, a surround core portion that at least partially encapsulates the additively manufactured skeleton core portion, the surround core portion manufactured of a ceramic material and a cooling hole shape that extends from the additively manufactured skeleton core portion through the surround core portion, the cooling hole shape operable to form a cooling hole.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite are disclosed. A fiber preform may be placed in a mold. An aqueous solution may be added to the fiber preform. The aqueous solution may include water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder. The preform may be frozen. Freezing the preform may cause the water to expand and separate fibers in the fiber preform. The carbon nanotubes may bond to the fibers. The preform may be freeze dried to remove the water. The preform may then be processed according to standard CMC process.

Abstract: A method produces a casting, in particular a housing of a turbocharger, wherein at least one mold part for forming the casting has a respective parting plane which is arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casting, and wherein at least one core element is provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a refractory metal core for use in forming varying thickness microcircuits in turbine engine components, a process for forming the refractory metal core, and a process for forming the turbine engine components. The refractory metal core is used in the casting of a turbine engine component. The core is formed by a sheet of refractory metal material having a curved trailing edge portion integrally formed with a leading edge portion.

Abstract: A multi-wall ceramic core for casting an airfoil with one or more internal cooling passages is made by preforming at least one fugitive core insert to have a joint-forming surface with a male and/or female joint feature and then forming at least one fugitive core insert in-situ adjacent and integrally connected and fused to the at least one preformed core insert at the joint-forming surface to form an interlocked, fused joint to form a composite core insert that includes features to form internal passage surfaces in the core when the composite core insert is removed. Another aspect involves preforming first and second fugitive core inserts to have respective joint-forming surfaces with respective snap-fittable joint features and assembling the first and second fugitive core inserts to form a composite core insert by snap fitting the snap-fittable joint features together to form an interlocked joint.

Abstract: A multi-wall ceramic core for casting an airfoil with one or more internal cooling passages is made by preforming at least one fugitive core insert to have a joint-forming surface with a male and/or female joint feature and then forming at least one fugitive core insert in-situ adjacent and integrally connected and fused to the at least one preformed core insert at the joint-forming surface to form an interlocked, fused joint to form a composite core insert that includes features to form internal passage surfaces in the core when the composite core insert is removed. Another aspect involves preforming first and second fugitive core inserts to have respective joint-forming surfaces with respective snap-fittable joint features and assembling the first and second fugitive core inserts to form a composite core insert by snap fitting the snap-fittable joint features together to form an interlocked joint.

Abstract: A multi-wall ceramic core for casting an airfoil with one or more internal cooling passages is made by preforming at least one fugitive core insert, then forming at least one core insert in-situ adjacent and fused to the at least one preformed core insert by introducing fluid fugitive pattern material into a composite core insert mold whereby the fugitive core inserts are integrally connected as a single composite core insert that includes features to form internal passage surfaces in the core when the composite core insert is removed. The composite core insert is placed in a core molding die cavity, and a fluid ceramic material is introduced into the die cavity to form the ceramic core body incorporating the fugitive composite core insert therein.

Abstract: A hollow turbine engine component with complex internal features can include a first region and a second, high resolution region. The first region can be defined by a first ceramic core piece formed by any conventional process, such as by injection molding or transfer molding. The second region can be defined by a second ceramic core piece formed separately by a method effective to produce high resolution features, such as tomo lithographic molding. The first core piece and the second core piece can be joined by interlocking engagement that once subjected to an intermediate thermal heat treatment process thermally deform to form a three dimensional interlocking joint between the first and second core pieces by allowing thermal creep to irreversibly interlock the first and second core pieces together such that the joint becomes physically locked together providing joint stability through thermal processing.

Abstract: A melt is made by heating a salt mixture containing a salt of sodium. The melt is set at a temperature higher than the liquidus temperature of the salt mixture, and poured into a mold for expendable core molding. The temperature when the melt is completely poured into the mold is set within a range not exceeding the liquidus temperature of the salt mixture by 30° C. An expendable salt core for casting is molded by solidifying the melt inside the mold. This makes it possible to more stably obtain the strength of a water-soluble expendable salt core for casting made of a salt cast product obtained by melting and molding salts of sodium and the like.

Abstract: The present invention concerns equipment (1) for making foundry cores comprising a mold (2) provided with one or more core forms (3) and one or more channels (4, 6, 7) for conveying core formation material to the core forms (3). The equipment comprises one or more inserts (10) housed or able to be housed in the conveying channels (4, 6, 7) near to the core forms (3).

Abstract: A rapid manufacturing method includes forming tooling in a rapid manufacturing process. The tooling is coated with a conductive material.

Abstract: A method for deburring a ceramic foundry core obtained by injecting a ceramic paste, the paste including a binder having a predetermined glass transition temperature, into a mold and having at least one surface portion with a surplus of material forming a burr to be eliminated. The method includes the following stages: a) disposing and attaching the molded, unfired foundry core onto a mounting; b) placing a milling tool, having an elongated shape with a helically cut edge, onto a tool holder; c) causing the tool to rotate around its axis and touching the milling tool to the surface portion to be deburred; and d) freezing the surface portion to be deburred such that the foundry core is maintained at a temperature lower than a glass transition temperature during the deburring operation.

Abstract: The invention provides water-soluble salt cores which are produced by compacting a mixture of water-soluble salts and a binding agent, under pressure and subsequently subjecting them to heat-treatment. The binding agent is an inorganic phosphate or a mixture of inorganic phosphates having a proportion of between 0.5 and 10 wt. % of the mixture.

Abstract: A hybrid core assembly for a casting process includes a ceramic core portion, a first refractory metal core portion and a first plate positioned between the ceramic core portion and the first refractory metal core portion. The ceramic core portion includes a first trough. A portion of the refractory metal core portion is received in the first trough.

Abstract: A method of forming a porous ceramic body includes providing a moldable material that includes a ceramic material, a binder material and a filler material comprising carbon nanotubes. The moldable material is then formed into a desired shape of a green ceramic body. The green ceramic body is then thermally treated to remove the binder material and the carbon nanotubes. The thermally treated green ceramic body is then sintered to form the porous ceramic body with elongated nanopores.

Abstract: A hybrid ceramic/sand casting method of manufacturing a metal part. The method is especially suitable for parts having one or more very small internal gaps, such as might occur with a linear passage or round opening. These parts are formed using a hybrid core having at least one ceramic section and at least one sand section, with the ceramic section being used to create the internal gap. A mold cavity is created for the part, and the hybrid core is positioned in the mold. Molten metal is introduced into the mold, and after the metal cools, the core is removed, thereby forming the part with the internal gap.

Abstract: A casting core assembly includes a metallic core and a ceramic core. The process for forming the casting core assembly includes inserting a ceramic plug of a metallic core and ceramic plug core subassembly into a compartment of the ceramic core. The ceramic plug is secured to the ceramic core.

Abstract: A one-piece core-making technique used in producing railway truck bolsters and side frames, which includes the following steps: 1. After scraping the top of a core box, applying a shaped top mould (11), which is precisely located, from top to bottom. 2. Press or slightly hit the top mould (11) to make sure the top mould covers/caps the scraping surface. 3. Keep pressing to make sure that the flat scraping surface was pressed to a required curved shape, like the shape of the top mould (11). 4. Last, it will become a one-piece core with a partially integrated inner cavity section. The one-piece core made by this technique has a smooth surface. This technique also can improve the internal quality of the product and ease work intensity.

Abstract: An investment casting core combination includes a metallic casting core and a ceramic feedcore. A first region of the metallic casting core is embedded in the ceramic feedcore. A mating edge portion of the metallic casting core includes a number of projections. The first region is along at least some of the projections. A number of recesses span gaps between adjacent projections. The ceramic feedcore includes a number of compartments respectively receiving the metallic casting core projections. The ceramic feedcore further includes a number of portions between the compartments and respectively received in the metallic casting core recesses.

Abstract: A method of forming a hollow sand core involves placing a preform into a cavity defined in a mold, where the preform has a predetermined configuration. A granular material is then introduced into the mold cavity and around the preform. The introduced granular material is established around the preform to form the hollow sand core. The preform is deformed in a manner sufficient to enable removal of the preform from inside the hollow sand core, and then is removed from the sand core. The removal of the preform exposes a hollow portion of the sand core.

Abstract: A method for producing a pattern for the precision-cast representation of a component having a cavity is provided. In the method wherein the component is a turbine component having a cavity, the finished pattern comprises a core and an outer contour pattern, the outer contour pattern at least partially surrounds the core and at least partially defines the outer contour of the turbine component. The core is produced from a curable core material, which cures during the course of the method, and the outer contour pattern is produced from a material which can be burned or melted out. In this case, first the outer contour pattern is produced with a cavity corresponding to the cavity of the turbine component and subsequently the curable core material is filled into the cavity and cured to produce the core.

Abstract: Alloy products are produced with a waxless casting process. A model of a ceramic casting vessel (34) defining a desired product shape is digitally divided into sections (10, 40, 42). Each section is translated into a soft alloy mater tool (14) including precision inserts (20) where needed for fine detail. A flexible mold (24) is cast from each master tool, and a section of the ceramic casting vessel is cast from the respective flexible mold. The vessel sections are assembled by aligning cooperating precision features (58, 60) cast directly into each section and the alloy part is cast therein. No wax or wax pattern tooling is needed to produce the cast alloy product. Engineered surface features (54) may be included on both the interior and exterior surfaces of the shell sections.

Abstract: A cast metal article, such as a turbine engine component, is made by shaping a body of refractory metal particles to form a molded refractory metal article. The molded refractory metal article is sintered to form a refractory metal core. Both the refractory metal article and a setter block may be sintered at the same time. At least a portion of the refractory metal core is enclosed with wax. The wax is at least partially enclosed with a covering of mold material. The wax is removed from the mold material to form an article mold cavity. The article mold cavity is filled with molten metal which solidifies to form a cast metal article. The refractory metal core is removed from the cast metal article.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an integral casting core including a solidified first portion of a ceramic core and a solidified second portion of the ceramic core; wherein the solidified second portion is disposed upon the solidified first portion of the ceramic core by laser consolidation. The first solidified portion of the integral casting core, is manufactured by a process which includes disposing a slurry including ceramic particles into a metal core die; wherein an internal volume of the metal core die has a geometry equivalent to a portion of the geometry of the integral casting core; curing the slurry to form a cured first portion of the ceramic core; and firing the cured first portion of the ceramic core to form a solidified first portion of the ceramic core.

Abstract: In an investment casting process, a composite core is formed as a combination of ceramic casting core element and a non-ceramic casting core element. The core is heated in an oxidative atmosphere and then heated in a non-oxidative atmosphere.

Abstract: A method for producing a pattern for the precision-cast representation of a component having a cavity is provided. In the method wherein the component is a turbine component having a cavity, the finished pattern comprises a core and an outer contour pattern, the outer contour pattern at least partially surrounds the core and at least partially defines the outer contour of the turbine component. The core is produced from a curable core material, which cures during the course of the method, and the outer contour pattern is produced from a material which can be burned or melted out. In this case, first the outer contour pattern is produced with a cavity corresponding to the cavity of the turbine component and subsequently the curable core material is filled into the cavity and cured to produce the core.

Abstract: These inventions provide a method and an apparatus for setting a core used in a molding apparatus that produces flaskless molds, wherein the core-setting apparatus has a simple structure and the accuracy of the positioning of the core while setting it on the lower mold is improved. The inventions comprise: moving a first carrier 52 carrying a core-handling tool 51 which is holding the core 70 toward the cope flask 2 by means of a second carrier 53 when the cope flask 2 is located at the mold-stripping mechanism 12 being lifted to a lifted position by means of a flask-rotation mechanism 13; transferring the first carrier and the core-handling tool to the cope flask which is at the lifted position; lowering the cope flask 2, the core-handling tool 51, and the first carrier 52 by means of the flask-rotation mechanism 13 so that the core 70 comes close to or contacts the lower mold; and releasing the core 70 from the core-handling tool 51 to set the core on the lower mold.

Abstract: An investment casting core combination includes a metallic casting core and a ceramic feedcore. A first region of the metallic casting core is embedded in the ceramic feedcore. The metallic casting core includes a plurality of body sections. The first region is along at least some of the body sections. The metallic casting core includes a plurality of springs spanning gaps between adjacent body sections and unitarily formed therewith.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an investment casting core uses a metallic blank having a thickness between parallel first and second faces less than a width and length transverse thereto. The blank is locally thinned from at least one of the first and second faces. The blank is through-cut across the thickness.

Abstract: A method involves forming a core assembly. The forming includes molding a first ceramic core over a first refractory metal core to form a core subassembly. The subassembly is assembled to a second ceramic core.

Abstract: An investment casting core combination includes a metallic casting core and a ceramic feedcore. A first region of the metallic casting core is embedded in the ceramic feedcore. A mating edge portion of the metallic casting core includes a number of projections. The first region is along at least some of the projections. A number of recesses span gaps between adjacent projections. The ceramic feedcore includes a number of compartments respectively receiving the metallic casting core projections. The ceramic feedcore further includes a number of portions between the compartments and respectively received in the metallic casting core recesses.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a combination investment casting core, a plurality of cores are each formed by cutting a metallic sheet to define a first portion and a number of separate second portions linked by the first portion. The second portions are bent out of local alignment with the first portion. The first portions of the cores are assembled and secured to each other.

Abstract: To manufacture a casting core, one or more recesses are formed in at least one face of metallic sheetstock. After the forming, a piece is cut from the metallic sheetstock. The piece is deformed to a non-flat configuration.

Abstract: A method of forming an integral casting core includes adding a disposable insert to a metal core die and disposing a slurry into the metal core die. The slurry includes ceramic particles. The method further includes firing the slurry to form a integral casting core and removing the disposable insert from the integral casting core.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a core for a ceramic shell mold is disclosed. A porous core body is formed from at least about 50% by weight of at least one rare earth metal oxide. The core body is heated under heating conditions sufficient to provide the core with a density of about 35% to about 80% of its theoretical density. The core body is then infiltrated with a liquid colloid or solution of at least one metal oxide compound, e.g., rare earth metal oxides; silica, aluminum oxide, transition metal oxides, and combinations thereof. The infiltrated core body is then heated to sinter the particles without substantially changing the dimensions of the core body. Mold-core assemblies which include such a core body are also described. A description of processes for casting a turbine component, using the core, is also set forth herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ceramic core used in the manufacture, by lost wax casting, of a turbomachine blade with cooling cavities and a squealer, comprising at least one main core, wherein the main core (10) comprises an element (10B) shaped so as to constitute the squealer and an element (10SB) shaped so as to constitute at least one cavity beneath the squealer, the two elements leaving between them a space (13) shaped so as to constitute, at least in part, the bottom wall of the squealer. In particular, the elements (10B and 10SB) are joined together by ceramic rods (TG).

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a ceramic foundry core having at least one thin region with a thickness “e”, in particular in of a turbomachine blade trailing edge, including the forming in a mold of a mixture including a ceramic particle filler and an organic binder, the extraction of the core from the mold, the binder removal and consolidation heat treatment of the core. The process is one in which a core is formed in the mold, the region of this core being thickened relative to the thickness “e” by an overthickness E and in which the overthickness is machined after the core has been extracted from the mold and before or after the heat treatment operation. In particular, the machining is carried out mechanically by milling, either with removal of chips on the cores before firing, or by abrasion on the fired cores.

Abstract: An unfired ceramic base core having a first coefficient of thermal expansion is provided. A core element having a second coefficient of thermal expansion is positioned in an opening formed in the unfired ceramic base core. The opening in the unfired ceramic base core is filled with a filler material having a third coefficient of thermal expansion. The third coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion and less than the second coefficient of thermal expansion. The ceramic base core is fired without cracking the base core and without cracking the filler material. The ceramic base core contains silica and zircon and has a silica content of 70% or less and a zircon content of 30% or more. The core element may be formed of a ceramic material or a refractory metal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising injecting into a thin wall disposable core die a slurry having a viscosity of about 1 to about 1,000 Pascal-seconds at room temperature when tested at a shear rate of up to 70 seconds?1 and a flow index of less than 0.6 at a pressure of up to about 7 kilograms-force per square centimeter; wherein the thin wall disposable core die has an average wall thickness of about 1.5 to about 10 millimeters; curing the slurry to form a cured ceramic core; removing the thin wall disposable core die from the cured ceramic core; and firing the cured ceramic core to form a solidified ceramic core.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cast core with at least one recess, corresponding to a partition of a turbomachine blade, includes the steps of shaping, in a mold, a mixture containing a ceramic particles filler and an organic binder; forming a core rough casting without the recess in the mold; extracting the core rough casting from the mold; machining the recess in the core rough casting thereby forming a machined core with the recess; removing the organic binder from the machined core; and heat treating the machined core to consolidate the machined core. The step of machining the recess is performed before the step of heat treating the machined core.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an article comprising a solidified first portion of a ceramic core; wherein the first solidified portion is manufactured by a process comprising disposing a slurry comprising ceramic particles into a metal core die; wherein an internal volume of the metal core die has a geometry equivalent to a portion of the geometry of the integral casting core; curing the slurry to form a cured first portion of the ceramic core; firing the cured first portion of the ceramic core to form a solidified first portion of the ceramic core; and a solidified second portion of the ceramic core; wherein the solidified second portion is disposed upon the solidified first portion of the ceramic core by laser consolidation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composite core die comprising a reusable core die; and a disposable core die; wherein the disposable core die is in physical communication with the reusable core die; and further wherein surfaces of communication between the disposable core die and the reusable core die serve as barriers to prevent the leakage of a slurry that is disposed in the composite core die.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a core for a ceramic shell mold is disclosed. A porous core body is formed from at least about 50% by weight of at least one rare earth metal oxide. The core body is heated under heating conditions sufficient to provide the core with a density of about 35% to about 80% of its theoretical density. The core body is then infiltrated with a liquid colloid or solution of at least one metal oxide compound, e.g., rare earth metal oxides; silica, aluminum oxide, transition metal oxides, and combinations thereof. The infiltrated core body is then heated to sinter the particles without substantially changing the dimensions of the core body. Mold-core assemblies which include such a core body are also described. A description of processes for casting a turbine component, using the core, is also set forth herein.

Abstract: A method for forming an investment casting core comprises cutting a patterned core precursor from refractory metal-based sheet. The cutting forms recast along the cuts. An oxide is grown on non-recast areas. The recast is substantially chemically removed but substantially leaving the oxide. The core precursor may then be shaped.

Abstract: A method of forming at least one concavity of a selected size and shape within a surface of an internal passageway of a metallic component comprises: depositing a ceramic-based material by a direct-write technique onto a ceramic core which is suitable for forming the internal passageway during a casting process to form the metallic component, wherein the ceramic-based material is deposited as a positive feature; heat-treating the deposited ceramic-based material; forming the metallic component by a casting process in which the ceramic core is incorporated into the casting, in a position selected as a desired position for the internal passageway; and then removing the ceramic core from the metal component after the casting process is complete, thereby forming the internal passageway, with the concavity contained within the surface of the passageway, said concavity formed by removal of the positive feature of the ceramic-based material.

Abstract: The invention relates a process for manufacturing a ceramic foundry core having at least one thin region with a thickness “e”, in particular in of a turbomachine blade trailing edge, comprising the forming in a mold of a mixture comprising a ceramic particle filler and an organic binder, the extraction of the core from the mold, the binder removal and consolidation heat treatment of the core. The process is one in which a core is formed in said mold, said region of this core being thickened relative to the thickness “e” by an overthickness E and in which said overthickness is machined after the core has been extracted from the mold and before or after the heat treatment operation. In particular, the machining is carried out mechanically by milling, either with removal of chips on the cores before firing, or by abrasion on the fired cores.