Alcoa Inc.

Jamal Righi

Thomas N Meyer

Neville C Whittle

Michael J Kinosz

Roger W Kaufold

Joseph P Harenski

Moustapha Mbaye

F Donald Kuhns, Jr

A coating for a mold surface of a casting mold includes a metallic bond coat bonded to the mold surface and having a continuous, uniform thickness of between about 0.002 to 0.005 inch on the mold surface. A topcoat of yttria stabilized zirconia is located on top of the metallic bond coat and has a continuous, uniform thickness of between about 0.005 to 0.030 inch. The topcoat has a porosity between 5-15%. The topcoat has a surface layer having a thickness of between about 0.001 to 0.002 inch and a porosity of less than 1%.

Mold coating

A bottom heated holder furnace ( ) for containing a supply of molten metal includes a storage vessel ( ) having sidewalls ( ) and a bottom wall ( ) defining a molten metal receiving chamber ( ). A furnace insulating layer ( ) lines the molten metal receiving chamber ( ). A thermally conductive heat exchanger block ( ) is located at the bottom of the molten metal receiving chamber ( ) for heating the supply of molten metal. The heat exchanger block ( ) includes a bottom face ( ), side faces ( ), and a top face ( ). The heat exchanger block ( ) includes a plurality of electrical heaters ( ) extending therein and projecting outward from at least one of the faces of the heat exchanger block ( ), and further extending through the furnace insulating layer ( ) and one of the sidewalls ( ) of the storage vessel ( ) for connection to a source of electrical power. A sealing layer ( ) covers the bottom face ( ) and side faces ( ) of the heat exchanger block ( ) such that the heat exchanger block ( ) is substantially separated from contact with the furnace insulating layer ( ). A gas pressurization valve ( ) is in fluid communication with the molten metal receiving chamber ( ) and the interior of the heat exchanger block ( ) for pressurizing the interior of the holder furnace ( ).

Pressurized molten metal holder furnace

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Jamal Righi