Rolls-royce Corporation

Kevin Goodwin

Neil John D'Souza

Martin Richard Perry

John Harold Boswell

John D Lehane

Martin R Perry

Andrew David Slater

Paul A Tennant

Neil Dsouza

Amanda Barbara Borland

Paul Tennant

A method of manufacturing a component includes forming a mould assembly including an initial mould unit, providing a seed crystal including a primary growth direction, determining an optimal angular orientation of the unit, rotating the unit to dispose the unit's optimal angular orientation, encasing the unit in a refractory material, and forming a refractory mould unit having a component mould including a mould wall defining a mould cavity, and a seed holder. In the optimal angular orientation, the seed crystal's primary growth direction is angled away from the wall, thereby forming a converging disposition with the wall in a of the wall's first region facing the central sprue and a diverging disposition with the wall in the wall's second region facing a mould heater. The method includes receiving the seed crystal within the seed holder and filling the mould cavity with molten castable material to form the component.

Method of manufacturing a component

An apparatus for the simultaneous casting of multiple components using a directional solidification process includes; a pouring cup arranged on a centerline, an array of moulds encircling the pouring cup and centre line, an array of feed channels extending from the pouring cup to a top end of each mould, and a heat deflector. The heat deflector comprises a wall arranged between the array of moulds and the centerline extending along the length of the moulds and in thermal contact with the moulds.

Apparatus for casting multiple components using a directional solidification process

A mould for casting a component in a directional solidification casting process having a preferred direction of grain growth (non-axial &#x3c;001&#x3e;) comprises a shell defining a cavity for receiving molten material. The cavity defines a three dimensional shape made up of a finished component geometry portion () and a sacrificial geometry portion () wherein the sacrificial geometry portion () includes a notch () which is shaped and positioned so as to, in use, contain high angle grain boundaries between dendritic growth in the preferred direction (non-axial &#x3c;001&#x3e;) and dendritic growth in a competing direction to the preferred direction (axial &#x3c;001&#x3e;) within the sacrificial geometry portion of a casting solidifying in the mould.

Mould for casting a monocrystalline component

Producing a Ni superalloy component in which the superalloy has a &#x3b3; phase matrix containing intermetallic &#x3b3;' precipitates. Providing a Ni superalloy casting of the component; solutioning the component by heat treating the casting under vacuum and/or in an inert atmosphere at a temperature above the &#x3b3;&#x2032; solvus to homogenize the &#x3b3; phase; quenching and ageing the solutioned component to grow intermetallic &#x3b3;&#x2032; precipitates in the homogenized &#x3b3; phase. Before the solutioning step: heat treating the casting to produce a thermally grown oxide on the surface, oxide adherent to supress volatilization of Ni from the surface of the casting during the solutioning heat treatment. Performing the solutioning step under a Ni vapor pressure which is sufficient to supress volatilization of Ni from the surface of the casting during the solutioning heat treatment. During the solutioning heat treatment the component is encapsulated in a container protecting the casting from Si-doped contaminants.

Ni superalloy component production method

A casting arrangement for the single crystal casting of a component in which a common feed for molten metal is provided with a filtration arrangement that incorporates an annular filter. Outlets in a housing surrounding the filter direct the filtered molten metal on to a seed crystal and into a spiral grain selector.

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Derby, United Kingdom

Kevin Goodwin