Mikro Systems, Inc.

Siemens Energy, Inc.

Thermotrex Corporation

Other

United Technologies Corporation

Tecomet, Inc

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Thermo Electron Corporation

Trex Medical Corporation

Michael P Appleby

Gary Brian Merrill

Ahmed Kamel

Iain Fraser

James E Atkinson

John R Paulus

Joseph A Buturlia

Anthony J Pellegrino

David P Lieb

Jill Klinger

Daniel N Lyke

Andrew Jeremiah Burns

Benjamin E Heneveld

Dhafer Jouini

William T Randolph

Robert F Lynch

Iain Alasdair Fraser

Gabriel Victor Orsinger

Daniel Ellgass

Iain A Fraser

An investment casting process for a hollow component such as a gas turbine blade utilizing a ceramic core () that is cast in a flexible mold () using a low pressure, vibration assisted casting process. The flexible mold is cast from a master tool () machined from soft metal using a relatively low precision machining process, with relatively higher precision surfaces being defined by a precision formed insert () incorporated into the master tool. A plurality of identical flexible molds may be formed from a single master tool in order to permit the production of ceramic cores at a desired rate with a desired degree of part-to-part precision.

Investment casting process for hollow components

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a composition, system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, and/or user interface adapted for, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise, after removing a cast device from a stack-lamination-derived mold, said cast device formed from a molding composition, applying a desired shape to said cast device to form a shaped cast device, said molding composition comprising: a ceramic composition comprising silica; an cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition, said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; a silicone composition comprising a siloxane resin, said silicone composition present in said molding composition in an amount up to 30% by weight of said molding composition; and a solvent composition adapted to dissolve said cycloaliphatic epoxy binder composition and said silicone composition.

Systems, devices, and/or methods for manufacturing castings

In certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, three-dimensional micro-mechanical devices and/or micro-structures can be made using a production casting process. As part of this process, an intermediate mold can be made from or derived from a precision stack lamination and used to fabricate the devices and/or structures. Further, the micro-devices and/or micro-structures can be fabricated on planar or nonplanar surfaces through use of a series of production casting processes and intermediate molds. The use of precision stack lamination can allow the fabrication of high aspect ratio structures. Moreover, via certain molding and/or casting materials, molds having cavities with protruding undercuts also can be fabricated.

Methods for manufacturing three-dimensional devices and devices created thereby

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, and/or composition of matter adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method for activities that can comprise and/or relate to, a first form comprising: a plurality of surface artifacts that substantially spatially replicate a surface geometry of a stacked foil mold; and a prong that is adapted to form a hole in a cast product.

Systems, devices, and/or methods for producing holes

In certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, three-dimensional micro-mechanical devices and/or micro-structures can be made using a production casting process. As part of this process, an intermediate mold can be made from or derived from a precision stack lamination and used to fabricate the devices and/or structures. Further, the micro-devices and/or micro-structures can be fabricated on planar or nonplanar surfaces through use of a series of production casting processes and intermediate molds. The use of precision stack lamination can allow the fabrication of high aspect ratio structures. Moreover, via certain molding and/or casting materials, molds having cavities with protruding undercuts also can be fabricated. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. This abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

A method of manufacturing a component, including providing a three-dimensional computer model of the component to be produced; deconstructing the three-dimensional computer model by defining a plurality of model slices; forming a plurality of metallic foils, where each foil corresponds to a specific model slice; assembling the plurality of formed foils in a tool to form a three-dimensional component stack; and bonding the three-dimensional component stack to form the component. Characteristics of the foils may differ in various portions of the stack, such as being a different material, having a different thickness, or having a different grain orientation. The control of dimensional tolerances of internal structures, such as cooling passages, in three dimensions is devolved into two separate steps of 1) selecting a thickness of each slice/foil, and 2) controlling in two dimensions a material removal process applied to the respective foil.

Process for manufacturing a component

Growing community of inventors

Crozet, VA, United States of America

Michael P Appleby