Howmet Research Corporation

Howmet Corporation

Patrick L Conroy

Michael M McRae

Jeffery S Smith

Jeffrey D Irvine

Douglas W Wilkinson

Harold C Pierson

Method for removing a ceramic core from a casting in a relatively rapid manner wherein the casting and a fluid spray nozzle are disposed in a manner to expose a region of the core to a core dissolving fluid discharge of the nozzle and a core dissolving fluid is discharged from the nozzle toward the core region to contact the core region and dissolve core material therefrom and progressively from further regions of the core within the casting as they become exposed as core material is progressively removed. The discharge of fluid from the nozzle can be interrupted periodically to allow dissolved core material and fluid to drain from inside the casting or, alternately, the casting and nozzle can be relatively moved so that the casting can drain and/or forced air can be directed at the casting to this same end at a location spaced apart form the nozzle.

Method for removing cores from castings

Apparatus for removing a ceramic core from a casting in a relatively rapid manner wherein the casting and a fluid spray nozzle are disposed in a manner to expose a region of the core to a core dissolving fluid discharge of the nozzle and a core dissolving fluid is discharged from the nozzle toward the core region to contact the core region and dissolve core material therefrom and progressively from further regions of the core within the casting as they become exposed as core material is progressively removed. The discharge of fluid from the nozzle can be interrupted periodically to allow dissolved core material and fluid to drain from inside the casting or, alternately, the casting and nozzle can be relatively moved so that the casting can drain and/or forced air can be directed at the casting to this same end at a location spaced apart form the nozzle.

Apparatus for removing cores from castings

Method for removing ceramic shell mold material from one or more castings in a relatively rapid manner wherein the casting and hot caustic solution spray nozzles are relatively moved to direct hot caustic solution under pressure at the castings to remove post-knock-out ceramic shell material thereon prior to further processing of the castings.

Removal of ceramic shell mold material from castings

Method and apparatus for removing ceramic shell mold material from one or more castings in a relatively rapid manner wherein the casting and hot caustic solution spray nozzles are relatively moved to direct hot caustic solution under pressure at the castings to remove post-knock-out ceramic shell material thereon prior to further processing of the castings.

A plurality of engine-run components are fixtured on a cleaning fluid manifold disposed in a cleaning chamber with the internal passage of each component communicated to a respective fluid spray nozzle on the cleaning fluid manifold, a heated caustic cleaning fluid is pumped to the manifold for flow through the nozzle and then the internal passage of each component for a time to remove the deposits, and the heated cleaning fluid is discharged from each component into the cleaning chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Montague, MI, United States of America

Patrick L Conroy