A method of producing a parallel spiral core for casting a housing includes designing a half cylinder body in a model based on a desired shape of the housing, adding parallel spiral features to the body in the model, and producing data of the model based on the desired shape of the housing with the parallel spiral features. The data is then loaded into a machining tool, which then machines a pattern of the parallel spiral core out of material. The method also includes casting the parallel spiral core from the pattern such that the parallel spiral core comprises a core body and a parallel spiral formed on the core body, the parallel spiral winding circumferentially about the core body from a first end to a second end of the core body.

A method of producing a parallel spiral core for casting a housing includes designing a half cylinder body in a model based on a desired shape of the housing, adding parallel spiral features to the body in the model, and producing data of the model based on the desired shape of the housing with the parallel spiral features. The data is then loaded into a machining tool, which then machines a pattern of the parallel spiral core out of material. The method also includes casting the parallel spiral core from the pattern such that the parallel spiral core comprises a core body and a parallel spiral formed on the core body, the parallel spiral winding circumferentially about the core body from a first end to a second end of the core body.

The sand mould identification device has a housing with an identification pattern face adapted to be arranged in a pattern forming surface of a sand moulding machine. Individually adjustable indicator elements in the identification pattern face are adjustable by means of an actuator. The housing includes an insertion portion adapted to be inserted into a corresponding recess of said sand moulding machine. The identification pattern face is located at a front end of the insertion portion. The insertion portion is adapted to be inserted into the sand moulding machine in an insertion direction extending from a rear end to the front end of the insertion portion. A mounting bracket is accessible at or behind the rear end of the insertion portion for mounting or demounting the housing to or from the sand moulding machine or core shooter.

A system and method for flexibly forming a casting mold and for manufacturing a casting model or a molded body having a mounting platform, a plurality of shaping rods for forming the casting mold or the molded body and a conveying unit for conveying the shaping rods to the mounting platform, the conveying unit is configured to individually grip and to place the shaping rods on the mounting platform, such that a stack of the shaping rods is formable, and that a side of the stack is formable by the position of the shaping rods, to form a region of the casting mold and wherein the positions of the single shaping rods in the stack reproduce the shape of the molded body, wherein the shaping rods are gluable to each other, such that the stack forms the molded body.

A hybrid method of casting a metal product disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a product design, creating a mold insert based on the product design, creating a mold base based on the product design, assembling the mold insert with the mold base to form an assembled mold, casting the metal product with the assembled mold, and post-processing the metal product. In some embodiments, creating a mold insert includes generating printing instructions for a mold insert based on the product design and printing a mold insert configured to mate with a product mold (for example, a mold produced by traditional sand molding processes) based on the printing instructions.

A foundry mix includes a major amount of a foundry aggregate and an effective binding amount of a binder system. The binder system cures in the presence of sulfur dioxide and a free radical initiator. The binder system may include (1) 10 to 70 parts by weight of an epoxy novolac resin; (2) 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of resorcinol; (3) 20 to 70 parts by weight of a monomeric or polymeric acrylate; and (4) an effective amount of a free radical initiator. Notably, (1), (2), (3) and (4) are separate components or mixed with another of said components, provided (4) is not mixed with (3) until a foundry mix is to be created, where said parts by weight are based upon 100 parts of the binder system.

A foundry mix includes a major amount of a foundry aggregate and an effective binding amount of a binder system. The binder system cures in the presence of sulfur dioxide and a free radical initiator. The binder system may include (1) 10 to 70 parts by weight of an epoxy novolac resin; (2) 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of resorcinol; (3) 20 to 70 parts by weight of a monomeric or polymeric acrylate; and (4) an effective amount of a free radical initiator. Notably, (1), (2), (3) and (4) are separate components or mixed with another of said components, provided (4) is not mixed with (3) until a foundry mix is to be created, where said parts by weight are based upon 100 parts of the binder system.

A release agent is disclosed for use with an organic binder system used in metal casting. The binder system has a Part I component including an epoxy resin and a free radical initiator and a Part II component having an epoxy resin and an acrylate, where the Part I and Part II components are kept separate until the time of use. The release agent will typically have a molecular weight in the range of 150 to 160, with eight to ten carbon atoms. Two examples of the epoxide are pinene oxide and decene-1 oxide, each of which is effective as an internal release agent when present in the binder for a cold box process in the range of about 0.15% to about 1% of the total weight of the Part I and Part II components.

In one exemplary embodiment, an airfoil includes pressure and suction side walls that extend in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing edges. The pressure and suction side walls also extend in a radial direction to provide an exterior airfoil surface. A cooling passage is arranged between the pressure and suction walls. The cooling passage has a first width in the chord-wise direction near the suction side wall. A second width is in the chord-wise direction near the pressure side wall. A third width is between the pressure and suction side walls. The third width is smaller than the first and second widths.

A method of making an airfoil includes making a refractory metal core that defines an interior of the airfoil by a tomo-lithographic process, making a mold that defines an exterior of the airfoil, inserting the refractory metal core into the mold, and pouring an airfoil material between the refractory metal core and the mold to cast the airfoil.