The present invention relates to multi-component compositions including an isocyanate component and an amine component, wherein the isocyanate component includes a prepolymer, obtainable from toluene isocyanate and a polytetramethylene polyol, and the amine component includes a dialkylthio aryl diamine and possibly a polytetramethylene oxide polyamine. Corresponding compositions can be advantageously used as flowable or spreadable resin systems for producing surface protection coatings in casting house applications and are characterized by a significantly improved resistance to abrasion in comparison with conventional casting resin systems based on hexamethylene diisocyanate and dimethyl thiotoluene diamine.

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus for forming a component from a solidified fluid medium. The apparatus comprises a body defining a cavity into which the fluid medium may be introduced, the cavity optionally being shaped to define a shape of the component, and a carrier for supporting one or more elements to be embedded in the component. The carrier is arranged to be introduced into the cavity to support the one or more elements within the cavity while the fluid medium is introduced into the cavity. Embodiments of the invention are useful in a range of fabrication technologies including casting of metals and injection molding operations.

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus for forming a component from a solidified fluid medium. The apparatus comprises a body defining a cavity into which the fluid medium may be introduced, the cavity optionally being shaped to define a shape of the component, and a carrier for supporting one or more elements to be embedded in the component. The carrier is arranged to be introduced into the cavity to support the one or more elements within the cavity while the fluid medium is introduced into the cavity. Embodiments of the invention are useful in a range of fabrication technologies including casting of metals and injection molding operations.

A mould for casting a component in a directional solidification casting process having a preferred direction of grain growth (non-axial <001>) 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 (42, 43, 44) and a sacrificial geometry portion (45) wherein the sacrificial geometry portion (45) includes a notch (48) which is shaped and positioned so as to, in use, contain high angle grain boundaries between dendritic growth in the preferred direction (non-axial <001>) and dendritic growth in a competing direction to the preferred direction (axial <001>) within the sacrificial geometry portion of a casting solidifying in the mould.

A sinterable paste formulation usable as cast material in a cast-mold process, in combination with a mold material formulation, is provided. The sinterable paste formulation comprises a power of a sinterable material, in an amount of at least 85% by weight of the total weight of the formulation, a binder as described in the specification, and an aqueous solution which comprises water and a water-miscible organic solvent featuring an evaporation rate in a range of from 0.3 to 0.8 on an n-butyl acetate scale. Methods employing the formulation and objects and products obtained therefrom are also provided.

A green sand mold molding sensor that can measure the pressure applied to a parting plane of a green sand mold in order to determine the quality (casting mold strength) of a molded green sand mold. A green sand mold molding sensor including a pressure sensor for evaluating the molding properties of a green sand mold molded by a casting mold molding machine, wherein the pressure sensor is embedded in a plate having a model attached thereto.

Provided is a display apparatus that is capable of displaying a relationship between sand properties measured as time series. The display apparatus displays (i) a relationship between pieces of measured first sand property data and pieces of measured second sand property data, obtained in a first predetermined period, together with first and second reference ranges set for the first and second sand properties and (ii) a relationship between pieces of measured third sand property data and pieces of measured fourth sand property data, obtained in a second predetermined period, together with third and fourth reference ranges set for the third and fourth sand properties.

A manufacturing method includes using an additive manufacturing process to form a first object. The first object includes layers, among which is a first layer that comprises a first material and a second material. The first material surrounds the second material within the first layer. Both materials are solids that transition into liquids at corresponding first and second temperatures, the first temperature being lower than the second temperature. The method includes, after having formed the first object, exposing the first object to a temperature that is between the first temperature and the second temperature such that the first material melts, thereby leaving behind a second object, the second object comprising the second material.

What is described is a process for producing an article for use in the foundry industry, selected from the group consisting of molds, cores, feeder elements and molding material mixtures, comprising the following steps: (S1) producing or providing a binder system comprising the following components in three spatially separate vessels: a component (A) comprising particulate amorphous silicon dioxide, a first liquid component (B) comprising waterglass, and a second liquid component (C) comprising aluminate ions dissolved in an aqueous phase, (S2) contacting a mold base material (D) and constituents of all the said components (A), (B) and (C) of the binder system in predetermined ratios in one or more steps, so as to result in a molding material mixture in which the aluminate ions and the particulate amorphous silicon dioxide are mixed wholly or partly into the waterglass, wherein steps (S1) and (S2) are conducted in a facility for producing molding material mixtures. Also described are a corresponding molding material mixture and apparatuses and uses

Methods for forming a unitized crucible assembly for holding a melt of silicon for forming a silicon ingot are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods involve a porous crucible mold having a channel network with a bottom channel, an outer sidewall channel that extends from the bottom channel, and a central weir channel that extends from the bottom channel. A slip slurry may be added to the channel network and the liquid carrier of the slip slurry may be drawn into the mold. The resulting green body may be sintered to form the crucible assembly.