An apparatus and method for removing excess material, preferably a powder, from a cavity of a component, wherein the apparatus includes: a platform for retaining the component, preferably an additively manufactured component, a drive mechanism being coupled to the platform, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to rotate the component being retained by the platform independently around two orthogonal spatial directions and each with an unlimited angular deflection, an actuator for mechanically actuating the platform during a removal of the excess material, and a housing, defining a working space in which the excess material can be removed from the cavity, wherein the housing seals the working space against an environment, and wherein any electrical components for the drive mechanism are arranged out of the working space.

A furnace for removing a molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core through sublimation comprising a retort furnace having an interior; a sublimation fixture insertable within the interior of the retort furnace, the sublimation fixture configured to receive at least one turbine blade having the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core; a flow passage thermally coupled to the retort furnace configured to heat a fluid flowing through the flow passage and deliver the fluid to the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core causing sublimation of the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core.

An engine block assembly and method manufacturing an engine block assembly and related components. A casted engine block assembly includes a cylinder block portion. The cylinder block portion includes a plurality of cylinder block openings disposed therein, a cylinder block flange portion positioned at a top of the cylinder block portion and a cylinder block crankcase portion disposed at a base of the cylinder block. The cylinder block flange portion is configured for coupling the cylinder block to a cylinder head. The cylinder block portion includes a plurality of cylinder block walls extending between the cylinder block flange portion and the cylinder block crankcase portion and positioned about the plurality of cylinder block openings. The cylinder block walls house a plurality of internal channels. The plurality of cylinder block walls are void of enclosed openings extending through at least one of the cylinder block walls in the plurality of cylinder block walls.

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.

A method of making a composite core includes forming first and second cores of refractory metal and ceramic material. Each of the first and second cores is formed with two layers of a material. The layers are bonded together to form a laminate master pattern, and a flexible mold is formed around the pattern. The pattern is removed from the flexible mold, and slurry material, either pulverulent refractory metal material or ceramic material, is poured into the flexible mold. The slurry material is sintered to form each core. The first core is used as an insert while making the second core to create a final composite core.

A mold shake-out system to suppress the effects of an excessive or insufficient water sprinkling amount in mold shake-out that separates a mold, into which castings have been poured, into castings and molding sand, the mold shake-out system including: a shake-out device that separates the castings and a mold into the castings and the molding sand; a water sprinkling portion that sprinkles water in the shake-out device; and a control device that controls the water sprinkling amount in the water sprinkling portion; the control device adjusting the water sprinkling amount on the basis of molding/pouring data including molding data regarding the mold into which castings have been poured and which is loaded into the shake-out device, pouring data regarding molten metal that forms the castings, and time data from when the molten metal is poured into the mold until when the mold is loaded into the shake-out device.

A mold shake-out system to suppress the effects of an excessive or insufficient water sprinkling amount in mold shake-out that separates a mold, into which castings have been poured, into castings and molding sand, the mold shake-out system including: a shake-out device that separates the castings and a mold into the castings and the molding sand; a water sprinkling portion that sprinkles water in the shake-out device; and a control device that controls the water sprinkling amount in the water sprinkling portion; the control device adjusting the water sprinkling amount on the basis of molding/pouring data including molding data regarding the mold into which castings have been poured and which is loaded into the shake-out device, pouring data regarding molten metal that forms the castings, and time data from when the molten metal is poured into the mold until when the mold is loaded into the shake-out device.

A solution is provided comprising a strong base, a corrosion inhibitor, wherein the strong base is an alkali metal hydroxide, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is at least one of an organic acid having a-COOH functional group or an alkali metal salt one of an organic acid having a-COOH functional groups.

A surgical retractor for illuminating a surgical field includes an ergonomic handle, a retractor blade coupled with the handle, a quick release mechanism, and an illuminator blade. The retractor blade is adapted to engage and retract tissue, and the quick release mechanism is adapted to couple the handle with the retractor blade. The illuminator blade acts as a waveguide to transmit light by total internal reflection. Light is extracted from the illuminator to illuminate the surgical field. The retractor blade is releasable from the handle without requiring uncoupling of the illuminator blade from the handle and also without requiring optical uncoupling of the illuminator blade from a light source. The retractor may also be adapted to evacuate smoke from the surgical field.

What are described is a process for producing casting molds, cores and mold base materials regenerated therefrom, a mixture for combination with a solution or dispersion comprising waterglass for production of casting molds and/or cores, a molding material mixture, a mold base material mixture, and a casting mold or a core. What is also described is the corresponding use of an amount of particulate sheet silicates having a d.sub.90 of less than 45 μm or a corresponding mixture as additive for production of a molding material mixture comprising waterglass and particulate amorphous silicon dioxide, which is cured by chemical reaction of constituents of the molding material mixture with one another, in the production of a casting mold or a core, to facilitate the breakdown and/or to increase the regeneratability of the casting mold or core.