A casting apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an upper frame, a lower frame, a main link member, a sub-link member and a lifting/lowering mechanism. The upper mold is attached to the upper frame. The lower frame is disposed in parallel with the upper frame. The lower mold is attached to the lower frame. A top end part of the main link member is rotatably connected to the upper frame and a bottom end part thereof is rotatably connected to the lower frame. The sub-link member is disposed in parallel with the main link member, the top end part thereof is rotatably connected to the upper frame and the bottom end part thereof is rotatably connected to the lower frame. The lifting/lowering mechanism causes the sub-link member to lift or lower with respect to the main link member.

With the method according to the invention, mould parts for casting moulds for light metal casting can be treated such that the danger of crack formation in the region of the surface sections of the mould part coming into contact with the light metal melt during casting is reduced to a minimum. This is achieved in that by means of nitriding treatment on the mould part a nitride-hardened edge layer adjoining its free surface is generated which is harder than the inner core region of the mould part and comprises a diffusion layer adjoining the core region and a compound layer located on the diffusion layer and adjoining the free surface of the mould part and in that at least one section of the surface of the mould part is mechanically processed by machine hammer peening, in the case of which a hammer tool, which, at a certain impact frequency, carries out an impact movement along a movement axis which is aligned in relation to the free surface at a certain acute angle, is guided continuously over the free surface of the mould part following a track determined in a preceding design step such that the compound layer is removed by the impacting stress in the impact region of the hammer tool.

A mould for forming battery components includes a first mould body having a first plurality of mould cavities and a second mould body having a second plurality of mould cavities. The first mould body and the second mould body are configured to be moveable between a moulding position in which the first plurality and second plurality of mould cavities are aligned, and a fill position in which the first plurality and second plurality of mould cavities are displaced from the aligned position and are proximal to a molten metal feed.

A mould for forming battery components includes a first mould body having a first plurality of mould cavities and a second mould body having a second plurality of mould cavities. The first mould body and the second mould body are configured to be moveable between a moulding position in which the first plurality and second plurality of mould cavities are aligned, and a fill position in which the first plurality and second plurality of mould cavities are displaced from the aligned position and are proximal to a molten metal feed.

A brake carrier casting and a method of making a brake carrier casting. The brake carrier casting may have a first side portion and a second side portion that may be connected by a first bridge and a second bridge. The first side portion, second side portion, first bridge, and second bridge may define an opening of the brake carrier casting.

A brake carrier casting and a method of making a brake carrier casting. The brake carrier casting may have a first side portion and a second side portion that may be connected by a first bridge and a second bridge. The first side portion, second side portion, first bridge, and second bridge may define an opening of the brake carrier casting.

This zinc-nickel composite plating bath contains a zinc source, a nickel source, silicon dioxide particles and an ammonium-based dispersant in such ranges that enable the achievement of a zinc-nickel composite plating film wherein the codeposition amount of nickel is 10-16 wt % and the codeposition amount of the silicon dioxide particles is 7 vol % or more. Meanwhile, the pH of this zinc-nickel composite plating bath is 5.6 to 6.8.

This zinc-nickel composite plating bath contains a zinc source, a nickel source, silicon dioxide particles and an ammonium-based dispersant in such ranges that enable the achievement of a zinc-nickel composite plating film wherein the codeposition amount of nickel is 10-16 wt % and the codeposition amount of the silicon dioxide particles is 7 vol % or more. Meanwhile, the pH of this zinc-nickel composite plating bath is 5.6 to 6.8.

A cooling system for a molding tool or molding machine includes a high-performance coolant, multiple cooling circuits with different coolants flowing along each circuit, and/or a self-contained cooling circuit. The high-performance coolant can include a metallic component in various forms, including a liquid phase metal form. Newly recognized coolant characteristics such as volumetric heat capacity (C.sub.v) can be used to identify suitable coolants. High-performance coolants can be used to reduce molding process cycle times, to spatially equalize the cooling rate of the molding material among different sections of the mold cavity, and/or to help cool other parts of the tool or machine such as a runner or an injection sleeve.

An investment casting process for manufacturing a cast component is provided. The investment casting process includes forming a core, casting the cast component about the core such that a core positioning feature provides a location of an anticipated pilot hole in the cast component, removing the core from the cast component once the casting is completed, locating, forming and sizing a pilot hole to form a resized pilot hole that can receive a sealing plug and installing the sealing plug into the resized pilot hole.