The present invention relates to a casting mold for a metal sheet by drawing molten metal into a mold cavity and cooling the molten metal, and the casting mold according to the present invention includes: a support portion at an upper side on which molten metal is disposed or a solid metal is placed and melted; a mold cavity at a lower side in which the metal sheet is formed as the molten metal is drawn from the support portion while filling the mold cavity and cooled; and a passageway through which the molten metal is drawn into the mold cavity from the support portion, in which the mold cavity includes a first surface at the upper side which communicates with the passageway, and a second surface at the lower side which faces the first surface, a plurality of suction portions for drawing the molten metal are formed in the second surface and extended downward from the second surface, the suction portions are connected to a vacuum source and configured to draw the molten metal by suctioning air from the mold cavity, and a blocking member, which is in contact with the second surface or the suction portions to prevent a leakage of the molten metal and allow an air flow, is disposed on the suction portions in the mold cavity.

The present invention relates to a casting mold for a metal sheet by drawing molten metal into a mold cavity and cooling the molten metal, and the casting mold according to the present invention includes: a support portion at an upper side on which molten metal is disposed or a solid metal is placed and melted; a mold cavity at a lower side in which the metal sheet is formed as the molten metal is drawn from the support portion while filling the mold cavity and cooled; and a passageway through which the molten metal is drawn into the mold cavity from the support portion, in which the mold cavity includes a first surface at the upper side which communicates with the passageway, and a second surface at the lower side which faces the first surface, a plurality of suction portions for drawing the molten metal are formed in the second surface and extended downward from the second surface, the suction portions are connected to a vacuum source and configured to draw the molten metal by suctioning air from the mold cavity, and a blocking member, which is in contact with the second surface or the suction portions to prevent a leakage of the molten metal and allow an air flow, is disposed on the suction portions in the mold cavity.

An apparatus for countergravity casting a metallic material, comprises: a crucible for holding melted metallic material; a casting chamber for containing a mold; a fill tube capable of extending into the crucible to communicate melted metallic material to the casting chamber; a gas source coupled a headspace of the melting vessel to allow the gas source to pressurize said headspace to establish a pressure differential to force the melted metallic material upwardly through said fill tube into said mold; and means for gettering sulfur.

An apparatus for countergravity casting a metallic material, comprises: a crucible for holding melted metallic material; a casting chamber for containing a mold; a fill tube capable of extending into the crucible to communicate melted metallic material to the casting chamber; a gas source coupled a headspace of the melting vessel to allow the gas source to pressurize said headspace to establish a pressure differential to force the melted metallic material upwardly through said fill tube into said mold; and means for gettering sulfur.

A counter-gravity casting method and apparatus in which the mold is held stationary and the crucible is moved generally laterally from a melt chamber to a fill chamber positioned below the mold with respect to gravity. A casting chamber is located generally above the fill chamber with respect to gravity. The method and apparatus utilize separate chambers for melting and casting in which the pressure in each chamber can be varied relative to each other in order to introduce molten metal into the mold.

A counter-gravity casting method and apparatus in which the mold is held stationary and the crucible is moved generally laterally from a melt chamber to a fill chamber positioned below the mold with respect to gravity. A casting chamber is located generally above the fill chamber with respect to gravity. The method and apparatus utilize separate chambers for melting and casting in which the pressure in each chamber can be varied relative to each other in order to introduce molten metal into the mold.

A vacuum smelting device with mold-temperature control design includes: a chamber body and a cabin door, wherein the chamber body and the cabin door form a vacuum closed space; a smelting crucible disposed in the vacuum closed space for smelting raw materials to a molten metal; a casting mold also disposed in the vacuum closed space for accommodating the molten metal poured from the smelting crucible, and solidifying the molten metal to an as-cast alloy; and a mold-temperature control module surrounding the casting mold for controlling the temperature of the casting mold.

A vacuum smelting device with mold-temperature control design includes: a chamber body and a cabin door, wherein the chamber body and the cabin door form a vacuum closed space; a smelting crucible disposed in the vacuum closed space for smelting raw materials to a molten metal; a casting mold also disposed in the vacuum closed space for accommodating the molten metal poured from the smelting crucible, and solidifying the molten metal to an as-cast alloy; and a mold-temperature control module surrounding the casting mold for controlling the temperature of the casting mold.

A medical scope device such as an endoscope is produced using a cast aluminum process including a molten casting aluminum alloy including a maximum of 0.2-0.3% Si and at least 5% Zn. The process includes providing an investment casting mold, casting the aluminum alloy in the mold to create a component and removing the mold from the component, post-machining the component to meet a desired specification, and after post-machining the component, performing surface finishing, such as centrifugal barrel finishing (CBF) sufficient to remove impurities on casting surfaces by 2-3 mils, then coating the component with a micro-crystalline aluminum anodic coating of at least 0.5 mil thickness. A medical scope and product-by-process is also provided employing such techniques.

A medical scope device such as an endoscope is produced using a cast aluminum process including a molten casting aluminum alloy including a maximum of 0.2-0.3% Si and at least 5% Zn. The process includes providing an investment casting mold, casting the aluminum alloy in the mold to create a component and removing the mold from the component, post-machining the component to meet a desired specification, and after post-machining the component, performing surface finishing, such as centrifugal barrel finishing (CBF) sufficient to remove impurities on casting surfaces by 2-3 mils, then coating the component with a micro-crystalline aluminum anodic coating of at least 0.5 mil thickness. A medical scope and product-by-process is also provided employing such techniques.