A cap member is used in a shut-off valve including a valve head in which a through hole is formed, the cap member including: a cap member main body screwed into the through hole; a first engaging portion for engaging with a first tool for screwing the cap member main body into the valve head; a second engaging portion formed inside the cap member main body to engage with a second tool for unscrewing the cap member main body from the valve head; and a wall portion covering the second engaging portion so that the second engaging portion is not exposed when the cap member is viewed from the first engaging portion toward the second engaging portion.

An apparatus for countergravity casting a metallic has: 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; and a gas source coupled to 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 the mold. Added sulfur-gettering particles subsequently filtered or sulfur-gettering material removes sulfur from the melted metallic material.

An apparatus for countergravity casting a metallic has: 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; and a gas source coupled to 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 the mold. Added sulfur-gettering particles subsequently filtered or sulfur-gettering material removes sulfur from the melted metallic material.

A method of manufacturing an open-cell type of porous aluminum includes: manufacturing a space-holder by using a water-soluble salt powder; stacking the space-holder in a container, and manufacturing an open-cell type of porous aluminum by injecting molten aluminum.

A method of manufacturing an open-cell type of porous aluminum includes: manufacturing a space-holder by using a water-soluble salt powder; stacking the space-holder in a container, and manufacturing an open-cell type of porous aluminum by injecting molten aluminum.

A gas suction device of a casting mold includes an overflow portion, a suction path, and a shut-off valve. The shut-off valve includes a housing section for housing a valve element. An upstream-side housing portion of the housing section has an arc-shaped outer peripheral edge. The overflow portion includes an introduction path which is continuous with the upstream-side housing portion and guides gas to the upstream-side housing portion. At a predetermined location on the outer peripheral edge, the introduction path is connected to the upstream-side housing portion along the tangential direction of the outer peripheral edge.

A gas suction device of a casting mold includes an overflow portion, a suction path, and a shut-off valve. The shut-off valve includes a housing section for housing a valve element. An upstream-side housing portion of the housing section has an arc-shaped outer peripheral edge. The overflow portion includes an introduction path which is continuous with the upstream-side housing portion and guides gas to the upstream-side housing portion. At a predetermined location on the outer peripheral edge, the introduction path is connected to the upstream-side housing portion along the tangential direction of the outer peripheral edge.

A casting mold includes a cavity portion, a gas flow path, and a shut-off valve capable of blocking the gas flow path. An inspection method for the casting mold includes: a step of, when the casting mold is cold, supplying air having a predetermined pressure into the gas flow path while the shut-off valve is closed, and thereafter stopping supply of the air; a step of acquiring a cold time pressure reduction rate of the air in the gas flow path after the supply of the air is stopped; and a step of determining whether the cold time sealing performance of the shut-off valve is good, based on the cold time pressure reduction rate.

A casting mold includes a cavity portion, a gas flow path, and a shut-off valve capable of blocking the gas flow path. An inspection method for the casting mold includes: a step of, when the casting mold is cold, supplying air having a predetermined pressure into the gas flow path while the shut-off valve is closed, and thereafter stopping supply of the air; a step of acquiring a cold time pressure reduction rate of the air in the gas flow path after the supply of the air is stopped; and a step of determining whether the cold time sealing performance of the shut-off valve is good, based on the cold time pressure reduction rate.

One or more embodiments relates to a method of casting a creep-resistant Ni-based superalloy and a homogenization heat treatment for the alloy, The method includes forming a feed stock having Nickel (Ni) and at least one of Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Aluminum (Al), Titanium (Ti), Niobium (Nb), Iron (Fe), Carbon (C), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Silicon (Si), Copper (Cu), Phosphorus (P), Sulfur (S) and Boron (B). The method further includes fabricating the creep-resistant Ni-based superalloy in a predetermined shape using the feed stock and at least one process such as vacuum induction melting (VIM), electroslag remelting (ESR) and/or vacuum arc remelting (VAR).