The present application discloses a ceramic preform, a method of making a ceramic preform, a MMC comprising a ceramic preform, and a method of making a MMC. The method of making a ceramic preform generally comprises preparing reinforcing fibers, preparing a ceramic compound, and forming the compound into a desired shape to create the ceramic preform. In certain embodiments, the ceramic compound is formed as either a disc or a ring for use in a brake disc metal matrix composite. The metal matrix composite generally comprises the ceramic preform infiltrated with a molten metal to form the brake disc metal matrix composite. The method of making the metal matrix composite generally comprises heating the ceramic preform, placing the ceramic preform in a mold cavity of a die cast mold, and introducing molten metal into the mold cavity to infiltrate the ceramic preform to form the brake disc metal matrix composite.

The method comprises at least the following steps: exposing a substrate to focused laser irradiation at a preselected series of locations that trace a subset of the substrate volume that is connected to the surface of the substrate; some subsets of substrate volume not connected to the surface of the substrate may also be exposed at the same time for other purposes, for instance, so that they can be used as waveguides or other optical elements or for another subsequent etching step; removing the substrate material from the exposed preselected series of locations to create within the substrate at least one cavity that is connected to the surface of the substrate; immersing the cavity-containing substrate in an appropriate atmosphere such as a selected gas or vacuum and, within this atmosphere, contacting the substrate surface with the molten castable material surface at locations where the cavity or cavities emerges from the substrate; applying pressure to the castable material to cause it to infiltrate the substrate cavities; and solidifying the castable material within the cavities.

A process produces a composite cast part containing an insert part and casting material. The insert part is integrally bonded to the casting material. The process includes: producing the insert part formed of an exothermic material; encapsulating or embedding the insert part; inserting the encapsulated/embedded insert part into a casting mold; filling the mold with molten mass; and flowing a casting material on the insert part. The exothermic material ignites through contact with the flowing casting material or as a result of the ignition temperature of the exothermic mass being reached, whereby a temperature gradient between the cast material solidifying molten mass the insert part is reduced.

Provided in one embodiment is a method of making use of foams as a processing aid or to improve the properties of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy materials. Other embodiments include the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy/foam composite materials made in accordance with the methods.

A rotor designed as a reluctance rotor includes a laminated core which defines an axis and has end faces. The laminated core includes sheets which are at least partly axially layered, with the sheets having flux-conducting portions and flux-blocking portions to form a specified number of poles. A cage made of electric conductors runs in a substantially axial direction and is connected at the end faces of the laminated core by short-circuit rings. The conductors are located in a radially outer region of at least some of the flux-blocking portions arranged one behind another substantially in the axial direction, with the conductors defining conductor bars formed by conductive material at a quantity determinative to define an internal diameter of the conductor bars.

A method for manufacturing a tool having one or more internal channels includes forming one or more channel cores by additive manufacturing, coating a metal onto the one or more channel cores to form a metal tube on each of the one or more channel cores, positioning the one or more metal tubes into a casting mold having a shape of a tool, and casting a molten metal into the casting mold to form the tool having the one or more internal channels corresponding to the one or more channel cores.

A metal matrix composite to high tolerate wear as a property has been produced by infiltration casting of a Fe Alloy and a spinel ceramic by using a material design for i) metal transport phenomena conditions, ii) predefined wetting and capillarity and iii) processing child insert/mother casting methodology to produce a final casting in shape and form to meet the needs of a mining end user.

A process of forming an erosion, oxidation, and wear resistant shot chamber, either a gooseneck or a shot sleeve, is provided. The process utilizes a shrink fitting process for forming a one-piece shot chamber having a liner bonded to the bulk portion of the shot chamber. Channels of predetermined shape and layout are built on the tubular external surface of the liner for facilitating thermal management of the shot chamber during die casting operations.

A method of forming a bi-metallic casting. The method includes providing a metal preform of a desired base shape defining a substrate surface and removing a natural oxide layer and surface contamination from the substrate surface to yield a cleaned metal preform. The method further includes galvanizing the cleaned metal preform, yielding a galvanized metal preform followed by electroplating a thin nickel film on at least a portion of the substrate surface of the galvanized metal preform. Additionally, the method includes metallurgically bonding the portion of the metal preform having the nickel film with an overcast metal to form a bi-metallic casting. The nickel film promotes a metallurgical bond between the metal preform and the overcast metal.

A cylinder liner for an internal combustion engine may include an aluminum alloy material including a magnesium content of at least 0.3% by weight, a liner body having a circumferential face, and an adapter layer of silicon oxide disposed on the circumferential face. The adapter layer may include at least one of a potassium oxide content and a sodium oxide content of greater than or equal to 0% by weight.