A method for manufacturing a light alloy wheel that includes a substantially annular rim part and a disc part that is joined to one edge of the rim part on an inner side and is to be attached to an axle. The method includes a molten metal pouring step for pouring a light alloy molten metal from a sprue opened into a mold cavity formed into a shape of the rim part, and a forced cooling step for, after the molten metal pouring step, forcibly cooling the light alloy molten metal poured into the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part such that one predetermined cooling unit of a plurality of cooling units provided along an entire circumference on an outer side or an inner side of the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part is first operated and an other cooling unit thereof is then operated.

A method for manufacturing a light alloy wheel that includes a substantially annular rim part and a disc part that is joined to one edge of the rim part on an inner side and is to be attached to an axle. The method includes a molten metal pouring step for pouring a light alloy molten metal from a sprue opened into a mold cavity formed into a shape of the rim part, and a forced cooling step for, after the molten metal pouring step, forcibly cooling the light alloy molten metal poured into the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part such that one predetermined cooling unit of a plurality of cooling units provided along an entire circumference on an outer side or an inner side of the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part is first operated and an other cooling unit thereof is then operated.

A mould for casting a component in a directional solidification casting process having a preferred direction of grain growth (non-axial <001>) comprises a shell defining a cavity for receiving molten material. The cavity defines a three dimensional shape made up of a finished component geometry portion (42, 43, 44) and a sacrificial geometry portion (45) wherein the sacrificial geometry portion (45) includes a notch (48) which is shaped and positioned so as to, in use, contain high angle grain boundaries between dendritic growth in the preferred direction (non-axial <001>) and dendritic growth in a competing direction to the preferred direction (axial <001>) within the sacrificial geometry portion of a casting solidifying in the mould.

Various embodiments provide apparatus and methods for melting materials and for containing the molten materials within melt zone during melting. Exemplary apparatus may include a vessel configured to receive a material for melting therein; a load induction coil positioned adjacent to the vessel to melt the material therein; and a containment induction coil positioned in line with the load induction coil. The material in the vessel can be heated by operating the load induction coil at a first RF frequency to form a molten material. The containment induction coil can be operated at a second RF frequency to contain the molten material within the load induction coil. Once the desired temperature is achieved and maintained for the molten material, operation of the containment induction coil can be stopped and the molten material can be ejected from the vessel into a mold through an ejection path.

Various embodiments provide apparatus and methods for melting materials and for containing the molten materials within melt zone during melting. Exemplary apparatus may include a vessel configured to receive a material for melting therein; a load induction coil positioned adjacent to the vessel to melt the material therein; and a containment induction coil positioned in line with the load induction coil. The material in the vessel can be heated by operating the load induction coil at a first RF frequency to form a molten material. The containment induction coil can be operated at a second RF frequency to contain the molten material within the load induction coil. Once the desired temperature is achieved and maintained for the molten material, operation of the containment induction coil can be stopped and the molten material can be ejected from the vessel into a mold through an ejection path.

This spheroidal graphite or flake graphite cast-iron alloy in weight % comprises the following elements: Carbon (C) between 1.2% and 3.5%, Silicon (Si) between 1.0% or 1.2% and 3%, Nickel (Ni) between 26% and 31%, Cobalt (Co) between 15% and 20%, the remainder being Iron and inevitable impurities.

Application to the production of tooling.

This spheroidal graphite or flake graphite cast-iron alloy in weight % comprises the following elements: Carbon (C) between 1.2% and 3.5%, Silicon (Si) between 1.0% or 1.2% and 3%, Nickel (Ni) between 26% and 31%, Cobalt (Co) between 15% and 20%, the remainder being Iron and inevitable impurities.

Application to the production of tooling.

The invention relates to a method of casting a metal alloy ingot. The method includes providing an on one side open-ended mould having a mould cavity, positioning the open-ended mould such that the mould opening points side-wards or down-wards, providing a casting container with an upwardly positioned aperture, and filling said casting container with molten metal for one casting operation. The method also includes locating the casting container below the mould while the mould opening points side-wards or down-wards, and rotating the mould together with the casting container to a position whereby the mould opening points upwards such that the molten metal is conveyed into the open-ended mould until a desired thickness. Molten metal in the open-ended mould is cooled directionally through its thickness where the solidification front remains substantially monoaxial.

A multi-grain selector device includes an outer body having exterior surfaces. The outer body includes a cooling side configured to face a cooling plate of a casting furnace and an opposite mold side configured to face into a mold. The outer body includes an array of multiple grain selector columns each formed from two or more transversely oriented, elongated channels that are fluidly coupled with each other in an end-to-end arrangement oriented along a growth direction that extends from the cooling side of the outer body toward the mold side of the outer body. The selector columns extend to growth openings on the mold side of the outer body. Each of the selector columns is configured to form a single grain column out of the corresponding growth opening that is part of a columnar grained article to be formed in the mold that grows along the growth direction.

A method for casting aluminum on a rotor, comprising: installing casting equipment on a casting workbench and storing enough molten aluminum in the casting equipment, wherein the casting equipment comprises an heat preserving furnace and an electromagnetic pump arranged at a side of the heat preserving furnace; assembling a plurality of rotor iron cores with a plurality of dies respectively and preheating outside the casting workbench; installing the plurality of preheated dies on a plurality of liquid outlet gates at a top end of the electromagnetic pump, wherein each liquid outlet gate is matched with a liquid inlet gate of the dies; heating and keeping the installed die in a multi-stage heating mode; controlling the pressurizing pressure of the electromagnetic pump in time-period when the electromagnetic pump is used for casting; and after completing casting, moving the plurality of dies out of the casting workbench to be cooled. According to the method for casting aluminum through the rotor, the casting efficiency is improved by reasonably distributing the heating time and the one-time multi-casting mode; the top-down temperature gradient is matched with accurate pressure control, so that the compensation capacity is improved.