A method for vacuum smelting and variable pressure solidification forming aluminum alloy piece with ultra-thin wall and high gas tightness is provided, in which an induction heating furnace is set in a vacuum tank, a quartz crucible with thickness of 58 mm is used; a preheated aluminum alloy ingot is placed in the crucible, side doors of the tank is closed, and a vacuuming processing is performed for the tank; the melt is filled from the bottom layer of the casting; when the melt reaches to the top, the main valve and the air-release valve are turned on until the inside and outside pressures are consistent, and then the casting is taken out. The requirement of high air tightness for vacuum tank is reduced, and aluminum alloy casting with high quality can be obtained at lower cost.

A device and method for producing metal slugs, in which: a movable support has a plurality of cavities separated by partition walls, such that the cavities travel over a path, a feeding means is positioned above a location on said path and is capable of forming a stream of molten metal, flowing under the effect of gravity, such that, during the continuous movement of the movable support, the continuous stream of molten metal from the feeding means is divided or fragmented into slugs formed successively in said cavities, under the effect of said partition walls.

A device and method for producing metal slugs, in which: a movable support has a plurality of cavities separated by partition walls, such that the cavities travel over a path, a feeding means is positioned above a location on said path and is capable of forming a stream of molten metal, flowing under the effect of gravity, such that, during the continuous movement of the movable support, the continuous stream of molten metal from the feeding means is divided or fragmented into slugs formed successively in said cavities, under the effect of said partition walls.

The present invention provides an artifactless superelastic alloy including a AuCuAl alloy, the superelastic alloy containing Cu in an amount of 20 atom % or more and 40 atom % or less, Al in an amount of 15 atom % or more and 25 atom % or less, and Au as a balance, the superelastic alloy having a bulk magnetic susceptibility of 24 ppm or more and 6 ppm or less. The Ni-free superelastic alloy of the present invention is capable of exhibiting superelasticity in a normal temperature range, and hardly generated artifacts in a magnetic field environment. The alloy can be produced by setting a casting time in a melting and casting step to a fixed time, and hot-pressing an alloy after casting to make material structures homogeneous.

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.

A method for making covetic metal-carbon composites or compositions by electron beam melt heating under vacuum (pressure <10.sup.3 Torr) is described herein. This fabrication method is advantageous, in that it provides oxygen-free covetic materials in a process that allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method described herein also can be applied to produce multi-element-carbon composites within a metal or alloy matrix, including high melting temperature materials such as ceramic particles or prefabricated nano- or micro-structures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene compounds. The covetic reaction between metal and carbon takes place under the influence of flowing electrons through the melted metal-carbon precursor. This process creates strong bonding between nanocarbon structure and the metal elements in the melt.

A method for making covetic metal-carbon composites or compositions by electron beam melt heating under vacuum (pressure <10.sup.3 Torr) is described herein. This fabrication method is advantageous, in that it provides oxygen-free covetic materials in a process that allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method described herein also can be applied to produce multi-element-carbon composites within a metal or alloy matrix, including high melting temperature materials such as ceramic particles or prefabricated nano- or micro-structures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene compounds. The covetic reaction between metal and carbon takes place under the influence of flowing electrons through the melted metal-carbon precursor. This process creates strong bonding between nanocarbon structure and the metal elements in the melt.

Example systems include a vacuum chamber enclosing a pouring cup and a platform configured to support a casting assembly. The casting assembly is configured to hold a plurality of joinable components and a mold defining at least one mating groove configured to join at least two joinable components of the plurality of joinable components when occupied with a metal or an alloy. Each respective mating groove is fluidically connected to a respective surface opening of a plurality of surface openings defined by the mold. The pouring cup and the respective surface opening are movable relative to each other by moving at least one of the pouring cup or the platform supporting the casting assembly to substantially align the pouring cup with the respective surface opening. The pouring cup is configured to pour a respective volume of molten metal or alloy in at least two surface openings.

Example systems include a vacuum chamber enclosing a pouring cup and a platform configured to support a casting assembly. The casting assembly is configured to hold a plurality of joinable components and a mold defining at least one mating groove configured to join at least two joinable components of the plurality of joinable components when occupied with a metal or an alloy. Each respective mating groove is fluidically connected to a respective surface opening of a plurality of surface openings defined by the mold. The pouring cup and the respective surface opening are movable relative to each other by moving at least one of the pouring cup or the platform supporting the casting assembly to substantially align the pouring cup with the respective surface opening. The pouring cup is configured to pour a respective volume of molten metal or alloy in at least two surface openings.