A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

A method for casting a part, that includes the steps of: introducing a mold into a first housing; engaging the first housing with a second housing to define a second chamber; melting an ingot within the furnace; reducing pressure within the second chamber to a first predetermined pressure; pouring at least a portion of the melted ingot into the mold; adding an gas to the second chamber to raise the pressure to a second predetermined pressure; moving the mold such that it is engaged with the means for cooling; and solidifying the liquid metal within the mold.

A method for casting a part, that includes the steps of: introducing a mold into a first housing; engaging the first housing with a second housing to define a second chamber; melting an ingot within the furnace; reducing pressure within the second chamber to a first predetermined pressure; pouring at least a portion of the melted ingot into the mold; adding an gas to the second chamber to raise the pressure to a second predetermined pressure; moving the mold such that it is engaged with the means for cooling; and solidifying the liquid metal within the mold.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of high throughput preparation and hot working of materials, and in particular to a high throughput micro-synthesis method of multi-component materials based on the temperature gradient field controlled by microwave energy. This invention, characterized by flexible material selection, quick temperature rising and high-efficient heating, uses microwave heating both to achieve quick preparation of small block combinatorial materials under the same temperature field in one time and to realize micro-synthesis under the different temperature gradient fields in one time including high-throughput sintering-melting and heat treatment of materials. This invention successfully overcomes drawbacks of current material preparation, such as unitary combination of components, low-efficient external heating, unique control temperature, huge material consumption and high cost during material preparation and heat treatment.

An apparatus for casting a part that includes a first housing, a second housing, a handling system and a means for cooling. The first housing defines a first chamber. The first chamber is configured to receive a melt heater and a mold heater. The second housing is configured to move between a first position and a second position such that when the second housing is in the first position, the first housing is open such that a mold can be inserted therein and when the second housing is in the second position, the second housing and the first housing define a second chamber. The means for cooling is configured to be positioned within the second chamber.

An apparatus for casting a part that includes a first housing, a second housing, a handling system and a means for cooling. The first housing defines a first chamber. The first chamber is configured to receive a melt heater and a mold heater. The second housing is configured to move between a first position and a second position such that when the second housing is in the first position, the first housing is open such that a mold can be inserted therein and when the second housing is in the second position, the second housing and the first housing define a second chamber. The means for cooling is configured to be positioned within the second chamber.

This invention pertains to plastic injection mold tooling, and also large forgings, formed from a low carbon mold steel having markedly increased hardening and hardenability properties in large sections as contrasted to currently available commercial products. The above attributes are obtained together with equal or better machinability and improved mold parting line wear. When manufactured in conjunction with a double melt process, this invention can improve significantly polishing characteristics and other attributes of molded parts in tooling sets.

This invention pertains to plastic injection mold tooling, and also large forgings, formed from a low carbon mold steel having markedly increased hardening and hardenability properties in large sections as contrasted to currently available commercial products. The above attributes are obtained together with equal or better machinability and improved mold parting line wear. When manufactured in conjunction with a double melt process, this invention can improve significantly polishing characteristics and other attributes of molded parts in tooling sets.

A method for forming a vehicular brake rotor involving loading a shaped metal substrate with a mixture of metal alloying components and ceramic particles in a dieheating the contents of the die while applying pressure to melt at least one of the metal components of the alloying mixture whereby to densify the contents of the die and form a ceramic particle-containing metal matrix composite coating on the metallic substrate; and cooling the resulting coated product.