A production method for producing cast parts from metal using a sand casting mold (1). The sand casting mold (1) is produced in this case in a molding box (2) by means of a negative-pressure molding method. According to the invention, the sand casting mold (1), which is under negative pressure, in the molding box (2) is first of all filled with molten metal (5). The molding box (2) with the sand casting mold (1), which is under negative pressure therein, is then completely or partially impinged upon by a cooling fluid (4) and after, at the same time as, or before the cooling fluid impingement is opened at places with cooling fluid impingement. As a result of this, cooling fluid (4) is sucked into the sand casting mold (1) which is under negative pressure, as a result of which the solidifying cast part (3) is quenched more quickly.

A mold assembly for use in forming a component having an outer wall of a predetermined thickness includes a mold and a jacketed core. The jacketed core includes a jacket that includes a first jacket outer wall coupled against an interior wall of the mold, a second jacket outer wall positioned interiorly from the first jacket outer wall, and at least one jacketed cavity defined therebetween. The at least one jacketed cavity is configured to receive a molten component material therein. The jacketed core also includes a core positioned interiorly from the second jacket outer wall. The core includes a perimeter coupled against the second jacket outer wall. The jacket separates the perimeter from the interior wall by the predetermined thickness, such that the outer wall is formable between the perimeter and the interior wall.

A mold assembly for use in forming a component having an outer wall of a predetermined thickness is provided. The mold assembly includes a mold that includes an interior wall that defines a mold cavity within the mold. The mold assembly also includes a jacketed core positioned with respect to the mold. The jacketed core includes a jacket that includes an outer wall. The jacketed core also includes a core positioned interiorly of the jacket outer wall. The jacket separates a perimeter of the core from the mold interior wall by the predetermined thickness, such that the outer wall is formable between the perimeter and the interior wall.

A lost foam casting pattern that is constructed of a plastic filament, a foaming agent, and a coating. The lost foam casting pattern is printable on a 3-D printer. A 3-D printable material for the creation of a lost foam casting pattern is also disclosed where the material includes 95.0% to 99.75% by weight of a plastic filament combined with 0.25% to 5.00% by weight of a foaming agent. A method for preparing a lost foam casting pattern using the 3-D printable material is further described.

Methods for forming metal articles are provided. The methods include forming foam casting molds from polylactic acid for use in lost foam and sand casting processes. The PLA-based foam casting molds advantageously reduce cycle time, reduce overall cost, increase reusability of the foam casting molds, reduce costs associated with shipping the foam casting mold, and improve yield and quality of cast metal articles.

A mold assembly for use in forming a component having an outer wall of a predetermined thickness includes a mold and a jacketed core. The jacketed core includes a jacket that includes a first jacket outer wall coupled against an interior wall of the mold, a second jacket outer wall positioned interiorly from the first jacket outer wall, and at least one jacketed cavity defined therebetween. The at least one jacketed cavity is configured to receive a molten component material therein. The jacketed core also includes a core positioned interiorly from the second jacket outer wall. The core includes a perimeter coupled against the second jacket outer wall. The jacket separates the perimeter from the interior wall by the predetermined thickness, such that the outer wall is formable between the perimeter and the interior wall.

A method to manufacture reticulated metal foam via a dual investment solid mold, includes pre-investment of a precursor with a diluted pre-investment ceramic plaster then investing the encapsulated precursor with a ceramic plaster.

An airfoil is disclosed. The airfoil may comprise a leading edge, a body portion and a trailing edge formed from a high-modulus plating. The body portion of the airfoil may be formed from a material having a lower elastic modulus than the high-modulus plating. The high-modulus plating may improve the stiffness of the trailing edge, allowing for thinner trailing edges with improved fatigue life to be formed.

A composite component and a plated polymer component are disclosed. The composite component may comprise a body portion formed from an organic matrix composite, a first metal coating applied to a surface of the body portion, and an outer metal layer on the first metal coating that is erosion-resistant. The plated polymer component may comprise a polymer substrate, a metal plating layer applied to a surface of the polymer substrate, and at least one selectively thickened region in the metal plating layer. The at least one selectively thickened region may assist in protecting the plated polymer component against wear and/or erosion.

An opening is provided in a foam pattern, and a coating agent is applied to the opening. The coating agent applied to the opening is taken as a beam having a sectional secondary moment I (mm.sup.4), a vertical plate thickness h (mm), and a length L (mm). It is assumed that a volume of a cavity part in the foam pattern is V (mm.sup.3), a bulk density of the casting sand filling the cavity part is s (kg/mm.sup.3), a gravitational acceleration is g (mm/sec.sup.2), a density of the melt is m (kg/mm.sup.3), an angle of the opening with respect to a vertical direction is , and a transverse strength of the coating agent at the highest temperature during pouring of the melt is b (MPa). A sectional shape of the opening, the angle of the opening, and the transverse strength b of the coating agent are selected to satisfy the expression:
bI>V(ms)g{(hL/2)sin cos }.