A method of manufacturing a cold box core includes injecting unbonded sand into a cold box core tool, the unbonded sand including sand mixed with a resin, the cold box core tool including: a first platen; a first insert half secured to the first platen; a second platen; and a second insert half secured to the second platen and configured to alternately mate with and separate from the first insert half, each of the first insert half and the second insert half being three-dimensionally printed from a polymer material, the first insert half and the second insert half together forming a cavity therebetween defining an outer geometric shape of the cold box core; and injecting gas into the unbonded sand to harden the cold box core.

Provided is a catalyst suitable for curing a composite resin composition that includes comprising a blend of at least two tertiary amines selected from dimethylethylamine (DMEA), diethylmethylamine (DEMA), dimethylisopropylamine (DMIPA), and dimethyl-n-propylamine (DMPA), where each of the at least two tertiary amines is present in the blend in an amount of not less than 10% by weight and not more than 90% by weight.

Apparatus and methods for making a sand core in a core box are provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes introducing into a cavity of the core box a sand-binder mixture, the sand-binder mixture being introduced into the cavity through an inlet conduit of the core box. Pressurized air is then introduced into the cavity while a flow rate of the pressurized air is measured in a first air flow path upstream the core box. A control unit automatically alters the degree of opening of an electronically controlled flow regulator located in a second air flow path located downstream an outlet conduit of the core box depending on the measured flow rate to regulate the flow of pressurized air into the cavity of the core box.

A post-treatment process for increasing the hot strength of a formed part (100) made of particulate material and binder is disclosed, wherein the formed part (100) is formed a part manufactured by 3D printing (S72) and after its manufacture is heated (S30) using a heating device (40), and the heated formed part (100) is exposed (S50) to an atmosphere enriched with gaseous water generated by supplying water.

Purposes of the present invention are to provide a dry coated sand having a high degree of fluidity at the room temperature, a method of advantageously producing the coated sand, and a method of producing a casting mold having excellent properties, by using the coated sand. The dry coated sand is obtained by mixing an aqueous solution of a water glass used as a binder, with a heated refractory aggregate, whereby water in the aqueous solution is evaporated, and a coating layer of the binder is formed on surfaces of the refractory aggregate. A moisture percentage in the thus obtained dry coated sand is controlled so as to be not more than 0.5% by mass. The intended casting mold is obtained by filling a molding cavity of a forming mold, with the dry coated sand, and passing a steam through the coated sand, to solidify or cure the coated sand.

Apparatus and methods for making a sand core in a core box are provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes introducing into a cavity of the core box a sand-binder mixture, the sand-binder mixture being introduced into the cavity through an inlet conduit of the core box. Pressurized air is then introduced into the cavity while a flow rate of the pressurized air is measured in a first air flow path upstream the core box. A control unit automatically alters the degree of opening of an electronically controlled flow regulator located in a second air flow path located downstream an outlet conduit of the core box depending on the measured flow rate to regulate the flow of pressurized air into the cavity of the core box.

The invention relates to an aqueous alkaline binder composition for curing with carbon dioxide gas, comprising a negatively charged or uncharged phenol-aldehyde resin, comprising phenol groups, which is selected from the group consisting of resoles and mixtures comprising one or more resoles and also one or more novolacs, an oxyanion selected from the group consisting of borate ions, aluminate ions, stannate ions, zirconate ions, titanate ions, and mixtures thereof, for forming a stable complex with the resole phenol-aldehyde resin, where the total molar amount of the phenol groups of the phenol-aldehyde resin in the aqueous alkaline binder composition is in the range from 1 to 3 mol/kg, based on the total mass of the aqueous alkaline binder composition, and where the phenol-aldehyde resin possesses an average molecular weight (Mw) in the range from 750 to 1200 g/mol, determined by means of gel permeation chromatography. The invention relates, moreover, to a corresponding use, to a molding mixture for producing a foundry molding, and also to a corresponding method for producing a foundry molding, and to a corresponding foundry molding.

The invention relates to an aqueous alkaline binder composition for curing with carbon dioxide gas, comprising a negatively charged or uncharged phenol-aldehyde resin, comprising phenol groups, which is selected from the group consisting of resoles and mixtures comprising one or more resoles and also one or more novolacs, an oxyanion selected from the group consisting of borate ions, aluminate ions, stannate ions, zirconate ions, titanate ions, and mixtures thereof, for forming a stable complex with the resole phenol-aldehyde resin, and one or more silanes in a total amount in the range from 2.5 to 10 wt %, based on the total mass of the binder composition, where the total molar to amount of the phenol groups of the phenol-aldehyde resin in the aqueous alkaline binder composition is in the range from 1 to 3 mol/kg, based on the total mass of the aqueous alkaline binder composition. The invention relates, moreover, to a corresponding use, to a molding mixture for producing a foundry mold, and also to a corresponding method for producing a foundry mold, and to a corresponding foundry mold.

The invention relates to a mold material mixture for producing casting molds for metal processing, a process for producing casting molds, casting molds which can be obtained by the process and their use. The production of the casting molds is carried out using a refractory base molding material and a binder based on water glass. A proportion of a particulate metal oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide, titanium oxide and zinc oxide is added to the binder, with particular preference being given to using synthetic amorphous silicon dioxide. The mold material mixture contains a surface-active material as further significant constituent. The addition of the surface-active material enables the flowability of the mold material mixture to be improved, which makes it possible to produce casting molds having a very complicated geometry.

In a method for producing moulds and cores with cold box through curing sodium silicate sand for casting by blowing, a sand mixture for producing moulds and cores is filled into a forming tool by a core shooter or manually and then is shaped, and the operations of blowing, curing and stripping are carried out. Gases are sequentially blown in the order of CO.sub.2 and compressed gas; or gases are sequentially blown in the order of compressed gas-CO.sub.2-compressed gas.