A casting method includes: forming a seed, the seed having a first end and a second end, the forming including bending a seed precursor; placing the seed second end in contact or spaced facing relation with a chill plate; contacting the first end with molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material. The forming further included reducing a thickness of the seed proximate the first end relative to a thickness of the seed proximate the second end.

A process for manufacturing a plurality of single-crystal nozzle sectors each including at least a first blade extending between two platforms by lost-wax casting, includes casting a molten metal into a plurality of ceramic molds distributed in a cluster about an axis, and directional solidification of the cast metal in a furnace comprising a radiant heating element configured to be arranged around the cluster, a solidification front of the metal advancing in each mold in a direction parallel to the cluster axis during directional solidification. Each mold of a second shell separate from a first molding shell of the nozzle sector, which delimits a second cavity for molding a dummy blade acting as a heat shield.

Provided is a supergravity directional solidification melting furnace equipment, including a supergravity test chamber and, mounted in the supergravity test chamber, a high-temperature heating subsystem, a crucible, and an air-cooling system. The supergravity test chamber is mounted with a wiring electrode and a cooling air valve device. The high-temperature heating subsystem is fixed in the supergravity test chamber. The crucible and the air cooling system are provided in the high-temperature heating subsystem. The high-temperature heating subsystem includes upper, middle, and lower furnaces, a mullite insulating layer, upper and lower heating cavity outer bodies, upper and lower heating furnace pipes, and a crucible support base. A high-temperature heating cavity is divided into upper and lower parts, is provided therein with a spiral groove, and is fitted with a heating element. The crucible support base is provided therein with a vent pipe channel into which a cooling air is introduced. The crucible and the air cooling system include air inlet and exhaust pipes, a cooling base, a cooling rate adjustment ring, the crucible, and an exhaust cover.

A counter-gravity casting method and apparatus in which the mold is held stationary and the crucible is moved generally laterally from a melt chamber to a fill chamber positioned below the mold with respect to gravity. A casting chamber is located generally above the fill chamber with respect to gravity. The method and apparatus utilize separate chambers for melting and casting in which the pressure in each chamber can be varied relative to each other in order to introduce molten metal into the mold.

The present disclosure discloses a shell mold chamber, a foundry furnace and a method for casting single crystal, fine crystal and non-crystal, which employ the technique of asynchronous-curving supercooling, and belongs to the technical field of precise casting apparatuses. Such a three-function foundry furnace includes a heating coil winding, a first thermal-shield assembly, a first superconducting coil, a second thermal-shield assembly and a second superconducting coil; and the first superconducting coil is provided at an inside of the first thermal-shield assembly, and the second superconducting coil is provided at an inside of the second thermal-shield assembly; and directions of a magnetic field generated by the first superconducting coil and a magnetic field generated by the second superconducting coil are opposite; and the first superconducting coil and the heating coil winding form a forward-directional static-magnetic-field heating zone, and the second superconducting coil forms a reverse-directional static-magnetic-field zone.

A directional solidification casting method includes fluidly coupling a feed line conduit with a source of molten metal and with a directional solidification mold at a gating. The mold has an interior chamber with a shape of an object to be cast using directional solidification in a growth direction. The feed line conduit is fluidly coupled with the gating in a downward direction oriented at an angle that is closer to the growth direction of the mold than to another direction that is perpendicular to the growth direction of the mold. The method also includes positioning a downstream portion of the feed line conduit below the gating, directing the molten metal into the mold via the feed line conduit, and casting the object in the mold using directional solidification.

A manufacturing method includes providing a material that includes a plurality of particles and a binder that is uncured. The method also includes forming a first article from the material including curing the binder to bind a collection of the particles together into the first article. Furthermore, the method includes encasing at least a portion of the first article with an outer member. The outer member defines an internal cavity that corresponds to the first article. Additionally, the method includes heating the outer member and the first article to melt the collection of particles into a molten mass within the internal cavity of the outer member. Moreover, the method includes solidifying the molten mass within the outer member to form a second article. The second article corresponds to at least a portion of the internal cavity of the outer member.

A method includes providing a collection of particulate material and forming a first article therefrom. Forming the first article includes forming an outer shell with an outer surface that defines an outer periphery of the first article; forming a relief area of the first article that supports the outer shell, including forming a relief void in the relief area; and collecting a collection of the particulate material within the outer shell during formation of the first article. Moreover, the method includes encasing the first article with an outer member. The outer member defines an internal cavity with an internal surface that corresponds to the outer surface of the outer shell. The method further includes heating, which deforms the first article selectively at the relief void.

A manufacturing method includes providing a material that includes a plurality of particles and a binder that is uncured. The method also includes forming a first article from the material including curing the binder to bind a collection of the particles together into the first article. Furthermore, the method includes encasing at least a portion of the first article with an outer member. The outer member defines an internal cavity that corresponds to the first article. Additionally, the method includes heating the outer member and the first article to melt the collection of particles into a molten mass within the internal cavity of the outer member. Moreover, the method includes solidifying the molten mass within the outer member to form a second article. The second article corresponds to at least a portion of the internal cavity of the outer member.

A planetary carrier includes a first hub having an adjoining first sealing wall and a second hub having an adjoining second sealing wall. The first and second sealing walls are arranged opposite each other. The planetary carrier has a web for connecting the first sealing wall to the second sealing wall. A greatest material accumulation of the planetary carrier, at which a greatest Heuvers element of the planetary carrier is located, is radially outside in a region of a transition from the web to the first sealing wall.