A process for the casting of metals and their alloys includes the steps of providing at least a mold equipped with a plurality of cooling nozzles, making a layer of coolant permeable materials covering the nozzles and maintaining the materials at desired temperatures, delivering a molten metal into the mold, supplying predetermined amount of coolant to each nozzles to contact the casting at desired rate, time, and duration to achieve an acceptable level of progressive solidification from the distal end of the casting towards the riser until the casting has reached desired temperatures.

A casting mould comprising: an inorganic or refractory mould, wherein the mould is configured to receive feedstock; wherein the feedstock is configured to be heated in situ. A reusable mould, reusable susceptor, and/or release agent may be incorporated. Method of manufacturing a mould, and casting a part employing 5 in situ heating, are also provided.

A casting apparatus includes an upper frame, a lower frame, an opening/closing mechanism, a first main link member, a first sub-link member, a drive unit, a base frame and a retracting mechanism. The first main link member is provided with a first rotating shaft at a central part thereof. The first sub-link member is disposed in parallel with the first main link member. The first sub-link member is provided with a first bearing at a central part thereof. The drive unit is connected to the first rotating shaft and causes the first main link member to rotate around the first rotating shaft. The base frame includes a second rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft rotatably supports the first sub-link member via the first bearing with the first bearing placed thereon. The retracting mechanism causes the second rotating shaft to retract.

A casting apparatus includes an upper frame, a lower frame, an opening/closing mechanism, a first main link member, a first sub-link member, a drive unit, a base frame and a retracting mechanism. The first main link member is provided with a first rotating shaft at a central part thereof. The first sub-link member is disposed in parallel with the first main link member. The first sub-link member is provided with a first bearing at a central part thereof. The drive unit is connected to the first rotating shaft and causes the first main link member to rotate around the first rotating shaft. The base frame includes a second rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft rotatably supports the first sub-link member via the first bearing with the first bearing placed thereon. The retracting mechanism causes the second rotating shaft to retract.

A method for casting metal using a semi-permanent mold connected to a feed portion includes forming a coolant jacket in a sprue of the feed portion. A coolant source is connected to the coolant jacket. A metal in a molten state is poured into the feed portion for gravity induced flow into the semi-permanent mold. A wall thickness of the sprue is predetermining which minimizes heat transfer from the sprue, thereby forcing the metal in the molten state to cool slower in the sprue than in the mold. After a predetermined time for the metal to cool to a solid state in the mold, flow of a coolant from the coolant source into the coolant jacket is initiated to cool the metal in the sprue before opening the mold.

A process for the casting of metals and their alloys includes the steps of providing at least a mold equipped with a plurality of cooling nozzles, making a layer of coolant permeable materials covering the nozzles and maintaining the materials at desired temperatures, delivering a molten metal into the mold, supplying predetermined amount of coolant to each nozzles to contact the casting at desired rate, time, and duration to achieve an acceptable level of progressive solidification from the distal end of the casting towards the riser until the casting has reached desired temperatures.

A method for casting metal using a semi-permanent mold connected to a feed portion includes forming a coolant jacket in a sprue of the feed portion. A coolant source is connected to the coolant jacket. A metal in a molten state is poured into the feed portion for gravity induced flow into the semi-permanent mold. A wall thickness of the sprue is predetermining which minimizes heat transfer from the sprue, thereby forcing the metal in the molten state to cool slower in the sprue than in the mold. After a predetermined time for the metal to cool to a solid state in the mold, flow of a coolant from the coolant source into the coolant jacket is initiated to cool the metal in the sprue before opening the mold.

A casting mould comprising: an inorganic or refractory mould, wherein the mould is configured to receive feedstock; wherein the feedstock is configured to be heated in situ. A reusable mould, reusable susceptor, and/or release agent may be incorporated. Method of manufacturing a mould, and casting a part employing 5 in situ heating, are also provided.

A process for permanent mold casting of metals and their alloys includes the steps of providing at least a mold equipped with a plurality of cooling nozzles, making a layer of coolant permeable materials covering the nozzles and maintaining the materials at desired temperatures, delivering a molten metal into the mold, supplying predetermined amount of coolant to each nozzles to contact the external surface of the casting at desired rate, time, and duration to achieve an acceptable level of progressive solidification from the distal end of the casting towards the riser until the casting has reached desired temperatures.

A process for permanent mold casting of metals and their alloys includes the steps of providing at least a mold equipped with a plurality of cooling nozzles, making a layer of coolant permeable materials covering the nozzles and maintaining the materials at desired temperatures, delivering a molten metal into the mold, supplying predetermined amount of coolant to each nozzles to contact the external surface of the casting at desired rate, time, and duration to achieve an acceptable level of progressive solidification from the distal end of the casting towards the riser until the casting has reached desired temperatures.