Rapid casting of hollow turbine blades using integral ceramic moulds

Abstract A new rapid casting process based on gelcasting and stereolithography (SL) has been developed to fabricate integral ceramic moulds for complex castings. An overview of the fabrication process is demonstrated. It is shown that preparation for ceramic slurry, design of the process system, pyrolysis of the resin prototype, and integrity of the ceramic mould all play a significant role in the whole process. A hollow turbine blade with complex internal and external structure was taken as the case study to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed process.

[1]  J. Dweck,et al.  Thermogravimetric characterization of gelcast alumina composites , 1997 .

[2]  Ming-Chuan Leu,et al.  Analysis and design of internal web structure of laser stereolithography patterns for investment casting , 2000 .

[3]  Parag Bhargava,et al.  Shape forming of ceramics via gelcasting of aqueous particulate slurries , 2002 .

[4]  Brian Rooks.  Rapid tooling for casting prototypes , 2002 .

[5]  Abbas Emami-Naeini,et al.  A Physical Model for the Drying of Gelcast Ceramics , 2004 .

[6]  C. Yuan,et al.  Advances in shell moulding for investment casting , 2003 .

[7]  Detlef Kochan,et al.  Laminated object manufacturing for rapid tooling and patternmaking in foundry industry , 1999 .

[8]  Chee Kai Chua,et al.  Rapid investment casting: direct and indirect approaches via model maker II , 2005 .

[9]  Krassimir Dotchev,et al.  Rapid manufacturing of patterns for investment casting: improvement of quality and success rate , 2006 .

[10]  James G. Conley,et al.  Rapid tooling for sand casting using laminated object manufacturing process , 1999 .

[11]  George W. Scherer,et al.  Theory of Drying , 1990 .

[12]  E Vanswijgenhoven,et al.  Gelcasting, a near net shape technique , 2000 .

[13]  Ogbemi O. Omatete,et al.  Gelcasting: From laboratory development toward industrial production , 1997 .

[14]  Yong Huang,et al.  Effects of Solid Volume Fraction on the Gelcasting of Alumina Suspensions , 2004 .

[15]  Wang Shu.  Evaluation of Methods of Direct Casting Mold Manufacturing Based on RP Technology , 2003 .

[16]  R. Hovtun,et al.  Conversion of RP models to investment castings , 1995 .

[17]  Chee Kai Chua,et al.  Rapid investment casting: direct and indirect approaches via fused deposition modelling , 2004 .

[18]  A. Mateus,et al.  A numerical and experimental study of fracture in RP stereolithography patterns and ceramic shells for investment casting , 2003 .

[19]  Carola Esposito Corcione,et al.  Free form fabrication of silica moulds for aluminium casting by stereolithography , 2006 .

[20]  Chee Kai Chua,et al.  Rapid prototyping and tooling techniques: a review of applications for rapid investment casting , 2005 .

[21]  J. Tong,et al.  Preparation of alumina by aqueous gelcasting , 2004 .

[22]  Andrea Gatto,et al.  3D Printing technique applied to Rapid Casting , 2007 .