Method and assembly for forming components having an internal passage defined therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099283-B2
Application number	US-201514973555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A method of forming a component having an internal passage defined therein includes positioning a jacketed core with respect to a mold. The jacketed core includes a hollow structure formed from at least a first material and a second material, and an inner core disposed within the hollow structure. The method also includes introducing a component material in a molten state into a cavity of the mold, and cooling the component material in the cavity to form the component. The inner core defines the internal passage within the component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a component having an internal passage defined therein, said method comprising:
positioning a jacketed core with respect to a mold, wherein the jacketed core includes:
a hollow structure consisting of a plurality of metallic materials including at least a first material and a second material; and
an inner core disposed within the hollow structure;

introducing a component material in a molten state into a cavity of the mold; and
cooling the component material in the cavity to form the component, wherein the inner core defines the internal passage within the component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said introducing the component material into the cavity comprises introducing the component material such that, after the component is formed, a concentration of the second material proximate the inner core is sufficient to establish at least one material characteristic associated with the second material along at least a portion of an interior wall that defines the internal passage within the component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said introducing the component material into the cavity comprises introducing the component material such that, after the component is formed, the second material lines at least a portion of an interior wall that defines the internal passage within the component.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said positioning the jacketed core comprises positioning the jacketed core wherein the second material is selected from at least one of (i) an oxidation-inhibiting material, (ii) a corrosion-inhibiting material, (iii) a carbon-deposition-inhibiting material, (iv) a thermal barrier material, (v) a water vapor barrier material, and (vi) a wear-inhibiting material, and (vii) a material that increases a structural strength of the component along the internal passageway when the component is formed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said positioning the jacketed core comprises positioning the jacketed core wherein the second material extends over at least one predefined first longitudinal portion of an interior portion of the hollow structure, radially inward of the first material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said positioning the jacketed core comprises positioning the jacketed core that includes the hollow structure formed from the first material, the second material, and a third material, and wherein the third material extends over at least one predefined second longitudinal portion of the interior portion of the hollow structure, radially inward of the first material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein an interior portion of the hollow structure is at least partially formed from the second material, the interior portion shaped to define at least one interior passage feature of the internal passage, said introducing the component material into the cavity comprises introducing the component material such that, after the component is formed, the second material forms at least a portion of the at least one interior passage feature.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the internal passage defines at least one stress concentration region in the component, and wherein at least one portion of the hollow structure corresponding to the at least one stress concentration region is at least partially formed from the second material, said introducing the component material into the cavity comprises introducing the component material such that, after the component is formed, the second material forms at least a portion of the at least one stress concentration region.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said positioning the jacketed core comprises positioning the jacketed core that includes the hollow structure that includes a plurality of layers each formed using an additive manufacturing process.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the hollow structure using an additive manufacturing process.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein using an additive manufacturing process comprises alternately depositing each of the first material and the second material to produce a defined distribution of the first material and the second material in each of a plurality of layers of the hollow structure.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein using an additive manufacturing process comprises using at least one of a direct metal laser melting (DMLM) process, a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process, a selective laser sintering (SLS) process, an electron beam melting (EBM) process, a selective laser melting process (SLM), and a robocasting extrusion-type additive process.

13. A mold assembly for use in forming a component having an internal passage defined therein, said mold assembly comprising:
a mold defining a mold cavity therein; and
a jacketed core positioned with respect to said mold, said jacketed core comprising:
a hollow structure consisting of a plurality of metallic materials including at least a first material and a second material; and
an inner core disposed within said hollow structure, wherein said inner core is positioned to define the internal passage within the component when a component material in a molten state is introduced into said mold cavity and cooled to form the component.

14. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein said second material is selected from at least one of (i) an oxidation inhibiting material, (ii) a corrosion-inhibiting material, (iii) a carbon-deposition-inhibiting material, (iv) a thermal barrier material, (v) a water vapor barrier material, and (vi) a wear-inhibiting material, and (vii) a material that increases a structural strength of the component along the internal passageway when the component is formed.

15. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein said second material extends over at least one predefined first longitudinal portion of an interior portion of said hollow structure, radially inward of said first material.

16. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein said hollow structure is formed from said first material, said second material, and a third material, said third material extends over at least one predefined second longitudinal portion of said interior portion of said hollow structure, radially inward of said first material.

17. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein said hollow structure comprises an interior portion at least partially formed from said second material, said interior portion shaped to define at least one interior passage feature of the internal passage when the component is formed.

18. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein a shape of the internal passage defines at least one stress concentration region in the component, and wherein at least one portion of said hollow structure corresponding to the at least one stress concentration region is at least partially formed from said second material.

19. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein said second material is at least one of:
a relatively higher strength material than said first material, and capable of joining synergistically with at least one of the component material and said first material such that a structural strength characteristic of said at least one of the component material and said first material is improved.

20. The mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein said hollow structure comprises a plurality of layers each formed using an additive manufacturing process.

21. A mold assembly for use in forming a component having an internal passage defined therein, said mold assembly comprising:
a mold de

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Simpson Stanley Frank
• Rutkowski Stephen Francis
• Hardwicke Canan Uslu
• Moroso Joseph Leonard
• Rauch Steven Charles

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22C9/24

  for hollow articles · CPC title

• B22D19/0072

  for making objects with integrated channels · CPC title

• B22C21/14

  for reinforcing or securing moulding materials or cores, e.g. gaggers, chaplets, pins, bars · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title