Methods and apparatuses using cast in core reference features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315248-B2
Application number	US-201615354112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for forming cast parts having cast in features aligned with a casting core. The part is cast around a casting core within a casting shell. The casting core has a first feature that creates a corresponding second feature of the cast part. The casting core includes a third alignment feature that creates a corresponding fourth feature of the cast part spaced apart from the second feature of the cast part. A machining tool is aligned with the second feature of the cast part based on the fourth feature of the cast part. The machining tool machines the cast part to create the at least one passageway aligned with the second feature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a cast part having at least one passageway, comprising:
casting the cast part around a casting core within a casting shell, the casting core having a first feature that creates a corresponding second feature of the cast part, the casting core including an alignment feature that creates a corresponding alignment feature of the cast part spaced apart from the second feature of the cast part;
engaging the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part with a locator of a machining tool to align the machine tool with the cast part;
aligning the machining tool with the second feature of the cast part based on the engagement of the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part with the locator of the machining tool; and
machining the cast part with the machining tool to create the at least one passageway aligned with the second feature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second feature of the cast part is an internal feature and the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part is an external feature.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising machining away the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising leaching the casting core from the cast part.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part is a groove.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part is a protrusion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cast part has a casting tolerance of approximately 0.005 inches in any direction.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one passageway has a diameter between 0.010 and 0.020 inches.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising fabricating the casting shell including the casting core.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein fabricating the casting shell comprises spackling a wax part and the casting core with a ceramic slurry, wherein the alignment feature protrudes at least partially from the wax part.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment feature of the casting core contacts the casting shell and defines at least a portion of an external surface of the cast part.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment feature is a first alignment feature, wherein the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part is a first corresponding alignment feature of the cast part, wherein the casting core further includes a second alignment feature spaced apart from the first alignment feature, and wherein the second alignment feature creates a second corresponding alignment feature of the cast part.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein machining the cast part comprises machining the cast part between the first corresponding alignment feature of the cast part and the second corresponding alignment feature of the cast part.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the engaging the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part with the locator of the machining tool comprises contacting the first corresponding alignment feature of the cast part and the second corresponding alignment feature of the cast part with mechanical locators of the machining tool and aligning a machining head with the second feature based on the mechanical locators and a model of the part.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the engaging the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part with the locator of the machining tool comprises aligning the machining tool with the second feature of the cast part by using the first corresponding alignment feature of the cast part in the second corresponding alignment feature of the cast part, and one external as-cast feature.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein aligning the machining tool with the second feature of the cast part based on the engagement of the corresponding alignment feature of the cast part with the locator of the machining tool comprises contacting the alignment feature of the cast part with a mechanical locator of the machining tool and aligning a machining head with the second feature based on the locator and a model of the part.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Smith Douglas Ray
• Garay Gregory Terrence
• Webster Zachary Daniel

Classifications

• B22C9/04

  Use of lost patterns · CPC title

• B22C9/24

  for hollow articles · CPC title

• F05D2230/211

  by precision casting, e.g. microfusing or investment casting · CPC title

• B22D31/002 Primary

  Cleaning, working on castings · CPC title

• B22D29/002

  by leaching, washing or dissolving · CPC title