Casting parts cycle life improvement using localized gradient material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745256-B2
Application number	US-202017126517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A method of additive manufacturing can include forming a machine part having a first portion formed from a cast iron material; forming a second portion adjacent the first portion formed of a combination of the cast iron material and a different material; and forming a third portion adjacent the second portion formed of only the different material, wherein the third portion is located at a predetermined critical area of the machine part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
forming a machine part having a first portion formed from a cast iron material;
forming a second portion adjacent the first portion including applying a material mixture including a combination of the cast iron material and a different material, wherein applying the material mixture of the second portion includes introducing the different material into the cast iron material at such a rate that the material mixture of the second portion transitions from a low concentration of the different material in the material mixture proximate the first portion to a high concentration of the different material in the material mixture proximate the third portion; and
forming a third portion adjacent the second portion formed of only the different material, wherein the third portion is located at a predetermined critical area of the machine part.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined critical area includes a high stress, failure prone area of the machine part.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different material is a more ductile material than the cast iron material.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the different material is a steel material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the machine part, forming the second portion, and forming the third portion are all done using a 3D printing process.

6. A method of additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
forming a machine part having a first portion formed from a cast iron material;
forming a second portion adjacent the first portion formed of a combination of the cast iron material and a different material; and
forming a third portion adjacent the second portion formed of only the different material, wherein the third portion is located at a predetermined critical area of the machine part, wherein forming the second portion includes dispensing the cast iron and the different material using a single crucible holding both the cast iron and the different material and using an induction heater to pre-heat each casted layer prior to a pouring of an additional layer.

7. A method of remanufacturing or repairing a machine part, the method comprising:
using additive manufacturing such that a first portion of the machine part furthest from a predetermined critical area of the machine part is repaired using a cast iron material;
using additive manufacturing such a second portion of the machine part adjacent the first portion is formed of a combination of the cast iron material and a different material; and
using additive manufacturing such that a third portion of the machine part adjacent the second portion is formed of only the different material, wherein the third portion is located at the predetermined critical area of the machine part.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the different material is a more ductile material than the cast iron material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the different material is a steel material.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein all of the additive manufacturing is done using a 3D printing process.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein where the additive manufacturing includes dispensing the cast iron and the different material using a crucible holding the cast iron and the different material and using an induction heater to pre-heat each casted layer prior to the pouring of an additional layer.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Marchione Thierry Andre

Classifications

• B22D19/10 Primary

  Repairing defective or damaged objects by metal casting procedures (by other procedures B23P6/04; ingot mould B22D7/06; B22D19/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B22C9/02

  Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F7/062

  involving the connection or repairing of preformed parts · CPC title