Arcuate Seed Casting Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022016697-A1
Application number	US-202117490399-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Oct 4, 2019
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A casting method includes: forming a seed, the seed having a first end and a second end, the forming including bending a seed precursor; placing the seed second end in contact or spaced facing relation with a chill plate; contacting the first end with molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material. The forming further included reducing a thickness of the seed proximate the first end relative to a thickness of the seed proximate the second end.

First claim

1 . A casting method comprising:
forming a seed, the seed having a first end and a second end, the forming including bending a seed precursor; placing the seed second end in contact or spaced facing relation with a chill plate; contacting the first end with molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material,
the forming further comprising:
reducing a thickness of the seed proximate the first end relative to a thickness of the seed proximate the second end.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the seed and the molten material are nickel-based superalloys.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the solidus of the seed is no more than 25° C. higher, if at all, than the solidus of an initial pour portion of the molten material.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the seed and the molten material are nickel-based superalloys.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the reducing comprises electrical discharge machining (EDM).

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the reducing is before the bending.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the reducing is after the bending.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the reducing is along an inner diameter face and an outer diameter face of the seed.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the reducing is at a plurality of locations circumferentially spaced in the ultimate bent seed.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein:
the reducing creates a through cut at each of the locations, optionally open to the first end of the seed.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the molten material solidifies in an annular form.

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . (canceled)

18 . A casting method comprising:
forming a seed, the seed having a first end and a second end, the forming including bending a seed precursor; placing the seed second end in contact or spaced facing relation with a chill plate; contacting the first end with molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material,
the forming further comprising at least one of:
rendering a portion of the seed precursor proximate the first end less prone to stress from the bending than a portion of the seed precursor proximate the second end;
relieving a stress in the seed proximate the first end relative to a stress in the seed proximate the second end; and
removing stressed material in the seed proximate the first end relative to stressed material in the seed proximate the second end.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein:
the forming includes said rendering; and
said rendering comprises removing material.

20 . The method of claim 18 wherein:
the forming includes said relieving; and
said relieving comprises removing material.

21 . The method of claim 18 wherein: during the casting, a melt back region of the seed is limited to at least one of
the portion of the seed precursor proximate the first end;
a portion of the seed proximate the first end and subject to said relieving; and
a portion of the seed proximate the first end and subject to said removing material.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein:
the at least one of the rendering, relieving, and removing comprises said removing.

23 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the reducing the thickness of the seed proximate the first end relative to the thickness of the seed proximate the second end comprises reducing the thickness of a portion proximate the first end relative to the thickness of a portion proximate the second end; and
during the casting, a melt back region of the seed is limited to the portion proximate the first end.

24 . The method of claim 23 wherein:
the reducing the thickness of the seed proximate the first end relative to the thickness of the seed proximate the second end comprises:
removing at least 5% of the precursor thickness from both an inner diameter surface and an outer diameter surface.

25 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
during the casting, a melt back region of the seed is limited to the region of reduced thickness of the seed proximate the first end.

26 . The method of claim 25 wherein:
the reducing is along an inner diameter face and an outer diameter face of the seed.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Shah Dilip M
• Woodard Shiela R
• Bullied Steven J
• Breneman Ryan C

Classifications

• F01D5/02

  Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors (rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 {; selecting particular materials F01D5/28}) · CPC title

• F05D2300/175

  Superalloys · CPC title

• F05D2300/607

  Monocrystallinity · CPC title

• B22D27/045 Primary

  Directionally solidified castings · CPC title

• F05D2300/605

  Crystalline · CPC title