Die casting system and cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9878368-B2
Application number	US-201615040037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2011
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system, melting a charge of material in the first chamber, sealing the second chamber relative to the first chamber, and simultaneously injecting the charge of material within the second chamber to cast the component and melting a second charge of material within the first chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system, comprising:
isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system by closing an isolation valve;
drawing a vacuum in the first chamber;
melting a charge of material within the first chamber;
communicating the charge of material to a shot tube of the die casting system;
actuating a shut-off mechanism to seal the shot tube from the melting system, wherein actuating the shutoff mechanism closes off a runner disposed inside a die of the die casting system; and
injecting the charge of material into the die of the die casting system to cast the component.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising:
after solidification of the component, venting the second chamber; and
opening another isolation valve to remove the component from the die.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said isolation valve includes a movable plate.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising:
after solidification of the component, opening a second isolation valve; and
removing the component from the die of the die casting system through the second isolation valve.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the second isolation valve is separate from the first isolation valve.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the isolation valve is a separate device from the shut-off mechanism.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the shut-off mechanism includes a wedge, cylinder, or cone that is movable to close off a runner of said die casting system.

8. A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system, comprising:
isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system, wherein the step of isolating includes closing an isolation valve to separate the first chamber from the second chamber;
drawing a vacuum in the first chamber;
melting a charge of material within the first chamber;
communicating the charge of material to a shot tube of the die casting system;
injecting the charge of material into a die of the die casting system to cast the component;
opening the isolation valve after the step of drawing the vacuum to reach equilibrium between the first chamber and the second chamber; and
after equilibrium is reached, performing the step of communicating the charge of material.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , comprising:
actuating a shut-off mechanism to seal the shot tube from a melting system of the die casting system.

10. A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system, comprising:
die casting a gas turbine engine component using the die casting system;
removing the gas turbine engine component from the die casting system with a robot, wherein the robot removes the gas turbine engine component through an isolation valve of the die casting system;
delivering the gas turbine engine component to a post-cast station with the robot; and
performing a secondary operation on the gas turbine engine component at the post-cast station.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the post-cast station includes a gate cut-off station.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the post-cast station includes a belt grinding station.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the post-cast station includes a grit blast station.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the post-cast station includes an inspection station.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the robot delivers the gas turbine engine component to a cooling station and, after cooling, to a gate cut-off station.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the robot delivers the gas turbine engine component to a belt grinding station after the gate cut-off station, and then to a grit blast station, and then to an inspection station.

17. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the robot uses visible light, infrared, ultraviolet or laser light to inspect the gas turbine engine component.

18. A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system, comprising:
isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system by closing a first isolation valve;
drawing a vacuum in the first chamber;
melting a charge of material within the first chamber;
communicating the charge of material to a shot tube of the die casting system;
injecting the charge of material into a die of the die casting system to cast the component; and
opening a second isolation valve;
removing the component from the die after opening the second isolation valve; and
wherein the second isolation valve is positioned between the die and a machine base of the die casting system.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Bochiechio Mario P
• Marcin John Joseph
• Verner Carl R
• Blondin John F
• Bartholomew Mark F
• Ristau Raymond P
• Chittenden Kevin W
• Tamiso Gary M
• Renaud Robert C
• Kraemer Dennis M
• Lebrun Robert E
• Zamjohn Paul R
• Roohr Charles A
• Kozaczuk Kerry
• Garrison Roy A
• Bullied Steven J

Classifications

• B22D17/30

  Accessories for supplying molten metal, e.g. in rations (supplying molten metal in ration in general B22D39/00) · CPC title

• B22D17/28

  Melting pots · CPC title

• B22D17/14 Primary

  Machines with evacuated die cavity · CPC title

• B22D17/02

  Hot chamber machines, i.e. with heated press chamber in which metal is melted · CPC title

• B22D29/00

  Removing castings from moulds, not restricted to casting processes covered by a single main group; Removing cores; Handling ingots {(B22D13/10, B22D11/124, B22D17/00 take precedence)} · CPC title