Rapid manufacturing method
A rapid manufacturing method includes forming tooling in a rapid manufacturing process. The tooling is coated with a conductive material.
1. A rapid manufacturing method, comprising the steps of:
(a) building tooling that includes a die pattern from a polymeric material using a rapid manufacturing process;
(b) coating the tooling with a metallic material;
(c) manufacturing a casting article with the tooling;
(d) using the casting article in a casting process to cast a part; and
(e) reusing the tooling to manufacture a second casting article.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tooling is built to a dimensional opposite of the part cast in said step (d).
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rapid manufacturing process includes a stereolithography (SLA) process.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rapid manufacturing process includes a selective laser sintering (SLS) process.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material includes at least one of an ultraviolet curable thermoset and a powdered material.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metallic material includes at least one of a copper based alloy, a stainless steel based alloy, an aluminum based alloy, a nickel based alloy, a gold based alloy, a chromium based alloy and a ferrous alloy.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the casting process includes an investment casting process.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of building includes:
rapidly manufacturing a mask of the tooling; and
backfilling the mask with a metallic material.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of coating includes the use of a coldspray coating process.
10. The method as recited as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of coating includes the use of a low temperature deposition process.
11. The method as recited as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of coating includes the use of a plating process.
12. The method as recited as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of coating includes the use of a sputtering process.
13. The method as recited as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tooling includes die gating tooling.
14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tooling includes a die for preparing a core.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the core is a ceramic core.
16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tooling includes a die for preparing a shell.