Additively manufactured casting core-shell hybrid mold and ceramic shell
A method of forming a cast component and a method of forming a casting mold is generally provided. The method is performed by plugging or covering an opening in a ceramic core-shell mold. The ceramic core-shell mold includes at least a first core portion, a first shell portion, and at least one first cavity between the core portion and the first shell portion. The core-shell mold may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process. At least a portion of the ceramic core-shell mold and the plug or cover is coated with a second ceramic material.
1. A method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold comprising:
forming a ceramic core-shell mold using an additive manufacturing process, the ceramic core-shell mold comprising a first ceramic material;
covering or plugging an opening in the ceramic core-shell mold with a cover or a plug, the ceramic core-shell mold comprising a core portion and a shell portion and at least one first cavity between the core portion and the shell portion; and
coating at least a portion of the ceramic core-shell mold and the cover or plug with a second ceramic material.
2. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , wherein the opening is plugged with a wax or plastic plug.
3. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 2 , further comprising:
removing the plug after the plug is covered with the second ceramic material, wherein the second ceramic material defines a portion of the at least one first cavity once the plug is removed.
4. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , wherein the opening is plugged with a plug that is formed using 3-D printing or additive manufacturing.
5. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the cover or plug conforms to a portion of the ceramic core-shell mold.
6. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the cover or plug that conforms to a portion of the ceramic core-shell mold conforms to the core-portion of the ceramic core-shell mold.
7. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , wherein the opening is covered with a ceramic cover and the ceramic cover is coated with the second ceramic material.
8. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 7 , wherein once the ceramic cover is installed, the ceramic cover defines a portion of the at least one first cavity.
9. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting at least one wax component to the ceramic core-shell mold, wherein at least a portion of the wax component is coated with the second ceramic material.
10. The method for fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic core-shell mold is formed by:
(a) contacting a cured portion of a workpiece with a liquid ceramic photopolymer;
(b) irradiating a portion of the liquid ceramic photopolymer adjacent to the cured portion through a window contacting the liquid ceramic photopolymer;
(c) removing the workpiece from the uncured liquid ceramic photopolymer; and
(d) repeating steps (a)-(c) until the ceramic core-shell mold is formed,
wherein the irradiating converts the portion of the liquid ceramic photopolymer to the first ceramic material.
11. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first cavity is adapted to define a shape of a cast component, wherein the ceramic core-shell mold further comprises a plurality of filaments joining the core portion and the shell portion, wherein the plurality of filaments are adapted to define a plurality of holes in the cast component.
12. The method of fabricating a ceramic casting mold of claim 11 , wherein the additive manufacturing process includes direct light processing.