Unit Cell Titanium Casting
A system ( 5 ) and method ( 800 ) for unit cell casting of titanium or titanium-alloys is disclosed herein. The system ( 5 ) comprises an external chamber ( 45 ), a crucible ( 10 ) positioned within the external chamber ( 45 ), an induction coil ( 15 ) positioned around the crucible, an internal chamber ( 40 ) positioned within the external chamber ( 45 ), and a mold ( 30 ) positioned within the internal chamber ( 40 ). The external chamber ( 45 ) is evacuated and a pressurized gas is injected into the evacuated external chamber ( 45 ) to create a pressurized external chamber ( 45 ). An ingot ( 20 ) is melted within the crucible utilizing induction heating generated by the induction coil ( 15 ). The internal chamber ( 40 ) is evacuated to create an evacuated internal chamber ( 40 ). The titanium alloy material of the ingot ( 20 ) is completely transferred into the mold ( 30 ) from the crucible ( 10 ) using a pressure differential created between the external chamber ( 45 ) and the internal chamber ( 40 ).
1 . A method for unit cell casting of titanium or titanium-alloys, the method comprising:
preheating a pattern mold in an oven to create a preheated mold;
positioning a preheated mold within an internal chamber;
evacuating an external chamber to create an evacuated external chamber wherein a ceramic crucible containing a titanium alloy ingot is positioned therein;
injecting a pressurized gas into the evacuated external chamber to create a pressurized external chamber;
melting the titanium alloy ingot within the ceramic crucible utilizing induction heating generated by an induction coil positioned around the ceramic crucible;
evacuating the internal chamber to create an evacuated internal chamber;
transferring the completely melted titanium alloy material into the mold from the crucible using a pressure differential created between the external chamber and the internal chamber.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the pressurized gas is argon.
3 . The method according to claim 1 wherein a frequency generated in the induction coil ranges from 1 kilo-Hertz to 50 kilo-Hertz, and a power ranges from 15 kilo-Watts to 50 kilo-Watts.
4 . The method according to claim 1 wherein an atmospheric pressure of the evacuated internal chamber ranges from 3×10 −2 atmosphere to 9.87×10 −7 atmosphere.
5 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the mold is for a thin-walled golf club head.
6 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the mold is preheated to at a temperature ranging from 1150° C. to 1250° C.
7 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising a silica based backup layer.
8 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising cooling the titanium alloy within the mold.
9 . The method according to claim 1 wherein an atmospheric pressure of the evacuated internal chamber ranges from 9.87×10 −7 atmosphere to 9.87×10 −13 atmosphere
10 . A system method for unit cell casting of titanium or titanium-alloys, the system comprising:
an external chamber;
a ceramic crucible positioned within the external chamber;
an induction coil positioned around a bottom section of the ceramic crucible;
an internal chamber positioned within the external chamber; and
a mold positioned within the internal chamber;
wherein the mold is preheated prior to placement in the internal chamber;
wherein the external chamber is evacuated to create an evacuated external chamber wherein the ceramic crucible contains a titanium alloy ingot positioned therein;
wherein a pressurized gas is injected into the evacuated external chamber to create a pressurized external chamber;
wherein the titanium alloy ingot is melted within the ceramic crucible utilizing induction heating generated by the induction coil positioned around the ceramic crucible;
wherein the internal chamber is evacuated to create an evacuated internal chamber;
wherein the titanium alloy material is completely transferred into the mold from the crucible using a pressure differential created between the external chamber and the internal chamber.
11 . A method for unit cell casting of titanium or titanium-alloys, the method comprising:
preheating an internal chamber;
positioning a mold within the internal chamber;
evacuating an external chamber to create an evacuated external chamber wherein a ceramic crucible containing a titanium alloy ingot is positioned therein;
injecting a pressurized gas into the evacuated external chamber to create a pressurized external chamber;
melting the titanium alloy ingot within the ceramic crucible utilizing induction heating generated by an induction coil positioned around the ceramic crucible;
evacuating the internal chamber to create an evacuated internal chamber;
transferring the completely melted titanium alloy material into the mold from the crucible using a pressure differential created between the external chamber and the internal chamber.
12 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the pressurized gas is argon.
13 . The method according to claim 11 wherein a frequency generated in the induction coil ranges from 1 kilo-Hertz to 50 kilo-Hertz, and a power ranges from 15 kilo-Watts to 50 kilo-Watts.
14 . The method according to claim 11 wherein an atmospheric pressure of the evacuated internal chamber ranges from 3×10 −2 atmosphere to 9.87×10 −7 atmosphere.
15 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the mold is for a thin-walled golf club head.
16 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the internal chamber is preheated at a temperature ranging from 1150° C. to 1250° C.
17 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the internal chamber is preheated using a plurality of infrared heaters.
18 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the internal chamber is preheated using start-up pours of titanium.
19 . The method according to claim 11 wherein an atmospheric pressure of the evacuated internal chamber ranges from 9.87×10 −7 atmosphere to 9.87×10 −13 atmosphere