Ceramic shell molds are used in the investment casting of metals to contain and shape the molten metal. In the casting of larger articles and in the casting of articles at higher casting temperatures, conventional ceramic shell molds are susceptible to bulging and cracking when they are filled with molten metal. When the ceramic shell mold bulges, the dimensions of the resultant casting are not accurate. Significant cracking can result in failure of the ceramic shell mold and runout of the molten metal.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an investment casting ceramic shell mold having improved strength sufficient to significantly reduce or eliminate the bulging and cracking problems experienced in conventional ceramic shell molds.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of making an investment casting ceramic shell mold having such improved strength.
Additional objects and advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds