using that as new product and new designs are developed.” T e decision to use 309 stainless
steel came down to fl uidity and ductility. Singer said it fl ows well into molds and fi lls the thin wires of the mask, something he said has “worked out pretty good.” “We’re still struggling with
some shrink issues at some of the junctures, so we’re doing a little bit of cosmetic welding, not any structural welding,” Singer said. “You get the occasional shrink and pits, at some of the intersections, so we’ll do some cosmetic welding and blending there.” In terms of actually casting the masks, Singer said there isn’t a practical way to make a metal injection mold that would be used with other parts because of the complexity of the shapes within the mask. To help, Singer contracted an art metalcaster to build rubber molds around mas- ters, which were used to build silicon rubber molds backed up with fiberglass backing. “Making the wax patterns has
been one of the more complicated aspects of this whole project,” Singer said. So has fi lling the molds. Singer
said Acra Cast is running the molds at 2,000F when they typi- cally pour into an 1,800F mold. “We’re bumping up our mold
alloy temperatures and you have to pull that out of the furnace and pour it quickly in order to avoid non-fi ll issues,” Singer said. T e result is a radical and un- usual mask. Cosmetically, the masks look
diff erent than the traditional ver- sions but they are made to fi t the products of the most prominent helmet manufacturers. One design has honeycombs in the front grille; other geometries with smoother corners are also possible. Like traditional masks, they are
rubber-coated by another facility in any color the end-user needs, adding a distinctive look for a team
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Investment Casting Aluminum, Brass, Bronze & Al / SiC Metal Matrix Composite Alloys
Introducing IC100 ToughMet ®
The Strength, Stiffness and Lubricity of ToughMet Investment Cast to Near - Net - Shape
Jul/Aug 2016 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | 23
Photo courtesy of Richard Singer.
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