(a) Figure 5. TiAl turbocharger wheels (<500 g) casted using the FastCast furnace


(b)


• Adjustable and reproducible superheat up to 250ºC → no cold-runners and superb filling of the complex mould geometries even at lower mould preheating temperatures


• Short melting time of 60 ... 100 s → high productivity


• Advanced casting system: free- falling melt is caught by the downward accelerated mould → smooth filling, no splashing and >98% of material yield


• Pre-alloyed electrodes or single samples as melting material


• Melting at inert gas (Ar) atmosphere (down to 30 mbar) → no gas entrapment


• Melting power up to 180 kW • High reproducibility of castings • The furnace concept can be integrated into production lines with fully automated and continuous material flow


Conclusions FastCast overcomes boundaries of conventional casting methods with ceramic or copper crucibles.


levitating in magnetic field, the metal May 2022 ❘ 47 ®


has no contact with or contamination from other materials during heating up to the moment when the melt enters the mold. No crucible or other refractories are used.


In this way, the melt achieves


much higher superheat (compared to copper crucibles) that improves mold filling, especially for parts with fine and complex shapes. Moreover, much higher superheat of the melt can compensate the reduced preheating temperature of the mold.


Main applications are parts up to


500 g/1.1 lbs made of Ti-based alloys (or other reactive materials) or superalloys for


automotive, integrated aviation into fully or general


industries. The FastCast concept is designed


for short cycle times. The furnace can be


automated


production system – in terms of material flow and production management – to establish an inline casting route from shell making to a final cast part.


Fully


References [1] O. Muck, German Patent 422004. (October 30,


1923). [2] E. Okress et al., “Electromagnetic Levitation of


Solid and Molten Metals” J. Appl. Phys., 23 (1952), 545-552. [3] V. Bojarevics et al., “Magnetic levitation of large


liquid volume” Magnetohydrodynamics, 46/4 (2010), 317- 329.


[4] S. Spitans et al., “Numerical modelling of free


surface dynamics of melt in an alternate electromagnetic field. Part II: conventional electromagnetic levitation” Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 47/1 (2015), 522-536. [5] O. Pesteanu et al., “Two-frequency method and


devices for drip- and leakage-free electromagnetic levitation melting” Heat processing, vol. 2, (2012), 96-100. [6]


S. Spitans et al., “Large scale levitation melting S. Spitans et al., “Numerical Modelling of Free


Surface Dynamics of Melt in an Alternate Electromagnetic Field. Part I. Implementation and verification of model” Met. Mat. Trans. B, 44/3, (2013), 593-605. [7]


and casting of Titanium alloys” Magnetohydrodynamics, 53/4, (2017), 633-641.


More technical papers like this one


can be purchased on the ICI website: www.investmentcasting.org.


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