Method Of Manufacturing A Workpiece With Multiple Metal Layers

Abstract

A mold for making a workpiece is shown performing the steps of positioning a workpiece in a cavity of the mold, moving a first mold piece and a second mold piece towards a closed configuration with an extending wall of the first mold piece pressing into a peripheral portion of the workpiece so as to hold the workpiece between the first and second mold pieces, wherein a space is defined between the workpiece and a surface of the first mold piece in the closed configuration, the space receiving a molding material so as to form at least a second layer of the workpiece, and pressing the extending wall of the first mold piece into the peripheral portion of the workpiece to form a seal between the extending wall and the workpiece to prevent flow of a fluid through the seal. Moveable pieces for such a mold are shown.

1 . A method of manufacturing a workpiece made from at least two layers comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a mold including a first mold piece and a second mold piece which are movable relative to each other between an open configuration in which the first mold piece and the second mold piece are detached from each other and a closed configuration, the first mold piece and the second mold pieces adapted to define a mold cavity therebetween, a semi-finished workpiece comprising at least one layer of the workpiece disposable within the mold cavity and having a peripheral portion, the peripheral portion held between the first mold piece and the second mold piece when in the closed configuration, at least the first mold piece including a wall extending from a surface thereof facing a surface of the second mold piece and configured for engaging the peripheral portion of the semi-finished workpiece disposed therebetween,   (b) positioning the semi-finished workpiece in the mold cavity defined between the first mold piece and the second mold piece,   (c) moving the first mold piece and the second mold piece relative to each other towards the closed configuration, the extending wall pressing into the peripheral portion for holding the semi-finished workpiece between the first and second mold pieces, a space defined between the semi-finished workpiece and the surface of the first mold piece when the mold pieces are in the closed configuration, the space adapted for receiving a molding material therein for forming at least a second layer of the semi-finished workpiece, and   (d) pressing the extending wall of the first mold piece into the peripheral portion of the semi-finished workpiece for forming a seal between the extending wall and the semi-finished workpiece to prevent a flow of fluid through the seal.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the extending wall is endless. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step (e) of, after the mold pieces are in the closed configuration and the space is formed between the semi-finished workpiece and the first mold piece, supplying the molding material to the space for forming the at least second layer of the workpiece. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising a step (f) of applying pressure to the molding material at a location separate from where the molding material is supplied into the space, the pressure promoting bonding of the molding material to the semi-finished workpiece. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including a passage that, when the mold is in the closed configuration, allows supply of the molding material into the space. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the space is in fluid-communicable relation with an injector via the passage for supplying a flow of the molding material into the space. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the passage comprises a sprue, a runner and a gate of the mold and wherein the injector and the passage provide the flow of molding material from the gate at a speed of at least seventy meters per second and covers the workpiece in no more than five milliseconds. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the injector and the passage provide the flow of molding material into the space at a speed of at least seventy meters per second. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the workpiece comprises a roughened surface, an engagement structure, or both, and the flow of molding material covers the workpiece in no more than five milliseconds. 
     
     
         10 . A mold comprising a first mold piece means and a second mold piece means, wherein the first mold piece means and the second mold piece means are movable relative to each other between an open configuration in which the first mold piece means and the second mold piece means are detached from each other and a closed configuration for holding a workpiece between the first mold piece means and the second mold piece means, and wherein at least the first mold piece means comprises a wall means which, when the mold is in the closed configuration and holds a workpiece, presses into at least part of the workpiece to form a seal between the wall means and the workpiece which prevents flow of a fluid through the seal. 
     
     
         11 . The mold according to  claim 10 , wherein the wall means is endless. 
     
     
         12 . The mold according to  claim 10 , further including a passage that, when the mold is in the closed configuration and a space is formed between the workpiece and the first mold piece means, allows liquid molding material to flow into the space. 
     
     
         13 . The mold according to  claim 12 , wherein the space is in fluid-communicable relation with an injector means via a means for passage of the liquid molding material into the space. 
     
     
         14 . The mold of  claim 13 , wherein the injector means and the means for passage provide the flow of liquid molding material at a speed of at least seventy meters per second. 
     
     
         15 . The mold of  claim 14 , wherein the workpiece comprises a roughened surface, an engagement structure, or both, and the flow of liquid molding material covers the workpiece in no more than five milliseconds. 
     
     
         16 . The mold of  claim 13 , wherein the flow of liquid molding material covers the workpiece in no more than five milliseconds. 
     
     
         17 . A mold for manufacturing a workpiece made from at least two layers comprising:
 a first mold piece means and a second mold piece means which are movable relative to each other between an open configuration in which the first mold piece means and the second mold piece means are detached from each other and a closed configuration;   the first mold piece means and the second mold pieces piece means adapted to define a mold cavity therebetween when in the closed configuration;   the cavity configured to receive a semi-finished workpiece comprising a first layer within the mold cavity, the semi-finished workpiece having a peripheral portion, the first mold piece means and the second mold piece means adapted to hold the peripheral portion therebetween when in the closed configuration,   at least the first mold piece means including a wall means extending from a surface thereof facing a surface of the second mold piece means and configured for engaging the peripheral portion of the semi-finished workpiece disposed therebetween;   the extending wall means pressing into the peripheral portion for holding the semi-finished workpiece between the first mold piece means and the second mold pieces piece means, a space defined between the semi-finished workpiece and the surface of the first mold piece means when the first mold piece means and the second mold piece means pieces are in the closed configuration, the space adapted for receiving a molding material therein for forming at least a second layer of the workpiece;   the extending wall means of the first mold piece mean pressed into the peripheral portion of the semi-finished workpiece to form a seal between the extending wall means and the semi-finished workpiece which prevents flow of a fluid through the seal.   
     
     
         18 . The mold according to  claim 17 , wherein the space is in fluid-communicable relation with an injector means via a means for passage of a flow of the molding material into the space at a speed of at least seventy meters per second. 
     
     
         19 . The mold of  claim 18 , wherein the first layer comprises a roughened surface, an engagement structure, or both, wherein the flow of molding material covers the workpiece in no more than five milliseconds. 
     
     
         20 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the space is in fluid-communicable relation with an injector means via a means for passage of a flow of the molding material into the space, wherein the flow of molding material covers the workpiece in no more than five milliseconds.