Die casting system and method

Abstract

A die casting system includes a die having a plurality of die elements that define a die cavity. A charge of material is received in the die cavity. The charge of material comprises a refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system. A die casting method includes casting a component from the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of die casting a component, comprising:
 injecting a refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system into a die cavity of a die of a die casting system.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes molybdenum di-silicide (MoSi2). 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes Nb 5 Si 3 +NbO+SiO 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes NbSi 2 +Nb 5 Si 3 +SiO 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes TaSi 2 +Ta 5 Si 3 +SiO 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes W 5 Si 3 +W+SiO 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes WSi 2 +W 5 Si 3 +SiO 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes a nickel aluminide based composite material. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes a titanium aluminide based composite material. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system includes a platinum aluminide based composite material. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising heating the die prior to or during the injecting of the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising cooling the die prior to or during the injecting of the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising solidifying the refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system within the die cavity to form a gas turbine engine airfoil. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the gas turbine engine airfoil includes an internal geometry that is cast into the airfoil. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the internal geometry defines a microcircuit cooling scheme. 
     
     
         16 . A method of die casting a component, comprising:
 pouring a charge of material into a shot tube of a die casting system, the charge of material comprising a refractory metal intermetallic composite based material system selected from the group consisting of a nickel aluminide based composite material, a titanium aluminide based composite material, and a platinum aluminide based composite material;   injecting the charge of material into a die cavity of a die of the die casting system by actuating a shot tube plunger within the shot tube; and   solidifying the charge of material within the die cavity to form a gas turbine engine component.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the gas turbine engine component includes an equiaxed structure having a randomly oriented grain structure. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the nickel aluminide based composite material includes a general composition of NiAl and Ni3Al. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the titanium aluminide based composite material includes a general composition of TiAl, TiAl2, and TiAl3. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the platinum aluminide based composite material includes a general composition of PtAl.