Metal powder casting

Abstract

An exemplary mold assembly includes a mold providing a cavity, and a heating element configured to heat a first portion of the mold at a first rate to melt a first amount of metal powder within the cavity, and further configured to heat a second portion of the mold at a different second rate to melt a second amount of powder within the cavity. The heating element includes a portion on a first side of the cavity and a portion on an opposing, second side of the cavity. The heating element is configured to receive the mold such that the heating element extends circumferentially about an entire perimeter of the mold.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A mold assembly, comprising:
 a mold providing a cavity; and   a heating element configured to heat a first portion of the mold at a first rate to melt a first amount of metal powder within the cavity, and further configured to heat a second portion of the mold at a different second rate to melt a second amount of powder within the cavity,   the heating element including a portion on a first side of the cavity and a portion on an opposing, second side of the cavity,   wherein the heating element is configured to receive the mold such that the heating element extends circumferentially about an entire perimeter of the mold,   wherein the heating element is configured to heat the first portion at the first rate and second portion at the second rate without moving the mold,   wherein the heating element is configured to control a cooling of the mold by shutting off a first area of the heating element before another second area of the heating element without moving the mold relative to the heating element.   
     
     
         2 . The mold assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises an induction furnace coil. 
     
     
         3 . The mold assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first area comprises at least one first coil of the induction furnace coil, and the second area comprises at least one other second coil of the induction furnace coil. 
     
     
         4 . The mold assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the shutting off is a sequential shutting off of the at least one first coil before the at least one second coil. 
     
     
         5 . The mold assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mold is a reusable mold. 
     
     
         6 . The mold assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mold is configured to hold the melted metal powder as the melted metal powder cools. 
     
     
         7 . The mold assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises an induction furnace coil configured to shut off individual coils to control a cooling of the mold. 
     
     
         8 . A cast component assembly comprising:
 a component, wherein at least a portion of the component is formed from a metal powder that has been melted and cooled within a mold cavity without moving the component relative to the mold cavity,   wherein the metal powder has been melted using a heating element on a first side of the component and a second heating element on an opposing, second side of the component,   wherein the heating element is configured to receive the mold such that the heating element extends circumferentially about an entire perimeter of the mold,   wherein the metal powder is cooled at different rates by shutting off a first area of the heating element prior to a second area of the heating element.   
     
     
         9 . The cast component of  claim 8 , wherein the heating element comprises an induction furnace coil. 
     
     
         10 . The cast component of  claim 9 , wherein the first area comprises at least one first coil of the induction furnace coil, and the second area comprises at least one other second coil of the induction furnace coil. 
     
     
         11 . The cast component of  claim 10 , wherein the shutting off is a sequential shutting off of the at least one first coil before the at least one second coil. 
     
     
         12 . The cast component of  claim 8 , wherein the portion is formed from metal powder that has been completely melted. 
     
     
         13 . The cast component of  claim 8 , wherein the component is a turbomachine component.