Sand cast prototype system providing material properties that replicate high pressure die-casting

Abstract

A prototype sand-casting system for producing a sand cast prototype that duplicates material properties of a high pressure die casting part is provided. The prototype sand-casting system includes a sand-casting mold, a plurality of ingates in fluid connection with the mold cavity, a runner system, a first furnace, and a second furnace. The plurality of ingates are configured to direct multiple concurrent casting alloys including a first molten metal alloy and a second molten metal alloy into the mold cavity to form the casting. The runner system is fluidly coupled to the plurality of ingates. The first furnace and the second furnace is fluidly coupled to the runner system. The first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are concurrent casting alloys.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prototype sand-casting system for producing a sand cast prototype that duplicates material properties of a high pressure die casting part, comprising:
 a sand-casting mold including a mold cavity having a predetermined shape of a casting;   a plurality of ingates in fluid connection with the mold cavity, wherein the plurality of ingates are configured to direct multiple concurrent casting alloys including a first molten metal alloy and a second molten metal alloy into the mold cavity to form the casting;   a runner system fluidly coupled to the plurality of ingates, wherein the first molten metal alloy at least partially mixes with the second molten metal alloy in the runner system;   a first furnace fluidly coupled to the runner system, wherein the first furnace provides the first molten metal alloy to the runner system; and   a second furnace fluidly coupled to the runner system, wherein the second furnace provides the second molten metal alloy to the runner system, and wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are concurrent casting alloys.   
     
     
         2 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , wherein the runner system is a single runner that receives the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy, and wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy mix in the single runner. 
     
     
         3 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are different compositions. 
     
     
         4 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , wherein the runner system includes a first runner that fluidly couples the first furnace and the mold cavity and includes a second runner that fluidly couples the second furnace and the mold cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 3 , wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy mix in the mold cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are determined at least partially based on a virtual casting tool simulation to duplicate material properties of high-volume high pressure die casting (HPDC) production parts. 
     
     
         7 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third ingate in fluid connection with the mold cavity configured to direct a third molten metal alloy into the mold cavity to form the casting.   
     
     
         8 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third furnace that provides a third molten metal alloy to the runner system.   
     
     
         9 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 8 , wherein the third molten metal alloy is different than the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one riser fluidly coupled to the mold cavity.   
     
     
         11 . A prototype sand-casting system for producing a sand cast prototype that duplicates material properties of a high pressure die cast part, comprising:
 a sand-casting mold including a mold cavity having a predetermined shape of a casting;   a first runner system in fluid connection with the mold cavity, wherein the first runner system directs a first molten metal alloy into the mold cavity to form the casting;   a second runner system in fluid connection with the mold cavity, wherein the second runner system directs a second molten metal alloy into the mold cavity to form the casting, and wherein the second molten metal alloy at least partially mixes with the first molten metal alloy in the mold cavity;   a first furnace that provides the first molten metal alloy to the first runner system; and   a second furnace that provides the second molten metal alloy to the second runner system, wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy concurrently flow into the mold cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 11 , wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are different compositions. 
     
     
         13 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 11 , wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are determined at least partially based on virtual casting tools to duplicate material properties of high-volume high pressure die casting (HPDC) production parts. 
     
     
         14 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a third furnace that provides a third molten metal alloy to a third runner system, wherein the third runner system is fluidly coupled and provides the third molten metal alloy to the mold cavity.   
     
     
         15 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 14 , wherein the third molten metal alloy is different than the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy. 
     
     
         16 . The prototype sand-casting system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one riser fluidly coupled to the mold cavity.   
     
     
         17 . A method for providing a sand cast prototype replicating material properties of a high pressure die cast, comprising:
 providing a first molten metal alloy to a runner system from a first furnace, wherein the first molten metal alloy is determined at least partially based on virtual casting tools to duplicate material properties of high-volume high pressure die casting (HPDC) production parts;   providing a second molten metal alloy to the runner system from a second furnace, wherein the second molten metal alloy is determined at least partially based on virtual casting tools to duplicate material properties of high-volume high pressure die casting (HPDC) production parts; and   flowing the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy from the runner system to a sand-casting mold including a mold cavity having a predetermined shape of a casting.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy are different compositions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 providing a third molten metal alloy to the runner system from a third furnace, wherein the third molten metal alloy is determined at least partially based on virtual casting tools to duplicate material properties of high-volume high pressure die casting (HPDC) production parts.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the third molten metal alloy is different than the first molten metal alloy and the second molten metal alloy.