INVESTIGATION OF AN INVESTMENT CASTING METHOD COMBINED WITH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING LATTICE STRUCTURES

Kodira, Ganapathy D. Investigation of an investment casting method combined with additive manufacturing methods for manufacturing lattice structures. Master of Science (Mechanical and Energy Engineering), August 2013, 5 tables, 31 figures, bibliography, 37 titles. Cellular metals exhibit combinations of mechanical, thermal and acoustic properties that provide opportunities for various implementations and applications; light weight aerospace and automobile structures, impact and noise absorption, heat dissipation, and heat exchange. Engineered cell topologies enable one to control mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties of the gross cell structures. A possible way to manufacture complex 3D metallic cellular solids for mass production with a relatively low cost, the investment casting (IC) method may be used by combining the rapid prototyping (RP) of wax or injection molding. In spite of its potential to produce mass products of various 3D cellular metals, the method is known to have significant casting porosity as a consequence of the complex cellular topology which makes continuous fluid’s access to the solidification interface difficult. The effects of temperature on the viscosity of the fluids were studied. A comparative cost analysis between AM-IC and additive manufacturing methods is carried out. In order to manufacture 3D cellular metals with various topologies for multi-functional applications, the casting porosity should be resolved. In this study, the relations between casting porosity and processing conditions of molten metals while interconnecting with complex cellular geometries are investigated. Temperature and pressure conditions on the rapid prototyping – investment casting (RP-IC) method are reported, thermal stresses induced are also studied. The manufactured samples are compared with those made by additive manufacturing methods