US 12,280,420 B2
Method of making an inorganic reticulated foam structure
Mitchell Hall, Reno, NV (US); Mark Benson, Carmel, CA (US); Metodi Zlantinov, San Francisco, CA (US); Alex Parke, Sparks, NV (US); and Denver Schaffarzick, Pacifica, CA (US)
Assigned to ERG Aerospace Corporation, Oakland, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/249,710
Filed by ERG Aerospace Corporation, Oakland, CA (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 20, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/055703
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 19, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/087034, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 28, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/094,176, filed on Oct. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0001435 A1, Jan. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. B22C 7/02 (2006.01); B22C 9/04 (2006.01); B22D 25/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01)
CPC B22C 7/02 (2013.01) [B22C 9/043 (2013.01); B22D 25/005 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a reticulated plaster mold or a reticulated ceramic plaster mold comprising
(a) selecting dimensions for preparation of a reticulated precursor, wherein the dimensions are selected from a library produced by the method comprising
(i) obtaining at least one piece of existing reticulated foam metal;
(ii) obtaining at least one piece of solid metal of the same composition as the reticulated foam metal of step (i);
(iii) attaching the at least one piece of reticulated foam metal of step (i) to the at least one piece of solid metal of step (ii) to form a sample;
(iv) performing a CT scan of the sample to generate a CT scan output;
(v) reassembling the output of step (iv) into at least one 2D image file;
(vi) generating an isosurface value;
(vii) using the isosurface value to convert the at least one image file into a 3D surface file;
(viii) optionally modifying the 3D surface file to alter the pore size and/or ligament density; and
(ix) generating at least one generic 3D surface dataset that provides the dimensions for the precursor;
(b) optionally altering ligament thickness;
(c) optionally altering porosity;
(d) 3D printing the reticulated precursor based upon the dimensions of at least one of steps (a)-(c);
(e) pre-investing the precursor with a pre-investment plaster or pre-investment ceramic plaster to encapsulate the precursor;
and
(f) removing the precursor to produce a reticulated plaster or a reticulated ceramic plaster mold.
 
19. A method of manufacturing a dual investment mold comprising
(a) selecting dimensions for preparation of a reticulated precursor, wherein the dimensions are selected from a library produced by the method comprising
(i) obtaining at least one piece of existing reticulated foam metal;
(ii) obtaining at least one piece of solid metal of the same composition as the reticulated foam metal of step (i);
(iii) attaching the at least one piece of reticulated foam metal of step (i) to the at least one piece of solid metal of step (ii) to form a sample;
(iv) performing a CT scan of the sample to generate a CT scan output;
(v) reassembling the output of step (iv) into at least one 2D image file;
(vi) generating an isosurface value;
(vii) using the isosurface value to convert the at least one image file into a 3D surface file;
(viii) optionally modifying the 3D surface file to alter the pore size and/or ligament density; and
(ix) generating at least one generic 3D surface dataset that provides the dimensions for the precursor;
(b) optionally altering ligament thickness;
(c) optionally altering porosity;
(d) 3D printing the reticulated precursor based upon the dimensions of at least one of steps (a)-(c);
(e) pre-investing the precursor with a pre-investment plaster or pre-investment ceramic plaster to encapsulate the precursor;
(f) investing the encapsulated precursor of step (e) with a second plaster or ceramic plaster; and
(g) removing the precursor to obtain a dual investment reticulated plaster solid mold or a dual investment reticulated ceramic plaster solid mold.