I am steadily making progress on the intake manifold.
This is a whole new technique for doing sand casting
patterns and core boxes. I had a pattern maker tell me it
would never work. Not only did I have to get up to speed on Rhino
I had to learn some tricks about cutting the cost
of the rapid proto typing system.

Here is one of those tricks. One must either shell out all
parts or grow them using a "course" interior support to
save time and expensive material. One of these core boxes
could take 96 hours or more if this is not done.

This takes the form of a honey comb like interior structure.
Unfortunately I deem it too fragile for production
uses so I cut a large rectangular hole in the bottom
of the core boxes and pot them with a wet micro mixture.

The exterior parts of the pattern on the lower left
have been shelled out and potted with the micro mixture
already. The others are waiting to be done.

One obvious advantage of this way of making patterns is
the extreme accuracy possible. Well within ten thousands
of an inch and uniform wall thickness.

I should be able to apply all this knowledge to the
next pattern I do and knock these things out faster in
the future. Sorry about all the time it is taking
to make these castings.


Paul Lamar

Wow.  Not exactly a hunk of wood and a gouge, now is it?  Still back in the
stone age here.  Waiting for the machine shop to call me back with the
prototype casting finished.  They are moving location this week, so it'll
delay a few more days.  Photos when I get it back.

Tom (20B Manifold) Kendall

 
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