Molding assembly with heating and cooling system

Abstract

A molding assembly for making molded parts includes a molding tool having conformal fluid lines that follow contours of a molding surface of the molding tool. The conformal fluid lines are defined in the molding tool during casting by sacrificial displacement lines formed by a three-dimensional printer. A temperature control station is coupled to the molding tool and includes a heating and cooling fluid. A valve station regulates fluid flow to the molding tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A molding assembly for making molded parts, comprising:
 a molding tool having conformal fluid lines that follow contours of a molding surface of the molding tool, the conformal fluid lines being defined in the molding tool during casting by sacrificial displacement lines formed by a three-dimensional printer;   a temperature control station coupled to the molding tool and having a heating and cooling fluid; and   a valve station for regulating fluid flow to the molding tool.   
     
     
         2 . The molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid used for heating is the same fluid used for cooling. 
     
     
         3 . The molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conformal fluid lines include walls having fluid flow-effecting fins. 
     
     
         4 . The molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the molding tool includes a conformal reservoir having a cross-sectional area that is different than a cross-sectional area of the conformal fluid lines, the conformal reservoir closely following contours of the mold surface. 
     
     
         5 . The molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature control station includes a refrigerating assembly having an evaporator that is submerged in a fluid collection tank holding cooling fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature control station includes a closed fluid circuit connected with both a heating assembly and a cooling assembly, and wherein the heating assembly and cooling assembly thermally adjust the fluid. 
     
     
         7 . A molding assembly for making molded parts, comprising:
 a molding tool having a conformal fluid line and a conformal reservoir proximate a molding surface of the molding tool, the conformal fluid line and conformal reservoir being defined in the molding tool during casting by sacrificial core portions formed by a three-dimensional sandprinting device; and   a closed-fluid circuit coupling the molding tool with a temperature control station.   
     
     
         8 . The molding assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the conformal fluid line includes walls having projections that effect the flow of fluid through the conformal fluid line. 
     
     
         9 . The molding assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 flow influencing members disposed in the conformal reservoir.   
     
     
         10 . The molding assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature control station includes a heating assembly having a heating element coupled with a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The molding assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature control station includes a refrigerating assembly having an evaporator that is submerged in a fluid collection tank that holds cooling fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The molding assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature control station includes a closed fluid circuit connected with both a heating assembly and a cooling assembly, and wherein the heating assembly and cooling assembly thermally adjust a thermally-influencing fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The molding assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the conformal fluid line undulates such that the space between the conformal fluid line and a molding surface of the molding tool varies. 
     
     
         14 . A method for making a molded part, comprising:
 making a sacrificial mold core package with sacrificial displacement lines developed by applying a binding agent on multiple layers of fine particulate;   forming a molding tool with conformal lines from the sacrificial mold core package and sacrificial displacement lines;   coupling a fluid temperature control station with the conformal lines in the molding tool;   heating a moldable material injected into a mold cavity of the molding tool; and   cooling the moldable material in the mold cavity.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 forming the conformal lines to substantially uniformly follow contours of a molding surface of the molding tool.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 using a fine sand as the fine particulate.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 forming an injection port in the molding tool that introduces the moldable material to the mold cavity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of heating a moldable material further comprises:
 rapidly heating the molding tool by flowing the single fluid through the conformal lines of the molding tool, wherein the single fluid is in a heated condition.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of cooling the moldable material further comprises:
 rapidly cooling the molding tool by flowing the single fluid through the conformal lines of the molding tool, wherein the single fluid is in a cooled condition.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming a molding tool with conformal lines further comprises:
 incinerating the binding agent such that the binding agent is removed from the sacrificial mold core and sacrificial displacement lines.