Method and System for Casting Metal

Abstract

A metal casting system includes a cope mold portion, a drag mold portion, and a mold cavity. The cope mold portion comprises internal cope mold walls. The drag mold portion comprises internal drag mold walls. The cope mold portion and the drag mold portion comprise a molding material comprising a plurality of metal particles. The mold cavity is representative of a mold pattern, wherein the internal cope mold walls and the internal drag mold walls define, at least in part, the perimeter of the mold cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A metal casting system, comprising:
 a cope mold portion comprising internal cope mold walls;   a drag mold portion comprising internal drag mold walls, wherein the cope mold portion and the drag mold portion comprise a molding material comprising a plurality of metal particles;   a mold cavity representative of a mold pattern, wherein the internal cope mold walls and the internal drag mold walls define, at least in part, the perimeter of the mold cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metal particles are steel particles. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the steel particles are steel shot. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the steel shot is S-330 steel shot grade. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the molding material further comprises a sand material, wherein the sand material comprises one or more of chromite sand, zircon sand, synthetic sand, and ceramic sand. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the molding material comprises less than or equal to 85% by weight of metal particles. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the steel particles comprise one or more of steel shot and steel grit. 
     
     
         8 . A metal casting method, comprising:
 positioning a cope mold portion of a molding flask and a drag mold portion of the molding flask to create a passageway between a cavity representative of a mold pattern and an external portion of the molding flask, wherein the cope mold portion and the drag mold portion comprise a molding material comprising a plurality of metal particles;   filling the cavity, at least partially, with a molten alloy to create a metal casting, the metal casting created by the solidification of the molten alloy; and   removing the cope mold portion and the drag mold portion from the metal casting;   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal particles are steel particles. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the steel particles are steel shot. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the steel shot is S-330 steel shot grade. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the molding material further comprises a sand material, wherein the sand material comprises one or more of chromite sand, zircon sand, synthetic sand, and ceramic sand. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the molding material comprises less than or equal to 85% by weight of metal particles. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the steel particles comprise one or more of steel shot and steel grit. 
     
     
         15 . A metal casting method, comprising:
 receiving a first casting mold comprising a molding material comprising metal particles and one or more other media, the molding material used to create a cavity in the first casting mold;   extracting the molding material from the first casting mold;   separating the metal particles in the molding material from the one or more other media;   combining at least a portion of the separated metal particles and at least a portion of the one or more other media to create a reclaimed material;   forming a second casting mold , wherein creating the casting mold includes packing the reclaimed material around a molding pattern; and   creating a metal casting using the second casting mold.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more other media comprises a sand material, wherein the sand material comprises one or more of chromite sand, zircon sand, synthetic sand, and ceramic sand. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the metal particles are steel shot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the steel shot is S-330 steel shot grade. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metal particles are separated using magnetization. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second molding material comprises less than or equal to 85% by weight of metal particles.