A combined drop/suction-casting machine for the manufacture of bulk-metallic-glass materials

The development of a machine with the capability to manufacture bulk-amorphous metal-alloy castings with a wide range of geometries and dimensions is described. The design utilizes a method of melting and alloying elemental metals and subsequently quench casting while controlling relative pressures to facilitate both drop and suction castings within an ultrahigh purity environment (∼1 appm oxygen). The focus of this design was to improve the capabilities and simplicity of existing laboratory-scale metallic-glass casting machines, as well as to combine two major casting processes currently being utilized for the fabrication of bulk-metallic glasses (BMGs). Processing experiments on the glass-forming alloy Vitrelloy-105 (Zr52.5 Cu17.9 Ni14.6 Al10 Ti5) are discussed. The design is presented in a conceptual format, which will allow future units to be developed and, subsequently, utilized for their unique capabilities. It is believed that this document should be of interest to anyone who would like to develop the capability to produce BMGs on the laboratory scale. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.