Dilatant mold and dilatant molding apparatus

摘要

An apparatus for molding complex powder articles having a two part dilatant mold resiliently coupled. The two halves of the mold are resiliently pressed into physical contact with each other by external means. A vacuum pump connected to the mold produces a fluidized powder material flow from a powder feed mechanism into the mold cavity. A vibrator vibrates the mold during the filling of the mold cavity with powdered material with a force sufficient to slightly separate the two halves of the mold cyclically dilating the volume of the mold cavity. The dilation of the mold cavity in combination with the fluidized powder feed permits the mold cavity to be uniformly filled with powder material. Dilation of the mold cavity also compacts the powder material received in the mold.