Patent ID: 6935406

Claim:
A centrifugal casting system for casting a desired part, comprising: an elongated mold cavity comprising a runner section and a mold section, the runner section having a central axis, and the mold section having a complementary shape to the desired part; a porous preform comprising a reinforcing material, situated in the mold section of the mold cavity; means for rotating the mold cavity about a rotation axis not parallel to the central axis; a reservoir for introducing molten matrix material into the mold cavity at a predetermined head pressure, wherein the reservoir is arranged so as to maintain the head pressure at an approximately constant level during and after filling of the mold cavity and infiltration of the porous preform; and a valve positioned between the reservoir and the mold section of the mold cavity, the valve adapted to prevent introduction of molten matrix material into the mold section before a predetermined time or before a predetermined pressure is obtained.