Patent ID: 7258755

Claim:
A method of processing a cast metal comprising: determining a process control temperature for a metal to be cast, wherein the process control temperature is a temperature below which for every one minute of time the temperature of the cast metal decreases, more than one minute of heat treatment is required to attain the desired properties of the cast metal, and the process control temperature is from about 400° C. to about 1300° C.; pouring the metal in a molten state into a mold; transferring the poured metal to a heat treatment unit including a heat treatment furnace; heat treating the poured metal within the mold in the heat treatment furnace; and maintaining the temperature of the poured metal at or above the process control temperature and below a heat treatment temperature for the cast metal from the pouring until the heat treating, so as to allow the metal to solidify sufficiently to form a casting while enabling shorter heat treating times for the casting, wherein the maintaining includes monitoring the temperature of the poured metal within the mold and, in response to the monitoring, applying heat as needed to the poured metal within the mold.