1. A method of making a mold comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a matrix having an active surface corresponding to a shape to be molded;
(b) forming a first metal layer on the active surface of the matrix, the first metal layer including a working surface corresponding to the active surface and an outer surface;
(c) molding a curable liquid material and a plurality of metallic spheres mixture on the outer surface, to form a support; and
(d) removing the matrix.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming step includes spray depositing the first metal layer on the active surface of the matrix.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the spray depositing step includes making a plurality of passes with a spray gun in a plurality of directions relative to the active surface.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the spray gun is oriented in a plurality of orientations relative to the active surface.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the spray depositing step includes spray depositing a material including approximately 30-42% nickel.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first layer is between 0.0625 and 0.125 inches thick.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first layer has an exterior surface area of at least one square meter.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of mixing the plurality of metal spheres with a liquid polymer to form the mixture.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of metal spheres are formed by spraying metal into a container of liquid.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of metal spheres are removed from the liquid and dried under heat.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of metal spheres are formed of a material including approximately 30-42% nickel.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the metallic material of the first layer and the plurality of metal spheres include similar coefficients of thermal expansion.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first layer and the plurality of metal spheres are formed of a material including approximately 30-42% nickel.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing conformal lines in the mold.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing step is performed before the molding step.
16. A mold comprising:
a unitary metallic structure having a working surface having a shape corresponding to the shape of an article to be molded and an outer surface;
and a support attached to the outer surface of the structure, the support including a curable liquid material and a plurality of metallic spheres.
17. The mold of claim 16, wherein the working surface is at least one square meter in area.
18. The mold of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of conformal lines.
19. The mold of claim 16, wherein the structure and the spheres are formed of a material including approximately 30-42% nickel.
20. A method of making a mold comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a matrix having an active surface corresponding to a shape to be molded;
(b) spray depositing a first metal layer on the active surface of the matrix, the first metal layer including a working surface corresponding to the active surface and an outer surface;
(c) spraying a metal into a container of liquid to form a plurality of metallic spheres;
(d) drying the plurality of metallic spheres;
(e) mixing the plurality of metallic spheres with a curable liquid material to form a mixture;
(f) molding the mixture on the outer surface to form a support; and
(d) removing the matrix.
21. A method of forming hollow or porous metal structures comprising the steps of:
spraying metal into a container of liquid to form the structures; and
drying the structures under heat.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of metal spheres are formed of a material including approximately 30-42% nickel.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the liquid is water.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the spraying step includes spraying metal from a spray gun situated ten to twelve inches from the water.
25. The method of claim 24, furthering comprising the step of mixing the plurality of metal spheres with a curable liquid to form a mixture.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A field inspection system comprising:
a handheld computer;
a camera coupled to the computer to capture an image or video;
a sketch pad coupled to the handheld computer to capture a sketch; and
code to annotate the image and to communicate the image to a remote computer.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects work in progress data.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects project and contract identification, inspector identification, item number, location, and one or more description of activities.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects labor related information.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects labor type, quantity and hours.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects equipment information.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects equipment type, quantity, hours in use and stand-by hours.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects submittal information.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer collects weather condition, comments, and an inspector name.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer sends collected information to a server.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the collected information wirelessly using a wireless handheld unit.
12. the system of claim 10, further comprising a modem coupled to the handheld computer, wherein the information can be transmitted using a modem.
13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a hot-sync cradle coupleable to the handheld computer, the cradle hot-syncing the collected information for transmission to a server.
14. A method for managing a construction project, comprising:
collecting construction data from the field with a handheld computer;
capturing an image of the construction project using a camera coupled to the handheld computer;
tracking budgetary information using a planning system;
performing site engineering assessment using a design system; and
tracking material consumption and progress for each project using a construction system, the construction system adapted to receive data collected from the handheld computer.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising collecting work in progress data using the handheld computer.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising collecting labor related information using the handheld computer.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising collecting equipment information using the handheld computer.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising collecting submittal information using the handheld computer.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the handheld computer collects project and contract identification, inspector identification, item number, location, one or more description of activities, labor type, quantity, hours, weather condition, comments, and an inspector name.
20. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending collected information to a server over land-line or wireless medium.