Investment Casting

Overview

Investment casting, also known as lost wax casting, is a manufacturing process in which a wax pattern is created and then coated with a ceramic slurry to create a mold. The wax is then melted out of the ceramic mold and molten metal is poured into the cavity. The molten metal solidifies and the ceramic shell is then broken or blasted off, creating a metal casting.

Benefits of Investment Casting

The advantages of investment casting are impressive. Create almost any configuration of your precision metal component. Design parts as small, large, or complex as you need. In short, eliminate many of the barriers holding you back today. Consider that investment casting can also help you:

• Reduce secondary operations
• Create stronger parts
• Have the widest choice of alloys
• Produce less waste
• Maintain incredibly tight tolerances
• Incorporate thinner walls for reduced weight
• Maintain outstanding repeatability
• Reduce tooling costs over multiple production runs
• Design highly detailed surfaces and stamps

Is Investment Casting Right For You?

Thinking of using investment casting on your next project or still not sure? To make the decision easy, here are five questions about your component goals and five about your business goals.

Are you specifying a part that:

1. Requires the tightest tolerances and repeatability?
2. Combines or simplifies multiple, complex parts into one single casting, while retaining unique details of each?
3. Requires flexibility and design freedom?
4. Requires a better as-cast surface finish?
5. Requires flexibility to pour multiple alloys within the same mold?

Do company goals require you to:

1. Lower your total costs?
2. Reduce waste, e.g. secondary operations and scrap?
3. Minimize stagnant inventory?
4. Improve reputation for product quality/return rate?
5. Make your supply chain more predictable?