A 5,000-year-old process, investment casting has evolved to become one of the most essential casting methods used by manufacturers today.
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During the investment casting process, hot wax is first injected into a metal mold in order to create a detailed model of the part. This wax model is then repeatedly coated with a refractory ceramic material, forming multiple hardened layers. The wax is removed via high-temperature melting, leaving only a hollow, molded shell representation of the original part. Next, hot metal is poured and solidified into the mold.
In order to remove the metal casting from the original shell, various techniques can be employed, from hammering to water jetting. The final part may be customized and finished with heat treating or other machining processes.
Also known as “lost-wax casting,” investment casting allows for unique benefits across a range of different industries. First off, the process allows for the production of extremely complex parts with thin, intricate features and excellent overall dimensional accuracy, achieving tolerances as tight as +0.003 in. (0.076 mm).
Finished investment casting parts also offer smoother surface finishes without any visible parting lines that may require removal. With investment casting, whole parts can be manufactured without the use of machining, welding, or assembly. Complex, multipart assemblies can also be cast in a single run.
And for investment casting manufacturers, the technique can be utilized for a variety of components across countless industries, allowing for expanded production capacity. Thanks to the wide range of metals available for use with investment casting, manufacturers are afforded greater design flexibility.
In rare cases, parts such as turbine blades, aircraft door frames, and other heavy components may be made using investment casting techniques. However, the process is usually ideal for smaller castings or complex parts weighing less than 250 lb. It’s important to remember that there are hole-size limitations for the mold; no less than 1/16” diameter is achievable before problems begin to occur.
While this casting technique is both flexible and reliable, it’s not ideal for high-volume runs due to the labor, setup, and cycle times required for initial wax patterns and shell molds. Investment casting manufacturers must also think carefully about the economics of part production, as overall quality may be affected. And finally, investment casting does entail fairly expensive startup costs.
From dental fixtures to heavy gears, investment casting is the go-to technique for multiple applications. Jewelers use investment casting for rings, pendants, and other small or intricate pieces. In the aerospace sector, numerous alloys are cast for interior components, landing and braking parts, bearing cages, and more.
For firearms manufacturers, investment cast parts offer greater precision and smoother surfaces than traditional machining offers, as well as near-net shape results that eliminate waste. In commercial and private hydraulic applications, common investment casting products include gate, rotary, and plug valve configurations made from stainless steel, iron, and brass. Other industries making use of investment casting include military, home hardware, automotive, medical, food and beverage, oil and gas, and railroad.
Virtually any metal can be investment cast — from durable brass plumbing components to lightweight magnesium-alloy aircraft canopies to stainless steel flywheels in automobiles. Whether users require a simple hammer from the hardware store or a customized, complex vacuum relief valve for railroad cars, investment casting provides the versatility needed to create a range of small- to medium-sized metal products.
Commonly used materials include steel, bronze, aluminum, cobalt, stainless steel, Monel, and both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. New automation technology has also improved some areas of the investment casting process, allowing for the creation of products that were previously unobtainable with this technique.
Investment casting is based on an ancient manufacturing process that was used by Egyptian and Chinese civilizations. The materials, methods, and processes involved have evolved over the course of thousands of years, and manufacturers can now achieve low- or medium-volume production for complex metal components without the need for extensive post-processing.
And with new advancements in metal alloy compositions introduced to the market every year, the product and material options for investment casting continues to broaden, helping today’s manufacturers to compete on a global scale.
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Need complex metal parts made with precision, intentionality, and accuracy? We’ll bet you’re in the market for an investment casting company.
Investment casting is a metal casting process that’s known for producing parts with smooth surface finishes and extremely precise metal features. Popular in the machine building, agriculture, and armament industries, the process can create near-net-shape parts with outstanding dimensional accuracy.
In some cases, investment cast parts are ready to use as they come out, without the need for additional finishing operations—which means investment casting can save you valuable time and money (depending on your product).
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Investment casting is a complicated and time-consuming process, but when done right the end results boast incredible dimensional accuracy—which is why it’s essential to find a partner that has the specialized equipment and expertise needed to excel in investment casting.
Also known as lost wax casting, investment casting has been used for almost 5,000 years. Back then, investment casting was used to make intricate decorations, religious figures, utensils, weapons, and jewelry. To this day, many industries still use the investment casting process to make intricate parts.
The process starts with making a pattern or prototype of the desired part. Master molds can be made by 3D printing, machining from steel, or carving from wood. Next, wax is injected into the finished mold. When the wax pattern cools, it creates a replica of the original pattern.
That wax pattern is covered in the investment material—“investment” refers to the mold being invested or filled with metal—a refractory ceramic material that hardens and becomes a ceramic mold. Finally, molten metal is poured into the ceramic mold, where it hardens. When the investment material is broken, the finished part is revealed.
During the investment manufacturing process, the wax pattern and ceramic mold are destroyed, and a new wax pattern must be made from the master pattern to produce each new ceramic mold—a process that begins again for each part.
When you’re researching the best investment casting companies, here’s what you’ll want to look for.
Ask prospective companies how much experience they have in investment casting, particularly working within your industry. Investment casting can be used to create a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from small cooling system parts to forklift counterweights and heavy agricultural machinery, so understanding the company’s direct industry experience with investment casting is important.
At The Federal Group, we’ve provided high-quality manufacturing services to a wide variety of industries for over four decades, and we’ve used investment casting to produce armored vehicle accessories, marine hardware like boat anchors and steering wheels, chain sprockets, gearbox housings, motor housings, plow tips, pump housings, turbo chargers and much more.
With investment casting, having the right equipment is essential. The more experience the company has with investment casting, the more advanced their casting equipment will be. In addition to asking about shell-making equipment and molding machines, you’ll also want to ask about the secondary machining capabilities to finish parts after casting is complete.
At TFG USA, our investment casting foundry has the most modern, state-of-the-art equipment, including a quality gating system plus robotic arms that help reduce operator-error casting defects, which results in a smoother finish. Our latest wax processing technology and semi-automatic injection machines allow us to make wax patterns quickly and reduce the time it takes to finish the project.
Investment casting can be an option for materials running from carbon steel and most steel alloys to brass, bronze, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. Does the company in question have sufficient experience casting in the material you’ll need?
At TFG USA, we can work with carbon steel and most steel alloys, brass, bronze, copper, aluminum, and stainless steels including Duplex , , and others.
Quality control is crucial when it comes to investment casting production. When considering investment casting companies, you’ll want to ask about how each product is tested, inspected, and qualified. During the research process, inquire about the inspection process, tools, and testing equipment.
At TFG USA, we are a full-service ISO -certified company, which means we strictly implement our quality control system and measures according to ISO quality management standards. Additionally, we offer dimensional and non-destructive testing (NDT) to make sure the investment castings meet the client’s required specifications.
As we mentioned, investment casting can be an involved—and sometimes costly—endeavor, though the high initial costs can often be offset in other ways. The best investment casting companies will offer innovative ways to bring prohibitive costs down for the customer.
For instance, after we create the wax pattern, we attach several wax patterns to a wax rod to create a tree structure. This enables us to cast many parts at once, which lowers the cost per part.
When your reputation is on the line for investment casting, you want a partner you can trust. As your metal parts experts, The Federal Group brings impressive expertise, powerful global network, and responsive, tech-driven, transparent process. If you’re seeking a partner for your next investment casting project, give The Federal Group USA a call.
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