Investment casting or better known as lost-wax casting or precision casting is the process where the wax pattern is used to manufacture and shape a disposable ceramic mold. In this process, the wax pattern is made in the exact form of the item that is to be cast. It is one of the oldest methods dating back to 5000 years. Its roots trace back to ancient Egypt and China. What exactly does the word “investment” mean in an investment casting? It historically carries the meaning of “surrounded or clothed”.
Investment Casting In Depth
Investment casting is one of the most sought-after processes as it reduces material waste, energy as well as subsequent machining. It also makes the production of the intricate parts easier and hence this process is very useful for design engineers. The process of investment casting is pretty straightforward consisting of 6-8 steps that include creating a pattern, mounting the wax patterns and creating the tree, creating the mold shell, wax removal, melting and cast, and the final operations.
There are a few advantages of Investment casting and they include:
Size Range – Most of the investment castings are small but they can produce more than 1000 pounds. Most cast parts fall in the ounces to 20-pound range.
Intricate Shapes and Versatility – Many of the impossible configurations are only made possible through the route of investment casting especially where the machine tools cannot reach. It is a good alternative to weldments or fabrication. Also, many components can be combined into a single casting as the more combined the components are the better the efficiency.
Smooth and Accurate Surfaces – The ceramic shell that is used is built around smooth patterns and produced by injecting wax into a polished aluminum die with a 125 standard micro finish. There are also no parting liens as one mold is used instead of two half molds. So this adds to the smoothness and accuracy. The standards are discussed with the customer and then applied.
Integrity and Quality – Investment casting is known to have a long history of serving in the most demanding sectors such as gas turbine engines, chemicals, petroleum, and medicine.
Why Cirex Should Be Your First Choice?
Cirex is the place to go if you’re looking for investment casting! We produce complex castings and ensure that the precision is up to par as one of the largest steel-casting firms in the world with locations in more than five nations. This technology gives our engineers the freedom to select the components and product designs. We make sure that every casting is done exactly as you request and aspire. We choose quality, dependability, and certainty, and our casting processes feature qualities like a high level of dimensioning precision, freedom in design and shape, the ability to use any steel alloy, a high level of surface quality, mechanical post-processing, and a requirement for no-release angle.
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