What is Investment Casting?
Investment casting is a manufacturing process in which a wax pattern is coated with a refractory ceramic material. Once the ceramic coating material is dry and hardened, the wax is melted out and leaves an internal cavity the shape of the final product’s geometry. Molten metal is poured into the cavity where the wax pattern was. The metal solidifies within the ceramic cavity, cools, and the ceramic is removed from the metal casting. The result of this process is a net to near-net precision metal component which can be used for a broad range of applications in various industries.
Why is it Called Investment Casting?
The ancient art and science of investment casting is also known as the lost wax process. Investment casting was developed over 5500 years ago and can trace its roots back to both ancient Egypt and China. Parts manufactured in industry by this process include dental fixtures, gears, cams, ratchets, jewelry, turbine blades, machinery components and other parts of complex geometry.
What is the Investment Casting Process?
Investment casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is poured into a ceramic mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is the casting, which is broken away from the ceramic mold to complete the process. The steps within the investment casting process are as follows:
Step 1: Engineering Review
- The first step of this manufacturing process begins with a full Design For Manufacturing (DFM) review with the customer.
- This would include an evaluation of print dimensions as it relates to the investment cast process, wax injection mode build considerations such as gate placement, post-case material requirements and expected tolerances for fit, form and function of the part, and final inspection criteria to determine a mutually acceptable part.
