Investment casting, also known as a lost wax casting, is a precision casting process capable of producing high accuracy and highly detailed castings compared to similar manufacturing methods such as sand casting. It ensures that highly complex items are created with the least amount of waste, energy, and subsequent machining. As a result, design engineers find investment casting to be extremely beneficial.
What Is Investment Casting?
Advantages of Investment Casting
Investment casting involves dipping a wax or appropriate polymer pattern into a refractory material slurry. Once the refractory material coating has been set, this dipping procedure is repeated several times to increase the thickness and strength of the coating. Once the final coating has hardened, the wax is melted away, and molten metal is poured into the cavity created by the wax design. When the metal casting has solidified, it is removed from the refractory mold. Investment casting is capable of creating complex components with brilliant as-cast surface finishes. Investment castings do not require taper to extract the components from their molds because the ceramic shells break away from the part as it cools. This manufacturing feature allows for the design of castings with 90-degree angles without the need for additional machining or shrinkage allowance.
Disadvantages of Investment Casting
The technique of investment casting is very costly since it requires several complicated processes. It can be more expensive than die casting or sand casting, but the cost per unit drops with high quantities. The high cost is due to the need for specialized equipment and the high cost of refractory material and labor.
Want To Know More About Investment Casting?
We at Ferralloy have invested in material and technical expertise to provide components you can truly count on. Here at Ferralloy Inc., we will provide you with the best process option to ensure that your costs are minimized without compromising quality. Contact us for a quote today!