Investment castings are one of the most common metal casting techniques today. Equipment and methodological advancements have kept up with demand throughout the years. The wax is melted out of the mold by heating it in an oven, leaving a ceramic shell mold for casting.
What Is the Mechanism?
Construction of a Metal Die
The master die’s size must be carefully determined, taking into account the wax pattern’s predicted shrinkage, the ceramic material invested over the wax pattern’s expected shrinkage, and the metal casting’s expected shrinkage.
Production of Wax Patterns
The mold or die is inserted with hot wax and allowed to set. Any internal characteristics may necessitate the use of cores. The wax pattern is an exact reproduction of the part that will be manufactured.
Making a Mold
The thickness of the ceramic shell is determined by the size and weight of the item being cast, as well as the metal pouring temperature. The solidified ceramic mold is flipped over and baked in an oven until the wax melts and drains away. As a result, a hollow ceramic shell is created.
Casting
Liquid metal pours into the pouring cup, via the central gating system, and into each mold cavity on the tree while the molten metal is still hot. The metal flows freely through thin, precise areas thanks to the pre-heated mold. The mold and casting will cool and shrink together, resulting in a casting with increased dimensional accuracy.
Cooling
The metal cools and solidifies after it is placed into the mold. The length of time it takes for a mold to solidify depends on the material used and the thickness of the casting.
Shakeout
The ceramic molds break down and the casting can be removed once it has solidified. Manual or water jets are commonly used to break up the ceramic mold. Individual castings are detached from their gating system tree after being removed by human impact, sawing, cutting, burning, or liquid nitrogen cold breaking.
Finishing
To smooth the part at the gates and remove defects, finishing processes such as grinding or sandblasting are typically used. Heat treatment may be used to harden the final product, depending on the metal from which the casting was made.
Interested in Learning More About Investment Castings?
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