Lost wax investment casting, commonly known as investment castings, produces a variety of metal components with exceptional as-cast surface quality and precise detail. These are shaped into interior or exterior features, thin walls, and internal passageways to achieve a near-net shape. Compared to conventional metal casting methods, these properties generally result in significant material, labor, and machining cost savings.

quality valves as a result of investment castings

Uses of Investment Casting

Shape

Experts use investment castings when there are external shaping and stringent tolerances. Likewise, it is also used when the parts are shaped or non-symmetrical with an exquisite detail.Tolerance impacts product design, manufacturing, and quality control, making them crucial to the ultimate product’s success. As a result, setting tolerances and the amount of allowable variation in cut components is an essential aspect of the quality cost.The goal is to balance lowering costs excessively and imposing too many regulations. Inspections, specialized equipment, higher scrap, and lower yields can all be increased by a tighter tolerance than is required.

Sand Casting

Investment casting is also resorted to when the wall thickness is too thin for sand casting. Sand casting molds are made by compacting sand around a pattern or model of the final product. It is usually mixed with clay as a bonding agent and saturated with water.The design is taken from the mold once it has been torn apart. The mold’s two pieces are reassembled, and the void is filled with molten metal. It is then opened, the sand is removed, and the item is removed once the metal has cooled sufficiently.

from ladle pouring red hot steel to investment castings

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