Investment Casting Process
The investment casting process, also called lost wax casting, is based on one of the oldest known metal-forming techniques. It produces near-net shape parts using the following steps:
- Wax is injected into a die to produce a pattern
- Patterns are affixed to a wax runner bar to create an assembly called a “tree”
- A robot dips the tree into a slurry to build up a ceramic shell
- The wax is melted out of the shell using heat and pressure
- The dewaxed ceramic shell is fired at 2000 degrees in a kiln
- Metal is poured into the fired shell
- The ceramic shell is knocked off the casting
Because near-net shape parts are created, investment casting saves time and money by reducing the need for secondary operations.
Our production capabilities cover a broad range of both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including:
- Aluminum
- Brass and bronze
- Stainless steel
- Carbon steel
- Copper nickel & high-temperature alloys
- Tool steels
Part sizes typically range from one ounce to as much as one hundred pounds for a wide range of the toughest industrial applications, such as:
- Fluid Power
- Oil & Gas
- Food & Dairy
- Medical & Dental
- Power Generation
- Hardware & Locks
- Military & Firearms
- Agriculture
We have the capacity to handle both large and small-volume runs, as well as prototypes.