Why to choose investment casting process?

Investment casting process is also called lost wax process, it can produce the most complex shapes in almost any alloy. The investment casting process offers many benefits including cost savings, design freedom, close tolerances, superior surface finishes, reproducibility, savings in machining and assembly time.

 

Reliability: The investment casting process provides reliable process controls and repeatability that are maintained from casting to casting.

Consistency: This process gives a reliable and consistent product order to order. The consistency in investing mouldings can also lead to lower scrap and lower final costs.

Closer Tolerances: Consistently producing close tolerances over other processes. The investing casting process routinely holds to tolerances of ± .005” which is not always possible with other types of casting processes.

Lower Tooling Cost: The initial wax injection mold, averaged over the parts produced, is often lower than other manufacturing tooling costs. Quality tooling produces a quality part and will be more cost efficient in the long run.

Better for the Environment: The wax patterns made from the first step of investment casting process in most cases can be reclaimed and used again. The wax pattern is a great way to see your part before it is cast, then expensive revisions can be eliminated and many metal scrap can be reduced. Secondly, the investment casting process produces parts to near net shapes which significantly reduces the amount of secondary machining. Most scrap from machining can also be reused.

Surface Finish Improvement: Investment casting uses a ceramic mold which can produce a much smoother finish, typically averaging 125 Ra surface finish as cast.

 

If you need a single consistent metal part with higher tolerance, if you want to reduce the labor time and fabrication cost, if you have to reduce assembly time and secondary machining, the investment casting would be a wise choice for you.