Investment casting, often referred to as “lost-wax” casting, uses an expendable-mold process to create complex products with exceptionally fine surfaces. It's a precision technique because of the versatility that can be created in mold design. Sand casting patterns must be split in two, and have internal cores are able to be supported inside a closed split mold. Investment molds can be made in almost any shape that can be carved in wax and coated. The process and molding is more expensive, but the products produced can be more complex and precise. The surface of all metal castings reflect the materials they're cast into. Sand castings therefore have a bumpy texture. Investment castings can come from the mold with a smoother finish.
Advantages of Investment Casting
Superior Surface Finish
The investment casting process provides far superior surface finish as compared to forgings and sand castings. This can be important at times to avoid machining or other finishing operations.
Variety of Materials
Investment cast parts can be cast in a range of alloys including stainless steel, brass, bronze, cobalt, nickel and custom alloys. Franklin Bronze casts alloys for many applications in a broad range of industries.
Closer to Finished Part Designs
Investment castings provide near net shapes for manufactured parts, thus eliminating or reducing machining costs. An added benefit of near net shape is the savings on material, especially with more expensive alloys like nickel and cobalt alloys.
Intricate Design
Holes, undercuts, slots and other difficult detail that cannot be had with other processes can often be provided through investment casting – thus reducing the amount of machining. Logos, numbers or names can be incorporated on parts as markings.
Difficult Thin Wall Castings
The investment casting process is capable of more reliable castings with much thinner walls than sand castings. Advantages include substantially less scrap rates and castings that weigh less due to the thinner wall capability.
Tight Tolerances
Due to the nature of the process, investment castings can be held to much tighter tolerances than sand castings or forgings. Tolerances down to + – 0.1mm can be achieved – resulting in a highly accurate cast part.
Competitive Tooling Costs
With Franklin Bronzes' own in-house tool manufacturing, initial charges for the investment casting tooling are often less expensive than those for die castings and forgings.
Minimal Casting Defects
Being a cleaner process than sand moulds, investment castings in general, provide a much higher percentage of defect free-castings.
Rapid Prototyping for New Product Development
Rapid prototyping can get products to market faster. Using 3-D Modeling, FBPC can move faster from the development phase to the production phase. 3-D Modeling can be especially beneficial for those with requiring quick, small order prototyping as there is no need for wax model tooling. This speed to market helps customers compete in the marketplace.
And…they just look better!
Whether or not appearance is critical, investment castings have the appearance of high quality. Minimal to no discernible parting lines are the norm. Also, most outside surfaces do not require draft.
Why Choose Us
Our Factory
The company has precision casting and machining production lines, covering a total area of over 30,000 square meters, and employs about 180 employees.
Our Services
Our factory supply oem service (custom service) in precision investment casting, which are also called lost wax casting, we have been committed to this technique for over 20 years.
Advanced Equipment
A machine, tool or instrument designed with advanced technology and functionality to perform highly specific tasks with greater precision, efficiency and reliability.
Innovation
We are dedicated to improving our systems continually, ensuring that the technology we offer is always cutting edge.
Casting in Foam
Engineers can use it to produce three-dimensional renditions of their conceptualizations. It is a manufacturing process used to make decorative, elaborate, and intricate metal shapes, arrangements, and designs.
Investment Casting in Water Glass
Instead of ethyl silicate, the water glass is employed as the shell's binding agent. The technique, which dates back to the 1950s, has a material cost and manufacturing cycle advantages. It has a simpler technique, operation, and parameters that may be accomplished by ordinary personnel, resulting in increased production and efficiency.
Casting with Direct Investment
The first approach involves carving the pattern by hand or machine to generate a one-up version that is then treated using the lost wax method. This method is used to make a prototype, produce small batches of final products, or determine dimensions.
Sand Casting
Sand casting is used to make huge pieces by pouring molten metal into a mold hole that has been formed out of natural or synthetic sand. The cavity is constructed by using a pattern, which is usually made of wood or metal and is the same shape and size as the actual item. The cavity is somewhat larger as a result of the pattern being slightly oversize, which compensates for the contraction of molten metal during cooling.
Materials That Can Be Machined by Investment Casting
Stainless steel
Stainless steel offers superior durability compared to many other materials. The potential of this material has led designers and engineers to increasingly use investment casting. Applications for stainless steel include transmission parts in automotive applications, various gears, camping components and golf club heads.
Low-alloy steel
Low alloy steel is one of the most commonly used steels in machinery due to its affordability and beneficial mechanical properties. Specialized heat treatment processes can engineer parts with different properties in different areas of the same workpiece. For example, different heat treatments can be used to make one surface tough and impact-resistant, while another becomes wear-resistant.
Aluminum alloy
Due to improvements in material strength and the availability of high-quality castings made from aluminum-silicon-magnesium alloys, castings can now be used in demanding applications such as airframe components.
Carbon steel
Carbon steel is a common, low-cost material available in a variety of grades, with classifications varying based on carbon content. In industrial applications, the strength, ductility and properties of carbon steel can be improved through heat treatment. The ferromagnetic properties of carbon steel allow it to be used in motors and appliances. It is safe, durable and has high structural integrity, making it one of the most commonly used alloys in the world.
Super alloy
Nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys are widely used in the aerospace, energy, medical, chemical and marine industries. Nickel-based alloys are stronger at high temperatures, and cobalt-based alloys have better corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and wear resistance than nickel-based alloys. Superalloys are increasingly replacing sheet metal because they offer high stiffness and excellent service characteristics while still being a cost-effective option.
Copper alloy
Copper-based alloys resist corrosion and have low wear rates. They are often used in applications such as ship or pump propellers, electrical components, and piping components. It is a versatile material, available in more than 400 different alloys with a variety of properties.
Cast iron
Cast iron parts, usually including gray cast iron and ductile iron, are known for their high precision and affordable price. Ductile iron has high strength, heat resistance and toughness, but its production process is more complex than other steels. This results in higher production costs than cast steel.
Impro Investment Casting
Investment casting materials have different properties and uses, so it is important to choose the right casting material for your application. Proper material selection will ultimately help you achieve the desired functionality of your design while minimizing cost and material waste.
Application of Investment Casting
Investment casting in the automotive industry
Investment casting is a versatile manufacturing process that has found numerous applications in various industries. One of the key sectors where investment casting has made significant contributions is the automotive industry. Investment casting offers several advantages in terms of design flexibility, precision, and performance enhancement, making it an ideal choice for producing critical components in automobiles.
Investment casting in the aerospace industry
Investment casting plays a crucial role in the aerospace industry, where precision and complexity are of utmost importance. By utilizing investment casting techniques, aerospace manufacturers are able to produce high-quality components that meet the stringent requirements of this industry.
Investment casting in the medical industry
Investment casting, also known as lost-wax casting, is a versatile manufacturing process that has found numerous applications across various industries. One such industry where investment casting has made significant advancements is the medical field. Investment casting plays a crucial role in the production of orthopedic implants and dental prosthetics, providing customized solutions for patients with specific needs.
Dental prosthetics
Investment casting has revolutionized the production of dental prosthetics by providing accurate fit and aesthetic appeal. Dental prosthetics include crowns, bridges, dentures, and dental implants that are used to restore missing or damaged teeth.
Investment casting in the art and jewelry industry
Investment casting, also known as lost-wax casting, is a versatile manufacturing process that has found its application in various industries. One such industry where investment casting has made a significant impact is the art and jewelry industry. With its ability to create highly detailed and intricate designs, investment casting has become an invaluable technique for artists and jewelers alike.
Sculptures
In the art world, investment casting has revolutionized the way sculptures are created. This process allows artists to bring their visions to life with incredible precision and complexity. The lost-wax method enables the creation of highly detailed shapes that would be nearly impossible to achieve through traditional sculpting techniques. Artists can now produce sculptures with intricate details, such as facial expressions or delicate textures, that capture the essence of their subject matter.
Jewelry
Investment casting has long been used in the jewelry industry due to its ability to produce customizable and unique pieces. Jewelers can create one-of-a-kind designs by using wax patterns that are transformed into metal through the investment casting process. This allows for endless possibilities when it comes to creating personalized jewelry pieces for individuals.
Surface Treatment of Investment Casting
The purpose of heat treatment is to enhance the mechanical characteristics and properties of the component. The casting process reduces the strength, durability, and toughness of a metal, but heat treatments eliminate internal stress. The heat treatments used for investment casting include vacuum solution annealing, hardening, tempering, and precipitation hardening.
The purpose of vacuum solution annealing is to remove precipitative material and change the workpiece to a single-phase structure. After the annealing, the workpiece is soft and ductile, ready to be hardened. At this stage, the workpiece is workable, machinable, weldable, and has dimensional stability.
Hardening includes heating the metal until it reaches its austenitic crystal phase. After this, it is quickly cooled. The process increases the strength and wearability of the workpiece.
Tempering heats the workpiece to a temperature just below its critical range, holds it there, then cools it. The process of tempering reduces brittleness and requires precise control, so it does not affect hardness.
Precipitation hardening, or age hardening, makes the workpiece harder. It is performed in a vacuum at temperatures that range between 900 °f (482 °c) and 1150 ° f (621 °c). The process includes heating the workpiece, treating it with a solution, cooling it, and heating it again before rapidly cooling it.
Investment Casting: Steps in the Investment Casting Process
Creating the Die/Pattern
The first step in the process is to create the die or pattern of the desired workpiece. The pattern is made from wax. It can be poured into a die using injection molding, carved by hand from a block of wax, or printed using a 3D printer and the appropriate wax material.
Mounting the Wax Patterns
Investment casting tooling involves creating multiple wax patterns and attaching these onto a “gate” device. This device is where metal or other materials will be poured to eventually create the desired workpieces.
Tree Assembly
The tree assembly finishes the mounting of the wax patterns on the “gate” device. It is called a tree at this step because each individual wax pattern is essentially a “branch” and will be one finished workpiece once the process is finalized. You may have seen tree assemblies in new board games that need to have pieces detached before use.
Shell Molding
Once the tree is assembled, the next step is to add the shelled casting around it. First, the tree is dipped into a ceramic slurry. Then it is dipped into a stucco of fine sand. The molding must fully dry before it can be used. These two processes can be completed multiple times until the mold is thick enough to handle casting stresses.
Wax Removal
Before the desired material can be poured into the newly shelled mold, the wax patterns have to be removed first. This is often done by heating the wax inside an oven. Steam can also be used to heat the wax. The mold is placed upside down so that the liquid wax can flow out of it and be reused to create new wax patterns.
Mold Casting
After the wax has been removed, there will be open spaces inside the shelled casting in the shape of the formal wax patterns. Molten metal or another liquid material is poured into the casting. The material remains in the casting until it has fully cooled and solidified.
Removing the Shelled Casting
A hammer or another tool is used to remove the shelled casting until all that is left is the original tree. In place of the wax patterns, there will now be the finished workpieces attached to the tree. After the casting has been removed, the workpieces are carefully cut off the tree.
Finishing Operations
Each workpiece is inspected for imperfections. If any are found, they are discarded, and the material is recycled. The last step in the investment casting process is to use different finishing methods on the workpieces. They may be sanded, coated, smoothed, machined, etc. to achieve the desired results.
Selection of Materials
Different casting processes offer different solutions. Investment casting is the better option if you're planning to use stainless steel or copper alloys. However, if you plan to use non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, zinc, and magnesium, go for die casting.
Annual Volume
What has your desired payback period for the tool cost? Considering the cost of tooling, can you break even with the number of created parts? Casting investment tooling is cheaper and is ideal for lower volume projects. On the other hand, die casting is suitable for high-volume projects and larger production runs.
Tolerance
The shape of the component and the type of material that's going to be used will largely influence the tolerance capabilities of any casting process.
Cycle Time
Although both processes are able to produce complex components, they differ in the aspect of cycle times. Casting investment requires labor and a few more hours of work while die casting can automatically create 3 to 4 shots per minute (conventional die casting) and upwards of 45 shots per minute (multi-sided casting).
Cost
Up to 60% of the final component cost is determined by the cycle time. This means that casting investment costs more than die casting because of its highly manual processes.
How the Investment Casting Works
Pattern creation
Each casting requires a three-dimensional, solid wax pattern from which to make the mold. Modern technologies allow manufacturers to create wax patterns using a three-dimensional printing process.
Mold making
The manufacturer dips the wax pattern into a solution, or slurry, which hardens and creates a mold, or investment. The slurry may contain items such as powdered silica or plaster of Paris. For applications that use higher temperatures, the slurry may include sillimanite.
Wax melting
After the investment dries, the manufacturer removes the wax inside by melting and pouring it out, or vaporizing it.
Investment preparation
The manufacturer heats the mold to rid it of any leftover wax and moisture, and to harden the binders.
Metal pouring
Molten metal enters the investment using gravity, a vacuum or pressurized conditions.
Divesting
After the metal hardens, the manufacture removes the investment. Removal techniques include hammering, vibrating, water-jetting, media blasting or chemical dissolving.
Company Profile
Wabon Precision Metal Co. Ltd ,Founded in 2014, is a professional manufacturer and exporter of investment casting,which covered the mould manufacturing, CNC machining and surface finishing treatment.The company has precision casting and machining Production lines, covering a total area of over 30,000 square meters, and employs about 180 employees. The headquarters is located in a famous Chinese cultural city, the hometown of Confucius, Jining City, Shandong Province, Qingdao Port in the east and Jinan Yaowall International Airport in the north. The traffic conditions are very convenient.
FAQ
Q: What is Investment Casting?
Q: How does Investment Casting work?
Q: Why is it called Investment Casting?
Q: What are the advantages of Investment Casting?
Q: What materials can be used in Investment Casting?
Q: What industries commonly use Investment Casting?
Q: What is the history of Investment Casting?
Q: What is the difference between Investment Casting and Die Casting?
Q: What is the dimensional accuracy of Investment Casting?
Q: What are the surface finish capabilities of Investment Casting?
Q: Can Investment Casting be automated?
Q: What sizes of parts can be made with Investment Casting?
Q: What are the limitations of Investment Casting?
Q: What is a wax pattern in Investment Casting?
Q: What happens to the wax pattern in Investment Casting?
Q: What types of products are commonly made with Investment Casting?
Q: What is the role of the ceramic mold in Investment Casting?
Q: How are the ceramic molds made in Investment Casting?
Q: What is the difference between Investment Casting and Sand Casting?
Q: Can Investment Casting be used for mass production?
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