Wabon Precision Metal manufactures custom OEM metal components using silica sol investment casting (lost-wax casting) fully integrated with multi-axis CNC machining.
By unifying pattern making, shell building, induction melting, post-cast heat treatment, and precision machining under one roof, we eliminate third-party handling risks and deliver ready-to-assemble components to global OEMs across North America and Europe.
Core Capability Summary
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Process Type |
Silica Sol Investment Casting + In-House Precision CNC Machining |
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Annual Capacity |
Exceeds 1,000 Metric Tons |
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Part Weight Range |
0.05 kg to 100 kg (0.1 lbs to 220 lbs) |
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Maximum Envelope Dimensions |
Up to 1,000 mm x 800 mm x 400 mm |
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As-Cast Surface Finish |
Ra 3.2 um to Ra 6.3 um |
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Post-Machining Surface Finish |
Down to Ra 0.8 um (Ra 0.4 um with surface grinding) |
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As-Cast Linear Tolerance |
ISO 8062-3 CT4-CT6 standard grade |
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Machined Tolerance |
Up to +/-0.008 mm (+/-0.0003 in) on CNC critical dimensions |
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Production Run Types |
Low-to-medium volume prototypes, high-volume production series (100 to 50,000+ pcs/year) |
Manufacturing Process
Our production methodology focuses on eliminating internal gas porosity, shrink voids, and inclusion defects while keeping material yields predictable.
Tooling & Pattern Creation：Automated injection tooling.
Aluminum tooling is manufactured on high-speed CNC centers. Automated wax injectors insert medium-temperature pattern wax into precision dies.
Cluster Assembly (Treeing)：Gating system optimization.
Wax patterns are mounted onto engineered gating systems with calculated runner-to-riser ratios to optimize directional solidification.
Silica Sol Ceramic Shell Building：High refractory purity.
Multi-layer ceramic shells are constructed using pure silica sol binders and graded zircon/mullite refractories. Unlike water-glass systems, silica sol eliminates shell breakdown impurities, yielding tighter dimensional control.
Steam Dewaxing & Sintering：950 C - 1100 C firing.
Shells undergo rapid steam autoclave dewaxing, followed by high-temperature sintering at 950 C to 1100 C to burn out organic residues and maximize ceramic green strength.
Controlled Induction Melting & Pouring：Spectrometer verified.
Metals are melted in medium-frequency induction furnaces. Melt chemistries are verified prior to tapping using optical emission spectrometers.
Shell Knockout & Shot Blasting：Surface clearing.
Mechanical vibration removes the ceramic shell. Castings undergo stainless steel shot blasting to clear residual refractory binder.
Heat Treatment：Metallurgical optimization.
Castings undergo normalizing, stress relieving, solution annealing, or quenching and tempering (Q&T) depending on metallurgical specifications.
CNC Machining & Finishing：Final dimensional accuracy.
Castings are mounted onto dedicated fixtures for multi-axis secondary machining.
Materials and Technical Specifications
We melt and process standard carbon steels, low-alloy steels, austenitic/martensitic stainless steels, and copper-base alloys. Chemical compositions match international standard specifications (ASTM, EN/DIN, JIS, ISO).
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Material Category |
Standard Grades |
Key Properties / Typical Applications |
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Stainless Steel |
AISI 316 / 316L (1.4401 / 1.4404) AISI 304 / 304L (1.4301 / 1.4306) 17-4PH (1.4542 / CB7Cu-1) Duplex 2205 (1.4462 / CD3MN) |
High pitting corrosion resistance, marine environments, valve bodies, food processing equipment. |
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Carbon Steel |
WCB (ASTM A216) LCC / LCB (ASTM A352) AISI 1020 / 1045 |
Cost-effective structural integrity, pressure-retaining components, general machinery brackets. |
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Alloy Steel |
4140 (42CrMo4) 8620 (20NiCrMo2-2) 4340 (34CrNiMo6) |
Superior hardenability, high tensile strength, heavy-duty wear components, drivetrain gears. |
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Heat & Wear Resistant Steel |
HK40, HP40, High-Chrome White Irons |
High creep strength at elevated temperatures, thermal processing fixtures, mining liners. |
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Non-Ferrous Alloys |
Bronze (C95800 Aluminum Bronze) Brass (C36000) |
Seawater corrosion resistance, anti-galling properties, bushings, impellers. |
Manufacturing Capability Parameters
• Cast Surface Roughness: ISO 4287 Ra 3.2 - Ra 6.3 um (Cast); Ra 0.8 - Ra 1.6 um (Machined)
• Casting Tolerances: VDG P690 D1/D2; ISO 8062-3 CT4-CT6
• Wall Thickness Limits: Minimum 1.8 mm (on localized geometries); recommended 3.0 mm+ for general flow channels.
• Radiographic Defect Standard: ASTM E446 Level 2 / Level 3 achievable upon specification.
Key Product Features
Near-Net Shape Geometry:
Silica sol casting achieves complex internal passages, undercuts, and thin ribs, reducing secondary material removal by up to 40% compared to solid billet machining.
Controlled Grain Structure:
Monitored cooling rates and tailored gating designs eliminate internal shrinkage voids, crack formation, and gas entrapment.
Integrated Secondary Processing:
In-house multi-axis CNC machining, tapping, broaching, grinding, and surface treatments eliminate multi-vendor coordination bottlenecks.
Batch-to-Batch Consistency:
Fixed process sheets, automated wax injection settings, and controlled slurry viscosities ensure physical and metallurgical repeatability across multi-year orders.
Typical Applications
Our custom casting and machining parts serve critical industrial equipment sectors:
Fluid Handling & Pumps: Impellers (closed/open), pump casings, suction covers, diffuser rings, and strainer housings.
Valves & Pipeline Flow Control: Ball valve bodies, butterfly valve discs, wedge gates, gland flanges, and control valve trim components.
Heavy Machinery & Construction: Hinge brackets, linkage arms, track shoes, hydraulic cylinder mounts, and clevises.
Automotive & Commercial Vehicles: Turbocharger housings, exhaust manifolds, bracketry, gear shift forks, and suspension joints.
Process & Food Industry: Sanitary fittings, mixing paddles, separator bowls, and conveyor brackets demanding Ra <= 0.8 um finish.
Machining and Secondary Operations
To deliver drop-in, assembly-ready parts, our machining shop handles complete secondary processing:
Rough Machining：Removing excess stock.
Removing raw casting allowance on primary datums and reference faces.
Stress Relief Heat Treatment：Preventing deformation.
Thermal processing to eliminate internal casting and rough-machining stresses prior to tight finish-cuts.
Precision Finish CNC Turning/Milling：Tolerances to +/-0.008 mm.
High-speed CNC machining of critical diameters, threads, seal grooves, and tight mounting faces.
Surface Treatment：Protection & finishing.
Execution of specified chemical, mechanical, or electroplated coatings.
In-House CNC & Machining Equipment
• Machining Centers: Vertical (VMC) and Horizontal (HMC) 4-axis CNC centers for complex housing geometries.
• CNC Lathes: Live-tooling CNC turning centers for concentric turned parts, threads, and seal grooves.
• Grinding Equipment: Surface grinders and centerless cylindrical grinders for tight shaft and journal tolerances (down to +/-0.005 mm).
Surface Finishing & Post-Treatments
• Chemical / Electrochemical: Passivation (ASTM A967), Electropolishing, Chemical Conversion Coating.
• Mechanical: Media Blasting (Glass bead/Steel shot), Polishing (up to Mirror Finish / Ra 0.2 um).
• Plating & Coating: Zinc Plating, Nickel Plating, Powder Coating, Electrophoretic Coating (E-coat).
• Thermal Processing: Solution Annealing, Quenching & Tempering (Q&T), Carburizing, Induction Hardening.
Quality Control and Inspection
Quality control is integrated into every step of our manufacturing workflow. We do not rely on final inspections alone to catch defects.
Analytical Testing Capabilities
• Chemical Analysis: Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) for heat-by-heat chemical verification before liquid tapping.
• Dimensional Inspection: Hexagon 3D CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine), optical profile projectors, digital height gauges, thread plug/ring gauges.
• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT):
Dye Penetrant Inspection (PT) for surface crack detection.
Ultrasonic Testing (UT) & Radiographic Inspection (X-Ray) for subsurface shrinkage verification.
Magnetic Particle Inspection (MT) for ferromagnetic material surface flaws.
• Mechanical & Metallurgical Testing: Universal Tensile Testing Machine (Yield, Tensile, Elongation), Hardness Testers (Rockwell HRC, Brinell HBW, Vickers HV), Charpy V-Notch Impact Testing, Metallographic Microscope for microstructural analysis.
• Pressure Testing: Hydrostatic and pneumatic pressure test rigs for valve and pump housings up to 100 bar.
OEM and Custom Manufacturing
We work directly from customer drawings, CAD models, and physical sample parts.
DFM (Design for Manufacturability) Support:
Engineering teams evaluate draft angles, wall thickness uniformity, shrinkage factors, and parting lines prior to cutting tooling. Solidification simulation software minimizes internal defect risks.
Rapid Prototyping:
3D-printed wax/resin patterns enable rapid sample delivery in 10 to 14 days without initial hard tooling costs.
Tooling Ownership:
Production molds remain customer property and are maintained free of charge for the life of the product series.
Traceability:
Full heat-number traceability linked directly to chemical mill certificates and dimensional inspection logs.
What Buyers Should Provide for an RFQ
To receive an accurate engineering evaluation and firm commercial quotation within 24 to 48 hours, please include:
Engineering Drawings:
• 2D Drawings (PDF/DWG/DXF format with dimensions, tolerances, thread specs, and surface finishes).
• 3D CAD Files (STEP, IGES, or X_T format for geometry and volume calculations).
Material Specifications: Grade reference (e.g., ASTM A351 CF8M, DIN 1.4408, 4140 Steel, etc.). Specify heat treatment requirements if applicable.
Annual & Batch Quantities: Estimated Annual Quantity (EAU), initial sample quantity, and typical order batch sizes.
Inspection & NDT Requirements: Specify required NDT methods (X-Ray, PT, UT), pressure testing specs, or specific inspection levels.
Surface Finish & Packaging Requirements: Surface treatment standards (e.g., Passivated, E-coated, Machined Ra values) and custom export packaging preferences (VCI corrosion-inhibiting bags, custom foam inserts, wood cases).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the typical lead time for new tooling and initial samples?
A: Production tooling and First Article Inspection Samples (FAIR) are completed in 3 to 4 weeks. Rapid 3D-printed prototypes can be delivered in 10 to 14 days for fit-and-function validation.
Q: How do you prevent internal porosity in critical pressure-containing castings?
A: We utilize solidification modeling to place gates and risers correctly. Shell molds are pre-heated to minimize thermal shock during vacuum/induction pouring. Key pressure parts undergo Dye Penetrant (PT) and X-ray inspection.
Q: Can you process non-standard or proprietary material grades?
A: Yes. If standard ASTM/DIN specs do not match your needs, provide the required elemental ranges (C, Cr, Ni, Mo, etc.) and mechanical targets. Our metallurgical team will adjust furnace charges to match your chemistry.
Q: What documentation is provided with shipment?
A: Every production batch includes an EN 10204 3.1 Chemical & Mechanical Material Certificate, Dimensional CMM Inspection Report, and Surface Treatment Compliance Certificates. NDT (X-Ray/PT) reports are provided upon request.
Q: What casting tolerances can you hold before machining?
A: Our silica sol casting achieves ISO 8062-3 CT4-CT6 linear tolerances. Features requiring tighter tolerances (e.g., bearing fits, O-ring grooves, threaded holes) are finish-machined on our CNC centers down to +/-0.008 mm.
