{"id":23784,"date":"2024-08-01T11:51:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T08:51:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/?p=23784"},"modified":"2024-10-30T11:34:50","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T09:34:50","slug":"investment-casting-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/investment-casting-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Investment Casting &#8211; Working Principle, Process &#038; More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Like sand casting, investment casting is one of the oldest <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/metal-casting-types\/\">casting processes<\/a> practiced already in ancient civilisations. Dating back to 3700 B.C. in the Levant region for making jewelry, ornaments, and idols, this casting technique was also used by Harappa, Mesopotamia, Aztec, Mayan, and Benin civilisations, and found in the tombs of Egyptian rulers.<\/p>\n<p>The founding principles of investment casting have remained the same over thousands of years. However, adding supporting technologies such as CAD\/CAM, additive manufacturing, and real-time monitoring capabilities has significantly improved the final part quality, consistency, and affordability of this industrial process.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we shall explore the workings of modern investment casting processes, along with their advantages, disadvantages and use cases.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-key-takeaways\">\n        <span class=\"v2-section-title v2-section-title--md\">Key Takeaways<\/span>\n        <ul class=\"shortcode-key-takeaways-list\">\n                                                <li>Investment casting is a prominent metal manufacturing process with applications in most <strong>safety-critical industries<\/strong> such as aerospace, automotive, energy, defence and chemical.<\/li>\n                                                                <li>This casting method involves a <strong>detailed eight-stage process<\/strong>, including creating a master pattern and die, producing a wax pattern, creating a ceramic shell and reclaiming wax, pouring metal, and post-processing, all aimed at achieving <strong>precise and high-quality castings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n                                                                <li>Investment casting offers <strong>excellent dimensional accuracy<\/strong>, smooth surface finishes, and compatibility with a wide range of metals. However, it has limitations like the need for high process control, longer production cycles, higher costs for low quantities, and challenges in casting internal cavities.<\/li>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        <\/ul>\n    <\/div>\n    \n<h2>What Is Investment Casting?<\/h2>\n<p>Investment casting, also sometimes known as <strong>precision casting<\/strong> or <strong>lost wax casting<\/strong>, is one of the most popular metal forming techniques. The term &#8216;investment&#8217; originates from the archaic meaning of &#8216;invest,&#8217; which refers to clothing or surrounding an object with a layer of material.<\/p>\n<p>In this process, a wax pattern is encased in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Refractory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">refractory material<\/a> to <strong>form a ceramic shell mould<\/strong>. The pattern is slightly larger in dimensions than the final product to accommodate shrinkage when the material cools.<\/p>\n<p>Since the shell mould has a hard surface, investment casting delivers <strong>smoother surface finishes than sand casting<\/strong>. The process can work with most metals. Some popular metals that are highly compatible with investment casting are bronze, magnesium, <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/what-is-stainless-steel\/\">stainless steel alloys<\/a>, glass, carbon steel, brass, aluminium and <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/aluminium-grades\/\">aluminium alloys<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Investment Casting Process<\/h2>\n<div class=\"arve arve-hover-effect-darken\" data-mode=\"lazyload\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-2buf_bvzcaq\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" data-reset-after-played data-fullscreen=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 500 \/ 281\">\n<span class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/span><noscript class=\"arve-noscript\"><iframe credentialless referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allow=\"accelerometer &#039;none&#039;;ambient-light-sensor &#039;none&#039;;autoplay;battery &#039;none&#039;;bluetooth &#039;none&#039;;browsing-topics &#039;none&#039;;camera &#039;none&#039;;ch-ua &#039;none&#039;;clipboard-read &#039;none&#039;;clipboard-write;display-capture &#039;none&#039;;document-domain &#039;none&#039;;domain-agent &#039;none&#039;;encrypted-media &#039;none&#039;;execution-while-not-rendered &#039;none&#039;;execution-while-out-of-viewport &#039;none&#039;;gamepad &#039;none&#039;;geolocation &#039;none&#039;;gyroscope &#039;none&#039;;hid &#039;none&#039;;identity-credentials-get &#039;none&#039;;idle-detection &#039;none&#039;;keyboard-map &#039;none&#039;;local-fonts &#039;none&#039;;magnetometer &#039;none&#039;;microphone &#039;none&#039;;midi &#039;none&#039;;navigation-override &#039;none&#039;;otp-credentials &#039;none&#039;;payment &#039;none&#039;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &#039;none&#039;;publickey-credentials-get &#039;none&#039;;screen-wake-lock &#039;none&#039;;serial &#039;none&#039;;speaker-selection;sync-xhr &#039;none&#039;;usb &#039;none&#039;;web-share;window-management &#039;none&#039;;xr-spatial-tracking &#039;none&#039;;\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" data-arve=\"arve-youtube-2buf_bvzcaq\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2bUF_BvZcAQ?start=8&amp;feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" name sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2bUF_BvZcAQ?start=8&#038;feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=1&#038;enablejsapi=1\" width=\"900\" title=\"Investment Casting Process Walkthrough\" loading=\"eager\"><\/iframe>\n<\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Investment Casting Process Walkthrough\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\/hqdefault.webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\/mqdefault.webp 320w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\/hqdefault.webp 480w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\/sddefault.webp 640w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\/hq720.webp 1280w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\/maxresdefault.webp 1920w\" class=\"arve-thumbnail\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<h5 class=\"arve-title\">\nInvestment Casting Process Walkthrough\n<\/h5>\n<button role=\"button\" type=\"button\" class=\"arve-play-btn arve-play-btn--youtube\" data-target=\"#arve-youtube-2buf_bvzcaq\" aria-label=\"Play video: Investment Casting Process Walkthrough\">\n<svg class=\"arve-play-svg arve-play-svg--youtube\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"68\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t<path fill=\"#1f1f1e\" fill-opacity=\"0.81\" d=\"m .66,37.62 c 0,0 .66,4.70 2.70,6.77 2.58,2.71 5.98,2.63 7.49,2.91 5.43,.52 23.10,.68 23.12,.68 .00,-1.3e-5 14.29,-0.02 23.81,-0.71 1.32,-0.15 4.22,-0.17 6.81,-2.89 2.03,-2.07 2.70,-6.77 2.70,-6.77 0,0 .67,-5.52 .67,-11.04 l 0,-5.17 c 0,-5.52 -0.67,-11.04 -0.67,-11.04 0,0 -0.66,-4.70 -2.70,-6.77 C 62.03,.86 59.13,.84 57.80,.69 48.28,0 34.00,0 34.00,0 33.97,0 19.69,0 10.18,.69 8.85,.84 5.95,.86 3.36,3.58 1.32,5.65 .66,10.35 .66,10.35 c 0,0 -0.55,4.50 -0.66,9.45 l 0,8.36 c .10,4.94 .66,9.45 .66,9.45 z\"><\/path>\n\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m 26.96,13.67 18.37,9.62 -18.37,9.55 -0.00,-19.17 z\" ><\/path>\n\t<path fill=\"#ccc\" d=\"M 45.02,23.46 45.32,23.28 26.96,13.67 43.32,24.34 45.02,23.46 z\" ><\/path>\n<\/svg>\n\n<\/button>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fractory.com\\\/investment-casting-explained\\\/#arve-youtube-2buf_bvzcaq\",\"type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/embed\\\/2bUF_BvZcAQ?start=8&feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=1&enablejsapi=1\",\"name\":\"Investment Casting Process Walkthrough\",\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i.ytimg.com\\\/vi_webp\\\/2bUF_BvZcAQ\\\/hqdefault.webp\",\"uploadDate\":\"20150519T000000+0100\",\"author\":\"Niagara Investment Castings\",\"duration\":\"5M13S\",\"description\":\"Learn about the steps involved in the investment casting process.\"}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The investment casting process is more intricate than the widely used <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/sand-casting-explained\/\">sand casting process<\/a>, thus involving more stages. Investment casting involves 8 stages and these are as follows:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<p>Creation of the master pattern<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Creation of the master die<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Creation of the wax pattern<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Creation of the shell mould<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Removal of wax<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Pouring of molten metal and subsequent cooling<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Removal of casting from the shell mould<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Post-processing operations<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Let&#8217;s look closer at what is happening in each of the stages:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Creation of the Master Pattern<\/h3>\n<p>The master pattern is an exact duplicate of the product required. It may be made from wood, metal, plastic, clay, wax or other specialist alloys. Over the years, manufacturers have shifted to 3D printing master patterns due to their compatibility with <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/best-cad-cam-software\/\">CAD\/CAM<\/a> and improved dimensional accuracy.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Creation of the Master Die<\/h3>\n<p>The master pattern is used to create a master die. The master die&#8217;s creation technique depends on the master pattern&#8217;s material. For instance, if the master pattern is from steel, it can be placed in molten aluminium, since <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/melting-point-of-metals-chart\/\">aluminium melts at 660\u00b0C<\/a> (1,220\u00b0F), whereas steel melts at around 1500\u00b0C (2,732\u00b0F). Thus, the molten aluminium will not dissolve the steel. Upon solidification, it will create an aluminum-based master die.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3D-printed master dies<\/strong> are increasingly being used because they offer a <strong>cost-effective alternative to metal dies<\/strong> when only a few castings are needed.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Creation of the Wax Pattern<\/h3>\n<p>There are several ways to produce wax patterns from master dies. One method involves filling the die with a small amount of wax and shaking it until it evenly coats the inner surface of the die and solidifies. This process is repeated until the desired thickness is achieved, resulting in a hollow wax pattern.<\/p>\n<p>The second method involves filling the master die completely with wax. The wax may be fed directly or through high-pressure injection into the die. The high pressures enable the wax to fill all of the cavity&#8217;s features in the case of complex components. The wax patterns thus produced are solid.<\/p>\n<p>During this stage, cores can be added to create internal cavities in the wax pattern. Common materials for cores include soluble wax or ceramic. The soluble wax is removed in stage 5, while ceramic cores are removed after the final product has hardened.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Creation of the Shell Mould<\/h3>\n<p>Wax patterns cannot withstand the high temperatures of molten metal. Therefore, ceramic moulds are created from wax patterns to endure the heat of molten metal. The ceramic mould is formed by <strong>immersing the wax pattern into a slurry of refractory material<\/strong> and allowing it to solidify.<\/p>\n<p>The process is essentially the same as coating vanilla ice cream with a layer of chocolate. When the cold vanilla ice cream comes into contact with hot melted chocolate, the chocolate sticks to the ice cream and solidifies almost immediately, creating a thin shell of chocolate covering the ice cream.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, when the ceramic slurry comes into contact with the wax pattern, it adheres to it and solidifies. Several passes of the wax pattern are made, starting with a finer slurry and then a coarser one to achieve the desired thickness of the ceramic mould. The mould is then left to cool down.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Wax Removal<\/h3>\n<p>Once the slurry has hardened, it is placed in a furnace to remove the wax and for further sintering of the ceramic mould. Sintering is the process through which items are hardened through pressure and heat but without liquefaction. As the temperature rises, sintering hardens the mould while the molten wax is reclaimed for future use. This stage gives us the solid ceramic mould for the actual casting process.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Pouring of Molten Metal and Subsequent Cooling<\/h3>\n<p>After the wax removal stage, the mould is cooled for testing. If any cracks or other imperfections are detected, they can be rectified using ceramic slurry or special cement.<\/p>\n<p>Upon successful test results, the mould is heated again before pouring liquid metal into it. This <strong>preheating ensures that the molten metal remains in the liquid state<\/strong> for a longer period until it uniformly fills the mould.<\/p>\n<p>To pour the metal, the ceramic mould is inverted and placed in a sand-filled container. The molten metal is poured into the mould under gravity or external pressure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Vacuum-assisted filling<\/strong> may also be used. It comes at a higher price point but offers significantly better resource efficiency compared to gravity and pressure-based filling.<\/p>\n<p>The vacuum pulls the molten metal into the mould, and once all the crucial parts solidify, the vacuum is released, allowing the unused melt to drain out. This process minimises material solidification in the sprue and gates, resulting in <strong>up to a 95% material yield<\/strong>, compared to 15-50% in gravity pouring.<\/p>\n<p>The material is then allowed to cool and solidify until it is hard enough to withstand separation from the ceramic shell mould.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Removal of Casting From the Mould<\/h3>\n<p>The divesting is typically carried out by hammering the mould to release the casting. Other methods to separate the metal casting from the mould include waterjetting, <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/shot-blasting-explained\/\">media blasting<\/a>, vibration and chemical dissolution of the mould. The sprue, runners and other gating system components are then separated and recycled.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Post-Processing Operations<\/h3>\n<p>The investment casting process <strong>generally does not require subsequent machining<\/strong>. However, if the results are not as expected, the casting may need <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/surface-finishing-basics\/\">surface finishing operations<\/a> before use. Typically, surface grinding with machine tools is adequate for polishing and trimming any surface defects. Nevertheless, depending on the situation, other finishing processes such as hand tooling, <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/types-of-welding-processes\/\">welding<\/a>, and hydraulic straightening may be necessary.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta\">\n        <div class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta__content\">\n            <span class=\"v2-section-title v2-section-title--md\">Scale Your Manufacturing from Prototyping to Series<\/span>\n\n            <ul class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta-list\">\n                                                            <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 33 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M16.4933 23.3059C21.7413 23.3059 25.9956 19.0515 25.9956 13.8036C25.9956 8.55559 21.7413 4.30127 16.4933 4.30127C11.2453 4.30127 6.991 8.55559 6.991 13.8036C6.991 19.0515 11.2453 23.3059 16.4933 23.3059Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M1.16917 30.3724C1.35654 28.4452 2.49414 26.7455 4.20723 25.8488L11.5682 21.9542\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M21.4318 21.9542L28.7928 25.8488C30.5058 26.7588 31.6434 28.4586 31.8308 30.3724\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M12.8798 18.7956H6.10769C4.24738 18.7956 2.74843 17.2967 2.74843 15.4364V12.2243\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M8.28921 9.02567H3.97971C3.29715 9.02567 2.74843 9.57439 2.74843 10.2569V14.2185C2.74843 14.901 3.29715 15.4498 3.97971 15.4498H7.13822\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M24.7108 9.02567H28.7928C29.4753 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stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>Personal account manager<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 33 34\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M17.5835 26.6203C16.8491 26.0906 15.4887 26.1628 14.959 25.4284C14.4293 24.694 14.9229 23.4299 14.6339 22.5631C14.345 21.6963 13.2133 20.986 13.2133 20.059C13.2133 19.1319 14.3691 18.3976 14.6339 17.5548C14.8988 16.7121 14.4293 15.4119 14.959 14.6895C15.4887 13.9672 16.8491 14.0274 17.5835 13.4976C18.3179 12.9679 18.655 11.6436 19.5218 11.3667C20.3886 11.0898 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stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M15.4646 1.32608H10.9379V9.81366H15.4646V1.32608Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>Quality assurance<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M17.576 22.1218H4.47786C3.039 22.1218 1.87455 20.7126 1.87455 18.9994V4.93701C1.87455 3.20888 3.039 1.81451 4.47786 1.81451H26.1796C27.6184 1.81451 28.7829 3.20888 28.7829 4.93701V9.53916\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M1.87084 5.5081H28.7866\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M1.87084 11.2636H18.0618\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M6.22453 17.019H10.4299\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M24.5182 25.63C29.2739 25.63 33.1292 21.7747 33.1292 17.019C33.1292 12.2633 29.2739 8.40808 24.5182 8.40808C19.7625 8.40808 15.9072 12.2633 15.9072 17.019C15.9072 21.7747 19.7625 25.63 24.5182 25.63Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M24.5182 11.0967V17.019L27.7519 20.2528\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>Payment terms for companies<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 31 33\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<g id=\"Layer_1\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_874_1102)\">\n<path id=\"Vector\" d=\"M4.02589 18.9188H26.9832V26.7685C26.9832 27.6336 26.282 28.3257 25.426 28.3257H5.58309C4.71798 28.3257 4.02589 27.6245 4.02589 26.7685V18.9188Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_2\" d=\"M26.9832 18.9188H4.02589L6.52106 8.96545C6.67587 8.3371 7.24046 7.89999 7.88702 7.89999H23.1312C23.7777 7.89999 24.3423 8.3371 24.4972 8.96545L26.9923 18.9188H26.9832Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_3\" d=\"M10.9468 28.3257H6.20233C5.77484 28.3257 5.42828 28.6723 5.42828 29.0998V31.0394C5.42828 31.4669 5.77484 31.8135 6.20233 31.8135H10.9468C11.3743 31.8135 11.7208 31.4669 11.7208 31.0394V29.0998C11.7208 28.6723 11.3743 28.3257 10.9468 28.3257Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_4\" d=\"M24.6702 28.3257H19.9257C19.4982 28.3257 19.1517 28.6723 19.1517 29.0998V31.0394C19.1517 31.4669 19.4982 31.8135 19.9257 31.8135H24.6702C25.0977 31.8135 25.4442 31.4669 25.4442 31.0394V29.0998C25.4442 28.6723 25.0977 28.3257 24.6702 28.3257Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_5\" d=\"M4.02589 23.8727H2.96955C2.20461 23.8727 1.59447 23.2534 1.59447 22.4976V5.01325C1.59447 3.14643 3.10614 1.63477 4.97296 1.63477H26.0544C27.9212 1.63477 29.4328 3.14643 29.4328 5.01325V22.4885C29.4328 23.2534 28.8136 23.8636 28.0578 23.8636H27.0014\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_6\" d=\"M4.02589 25.2295H10.1181L9.6992 23.8089C9.38048 22.7344 8.39698 22.0059 7.27689 22.0059H4.02589\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_7\" d=\"M26.9832 25.2295H20.891L21.3099 23.8089C21.6286 22.7344 22.6121 22.0059 23.7322 22.0059H26.9832\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_8\" d=\"M15.5 7.89999V10.6501\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_9\" d=\"M12.4858 10.6501H18.5142\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>On-time delivery by Fractory<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                    <\/ul>\n\n            <a class=\"c-button c-button--sm\" href=\"https:\/\/app.fractory.com\/quotes\/new?lng=en\">Get a quote<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta__media\">\n                            <video class=\"shortcode-video\" autoplay loop muted playsinline>\n                    <source src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/homepage-vid-v2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\">\n                <\/video>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n<h2>Advantages of Investment Casting<\/h2>\n<p>The investment casting process offers the following advantages:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Excellent dimensional accuracy even for complex components<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Smoother surface finish<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Works with a <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/materials\/\">wide range of metals<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Parts are created as a single casting with no parting lines<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Compatible with low- and high-volume manufacturing<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Minimal wastage of resources<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Parts can be combined, eliminating the need for <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/welding-services\/\">assembly operations<\/a> downstream<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>90-degree angles can be cast without worrying about shrinkage allowance<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>More environmentally friendly than other <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/common-metal-fabrication-processes\/\">metal fabrication processes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Limitations of Investment Casting<\/h2>\n<p>The investment casting process also has certain limitations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>A very high number of variables that can affect part quality. A <strong>high level of process control<\/strong> is essential for producing <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/quality\/\">good-quality parts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>There is an upper limit on the size of investment castings, which is lower than that of some other casting processes such as sand casting and <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/centrifugal-casting-explained\/\">centrifugal casting<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Casting objects with internal cavities can be more challenging than other casting processes<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Longer production cycles and lead times<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Investment casting techniques are more expensive than other processes, especially when the quantity is low and the manufacturing process involves the use of permanent tools<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Applications of Investment Casting<\/h2>\n<p>The industry uses investment casting to produce the following products:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Turbocharger rotors and turbine blades<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Firearm components such as triggers, hammers and receivers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Power generation and cooling system parts such as pumps, valves and combustor components<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Intricate jewellery with delicate components and <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/engineering-tolerances\/\">tight tolerances<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Automotive parts including engine components, transmission components, brakes, door handles, <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/types-of-gears\/\">gears<\/a>, housings, brackets, rods and more<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>When to Choose Investment Casting<\/h2>\n<p>After learning about the investment casting process, let&#8217;s summarise our knowledge by noting the five scenarios where investment casting provides the best ROI:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Medium size range<\/strong> &#8211; Investment casting gives better results when the weight of the product ranges from a<strong> few grams up to 1,000 kg<\/strong>. Parts weighing more than 1,000 kg are better suited for the sand casting process.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extremely complex geometry<\/strong> &#8211; Investment casting can create super complicated shapes such as turbine blades, medical equipment, dental crowns and inlays, power generation equipment, aerospace components and more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>High number of parts<\/strong> &#8211; Investment casting is not <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/design-to-cost-dtc\/\">cost-effective<\/a> when a small number of items need to be manufactured, as the process becomes more expensive. However, as the quantity of items increases beyond a certain threshold, the cost per piece can decrease below that of other methods, including sand casting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Need for a high surface finish<\/strong> &#8211; Investment casting uses a hard mould with a very fine surface, allowing the process to achieve an exceptional surface finish.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Need for high dimensional accuracy<\/strong> &#8211; It is possible to cast net or near-net shapes through investment casting. The need for <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/surface-treatment\/\">post-processing<\/a> is also minimal with this process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like sand casting, investment casting is one of the oldest casting processes practiced already in ancient civilisations. Dating back to 3700 B.C. in the Levant region for making jewelry, ornaments, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":23789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6490,6537],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[130,1703,3678,5390],"class_list":["post-23784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fabrication-methods","category-casting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23784"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24198,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23784\/revisions\/24198"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23784"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=23784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}