Know More About the Main Properties of Investment Casting

Investment casting is also known as the lost wax process. This process is one of the oldest manufacturing processes. The Egyptians used it in the time of the Pharaohs to make gold jewelry some 5,000 years ago. Intricate shapes can be made with investment casting which are higher in accuracy, and precision. This process is used to make parts that can’t be produced by normal manufacturing process techniques, for e.g., turbine blades that have complex shapes, or airplane parts that have to withstand high temperatures. In this process, a molten metal is poured into an expendable ceramic mold. Generally, the mold is formed by using a wax pattern, this pattern is surrounded or invested into ceramic slurry that hardens into the mold.

Steps Involved in the Process of Investment Casting:

Pattern Creation: The wax patterns are typically injected into a metal die and are formed as one piece. Cores may be used to form any internal features on the pattern. Several of these patterns are attached to a central wax gating system to form a tree-like assembly. The gating system forms the channels through which the molten metal will flow to the mold cavity.

Mold Creation: This “pattern tree” is dipped into a slurry of fine ceramic particles, coated with more coarse particles, and then dried to form a ceramic shell around the patterns and gating systems. This process is repeated until the shell is thick enough to withstand the molten metal it will encounter. This shell is then placed into an oven and the wax is melted out leaving a hollow ceramic shell that acts as a one-piece mold.

Pouring: Now, the mold is preheated in a furnace to approximately 1000 degree Celsius. Pouring is achieved manually under the force of gravity, but other methods such as vacuum or pressure are sometimes used.

Cooling: After the mold has been filled, the molten metal is allowed to cool and solidify into the shape of the final casting. Cooling time depends on the thickness of the part, thickness of the mold, and the material used.

Casting Removal: After the molten metal has cooled, the mold can be broken and the casting removed. The ceramic mold is typically broken using water jets, but several other methods are also used. Once removed, the parts are separated from the grating system by either sawing or cold breaking.

Finishing: The finishing operations such as grinding or sandblasting are used to smooth the part of the gates. Heat treatment is also sometimes used to harden the final part.

Investment casting is used in various industries such as aircraft,military, and automotive industries. Before purchasing investment casting ensure about the safety provisions, check the tools on quality parameters and then go for the best option. There are numerous casting manufacturers present in the market offering a substantial range of products at affordable prices. So, If you are interested in purchasing the advanced form of investment casting products then check out the online stores and make your purchase through secure channels.

There are many ductile iron casting suppliers and exporters in the b2b marketplace have their online store. They also give their users the opportunity to view detailed information and pictures of the products so that the users can confidently buy the offered range of aluminum investment casting.