When to Use Investment Casting

Are you familiar with the metal-forming process known as investment casting? If not, you should learn about this process if you want to excel in the metalworking field. Castings investment is a process that allows workers to create products with remarkable surfaces. The process begins by creating molds and patterns. Then, workers use wax to make patterns, allowing easy reproduction of these patterns.

Properties and Considerations

In manufacturing metals by investment casting, you need to take into account the important properties and considerations. For one, this is a manufacturing process that makes possible the casting of highly complex parts. Despite the Complexity, the results can still achieve a good surface finish. Below are some of the common properties and considerations you need to learn if you want to master the art of investment casting.

• According to experts, this metalworking process is highly complicated and relatively expensive if you don’t know what you’re doing because some parts of the process may require automation.
• The good thing about castings investment is that you can practically use any metal. Components manufactured by this complex are customarily small. However, the weight of the component may reach up to 75lbs.
• Another advantage when using investment casting is that it can create parts and components with high dimensional accuracy. It can produce end products with tolerances as low as .076mm and very narrow sections. 

When is Investment Casting Used?

Manufacturers often use investment casting when machining of internal passageways cannot be employed. Likewise, it is also applicable when progressive tool maintenance costs are not the goal. The following are other reasons why investment casting is used.

• Excessive upfront tooling costs connected to sand casting are adequate
• Sand casting is not acceptable because wall thickness is too thin
• The exceptional as-cast surface result is desired
• Small to medium dimensions, generally less than 454 kg or 1,000 lbs.
• Various and/or convoluted internal passageways in design
• Metal components are asymmetrical or shaped with accurate detail
• Tight tolerances and external shaping are desired