Investment Casting Process and Its Advantages

1. About the investment casting process

Investment casting is one of the most widely used processes in metal casting, especially for parts used in the transportation and equipment industries. Respected for its strength, hardness and corrosion resistance, steel is the most commonly used material for investment casting, but other metals are also used in the investment casting process. The most commonly used material for investment casting is stainless steel. Stainless steel castings are used in the freight and transportation industry, aviation, hardware and tool industry, electrical and armament industries. Stainless steel is popular for several reasons; its long service life and low maintenance costs make it the choice for over 70% of production runs.

The end of the casting process does not necessarily mean that the product or component is ready to market. Heat treatment and precision machining are often part of the process. Depending on its end use and purpose, final castings may undergo extensive processing and testing after initial casting.

By heating and cooling cast metal at different rates, the mechanical properties of the metal can be modified to meet product standards in any industry.

2. Advantages of investment casting

Investment precision casting is primarily used for metal casting projects, but there are other options. Metal parts can be manufactured using a variety of forming methods, including aluminum die casting, sand casting, lost wax casting, and more. While most people associate investment casting with complex shape and dimensional accuracy, investment casting has specific advantages over other castings.

While other casting methods may be associated with lower costs, the list of overall advantages of investment casting is long. Investment casting offers excellent dimensional accuracy, smooth surface finish, tight tolerance delivery, and competitive pricing with below-average tooling costs.

For product creators, the production possibilities are endless, but the advantages of investment casting combine cost-effectiveness with creativity and deliver industry-specific parts with complex shapes and smooth surface finishes. Investment casting also allows the use of multiple alloys, eliminating the difficulties associated with casting challenging materials.

3. Will investment casting shorten lead times and reduce costs?

The modern investment casting process is mechanized and has been refined over decades of industrialization. Optimum cost-per-piece scenarios are achieved by mass-producing precise, precise units with tight tolerances, weights and lead times.