Investment Casting

Investment casting is the oldest method of forming material. Almost 5000 years before the beeswax try to form the pattern but not high technology alloys are formed from this process. These investment castings processes provide accurate results by repeating the process repeatedly. It is versatile process and provides high quality alloys. This casting method is used to produce small alloys like aircraft doors and other materials. It is used up to 300Kg of metals in order to get the alloy. However, aluminum investment casting uses 30Kg of aluminum. It is an expensive process because it produces complicated shapes that are unable to produce from die-casting and sand casting. The productivity level of this casting is very high and refines the roughest surface with ease. The only drawback is that it produces expensive alloys, as it is an expensive process. This process is mainly used in organizations like airspace, military, medical institute, automation industry and power generation industries. It is used to form other low cost fine materials like hammer and other similar products.

Investment Casting Process

In investment casting method, the material is injected into a metal die holding specially waxed. Different ceramic cores are also introduced to give a more finish casting. Different patterns can be gained by introducing different ceramics or impressions are introduced giving fine touches. Ceramic slurry of ethyl silicate and colloidal silica, which together form the silica sol, is used to control the pH of the materials and its viscosity. Different sand types are introduced in the tree with hand. Other thing like fluidized bed or rain tower sander can be used instead of hands. It is a twice coating process once the coating with sand is done then metal is taken out to dry it. When it is dry, then again it is introduced in the ceramic slurry. Then it is again kept on drying for 24 hours. The wax is removed from it and allowed to cool it down. Different materials can be used to dip the tree and these may be Malachite, fused silica or chamotte. The process may repeat frequently in order to get a thick shell. Usually cooling times extended from 24 hours to 48 hours that mainly depend on the type of metal used.

Advantages Of Investment Casting

1. Investment casting supplies accurate result as multiple dipping of material and procxess is used in order to get the required thickness of the metal and gain an accurate material part
2. It is a quick process and some times need very less time and it mainly depends on the type of metal used.
3. It can smooth the surface which is very rough and can’t be smooth by other casting process.
4. It is used to produce different high qulaity product with minimum cost that is why the military and airspace materials are formed only from this process.
5. No side effects and no alternation are found once the product is formed.
6. It can give complex shape to the metals which can’t be given by the use of other casting process. Aluminium investment castings are mostly done by this process to form different airspace and military products.

Investment Casting Cost

Investment casting cost is almost normal not that much expensive but it is costly than other processes. It uses different materials in order to keep the shape accurate.

Investment Casting Companies

Precision casting Inc. is the most famous compnay of New York. Pricision investment casting is very famous as they provide the accruate shape product holding accurate thickness and finishing. They can smooth the surface holding a very rough surface.

Thompson investment casting is another famous company who is expert in investment casting. Their actual motive is to enhance the better service in investment casting and trying to keep a research in order to produce more technological process for investment casting.