The earliest known instances of investment casting date back to 3,500 BC, almost as ancient as metal casting itself. Metal castings were made using loose stone or ceramic molds before introducing investment casting. Investment casting allowed for far more detail and a smoother finish, thus increasing metal casting’s potential.
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What is Precision Casting?
Investment casting is the most utilized metal casting process today. Other metal casting technologies provide finer tolerances, more complicated designs, and better surface finishes than this process, which is identical to that utilized over 5,000 years ago.
Precision casting, often known as a lost wax casting, is a broad phrase for the technique of producing precise-sized castings.
As a result, precision casting is a casting technique that may provide a smoother surface on grey iron casting parts or ductile iron casting products than sand casting. Simultaneously, precision cast machine components may be placed directly on equipment such as forklifts or vehicles, with little or no processing.
Investment casting, which encompasses investment casting, ceramic casting, metal casting, pressure casting, and lost foam casting, is a sophisticated procedure.
Let’s Take A Look At The Process
Mold manufacturing and metal casting are the two main processes in precision casting.
Mold Manufacturing
- First, make wax patterns to use as models for the finished goods. After that, put the wax patterns together to construct wax pattern trees. After that, put together the wax pattern trees to create a metal delivery system and improve casting efficiency.
- Next, immerse the wax pattern trees into a ceramic slurry to coat them with ceramic shells. The disposable ceramic molds are formed by adapting the shape of the wax pattern trees to the ceramic surfaces. Dry the molds afterward.
- Repeat the dipping process to make the ceramic shells thicker, as thicker shells give more mold strength. Apply stucco to the ceramic shells after the first layer.
- Take the waxes out of the molds (lost wax). As a result of the de-waxing, negative holes are left for a subsequent metal filling.
- After de-waxing, burn the molds before casting the metal. Firing sinters the molds, burns leftover waste, and pre-heats the molds for future metal casting.
Metal Casting
- Melt metal at a higher temperature than the melting point. Control and monitor the furnace temperature in the meanwhile.
- To manage the chemical composition of the molten metal, add alloying materials and slag-catchers as needed.
- To fill the mold, pour the molten metal. Allow the metal to harden over time. Control the cooling rate as well to keep the microstructure in check.
- Break the molds and trim the surplus sections when they have cooled. Finally, take the as-cast metal product.
Why Is Precision Casting So Hyped?
Let’s take a look at some of the perks of precision casting to analyze the need and importance of this process on a large scale.
- The freedom of design is a common benefit of investment casting.
- We can achieve good tolerance levels of CT5-CT6, avoiding the need for further machining.
- It may also engrave detailed text or a LOGO on the product’s exterior to raise its worth.
- Investment casting is capable of producing high-quality goods with fewer casting flaws.
- Both big and small casts are possible with investment casting. The number of castings might range from a few to a few hundred.
Why is Cirex Foundry a Preferred Precision Casting Partner?
For the worldwide industry, they design and produce sophisticated steel components. The investment casting process (sometimes known as “lost wax” or “precise casting”) is used to pour them. They specialize in sophisticated 3D designs. Their casting technique is cutting-edge, eco-friendly, and dependable.
The company uses innovative technology, professional practice, and manufacturing understanding to address your manufacturing problems. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here for additional information about Precision casting.
