Investment Casting
CYCO offers precise casting services with advanced technology and superior workmanship. Whether you need complex and high-precision parts or mass production, we can meet your needs.
Overview of Investment Casting
Investment casting, is an advanced metal fabrication process used to produce metal parts of complex shapes and high precision. It uses fusible materials to make a mold of the part, and then covers the surface of the model with a layer of refractory coating to form a molten mold. When the mold dries and hardens, the model inside is melted or sintered to create a cavity inside the shell that matches the shape of the part. Eventually, molten metal is poured into the cavity to produce a metal part of complex shape and high precision.
Processes of Investment Casting
1. Model preparation: A model of the same shape as the final part is made with a soluble material, usually wax. Models can be made by hand sculpting, injection molding, 3D printing, or other methods.
2. Mold preparation: Coat the model with multiple layers of refractory material, usually ceramic slurry, each layer needing to dry and harden before the next layer can be applied. Secure the model and coated fusion mold to the support material to form a monolithic fusion mold set.
3. Mold release: The entire model and mold combination is placed in a high-temperature furnace to melt or sinter the wax model. When all the model material has been melted and discharged, the temperature is continued to be raised to completely harden the mold shell and eliminate residual organic matter.
4. Pouring: The molten metal is poured into a formed mold. The metal fills the cavity and acquires the same shape as the model.
5. Cooling and solidification: After casting, the metal cools in the mold and gradually solidifies into the final metal part.
6. Separation and cleaning: After the metal has completely cooled and cured, separate the mold from the metal part. Remove the residual mold shell material and perform the necessary subsequent processing on the casting, such as cutting, grinding and polishing, to ensure the quality of the part surface.
Available melt mold materials
Conventional Wax: In conventional investment casting, various wax materials such as paraffin or synthetic waxes are commonly used. These wax models have good plasticity and machinability.
Polywax: A high molecular weight polymer that is commonly used in the preparation of investment castings with high temperature requirements. Polywax can withstand higher pouring temperatures without losing its shape.
Polystyrene Foam: A simpler melt mold suitable for single use. EPS can ablate or melt during dewaxing.
Polyethylene: Another material that can be used in the preparation of melt molds, especially in low-temperature casting applications.
Available metals
Excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and mechanical properties. Suitable for the manufacture of automotive parts, industrial valves and aerospace components.
Great high-temperature strength, corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance. Commonly used in aero-engine parts, combustion chamber components, and more.
Used in investment casting to make lightweight, thermally conductive parts such as aerospace structural components, automotive parts and electronic equipment housings.
High strength, low density and good corrosion resistance. Used in aerospace, medical and chemical industries.
Used to make jewelry, artwork or high-end electronic parts.
Often used in the electronics industry to make parts with good electrical conductivity, such as electronic connectors and electrical components.
High melting point and high density. Suitable for the manufacture of parts with high temperature and density requirements, such as aerospace propulsion system parts.
General steels are also used to make a range of industrial components.
Used to make parts that need to withstand extreme high-temperature environments, such as those used in the aerospace and energy industries.
Benefits of Investment Casting
Complex geometries
Capable of manufacturing parts with complex geometries, including internal cavities, thin-walled structures, and other shapes that are difficult to achieve through other manufacturing methods.
High accuracy
Provide a high degree of precision manufacturing, where the dimensional and form accuracy of parts can often meet stringent engineering requirements, reducing the need for subsequent machining processes.
Surface quality
Due to the smooth surface of the investment casting mold, investment casting parts typically have good surface quality, reducing the need for subsequent surface treatments.
Material flexibility
Suitable for casting a wide range of metal alloys, including high-temperature alloys, providing a wide range of material options.
High temperature resistance
Suitable for manufacturing parts that require high temperature resistance, such as aero-engine components.
Reduced material waste
Compared with some traditional casting methods, investment casting reduces material waste because the molds can be reused.
Applications
Aerospace
Turbine blades, turbine disks, and structural parts of spacecraft, like rocket engine peripheral structures, missile components.
Automotive
Engine parts, including cylinder heads, crankshaft housing.
Medical devices
Artificial joints, dental instruments, and other medical devices that require a high degree of precision and biocompatibility.
Marine
Ship engines and ship structural parts, such as rudders, hulls, and more.
Oil & Gas
High temperature and high pressure equipment for oil wells and natural gas extraction, such as valves, pipeline connectors, etc.
Prototyping
Complex metal prototypes can be rapidly manufactured through investment casting for design verification.
CYCO's Capabilities of Investment Casting
Professional technology
We have a team of experienced engineers and technicians who are familiar with all aspects of investment casting and can provide you with professional technical support and services.
High quality materials
We only use high quality metal raw materials and mold materials to ensure that the castings we produce have excellent performance and durability.
Strict quality control
We adopt a strict quality management system, from raw material inspection to finished product inspection, each link is strictly controlled to ensure the high quality of products.
Customized service
We can provide personalized investment casting solutions to meet your special needs, regardless of the size of your project.
Timely delivery
We emphasize on delivery time and complete orders according to the agreed schedule to ensure that your project advances on time.
FAQs
1. What is investment casting?
Investment casting is a high-precision casting process. Meltable molds are used instead of conventional casting molds to manufacture metal parts with complex shapes and high precision.
2. How to avoid porosity in investment casting?
The key lies in the integrity of the mold, purification of the metal and proper pouring system design. Using the right material for the mold, making sure the mold is completely filled, and properly designing the pouring system are key steps in preventing porosity problems.
3. What is the preparation time and cost of investment casting?
Usually a certain amount of time is needed for the steps of mold preparation, slurry injection, and curing. The cost is affected by several factors such as the mold material, mold preparation, and metal material.
4. How to ensure the quality of investment casting?
The crucial lies in the careful design of molds, reasonable control of metal temperature, and optimization of pouring system. In addition, quality verification is carried out through strict quality control inspection methods, such as X-ray inspection and ultrasonic inspection.