Many manufacturers and industries depend upon the investment casting process to produce accurate dimensional, precision parts. This is more easily accomplished through this form of casting as the initial mold is an exact replica of the desired part or component, leaving little room for inaccuracy. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Ferralloy Inc.
Cleveland, OH | 440-250-1900For over 30 years, we have provided metal forged products for a wide variety of industries, including the aerospace, military, food service, medical, and automotive industries. Our customers know they can trust our forgings for quality and affordability. We will never try to make you pay more than you should for our products. Contact us by phone or email to find out more!
Rimer Enterprises, Inc.
Waterville, OH | 419-878-8156Since 1944 we have been driven to remain a cut above the competition in investment castings and everything we do. We have our own tooling shop filled with state-of-the-art testing machines. We ensure perfect results every time. It is our goal to establish lifelong relationships with our customers that benefit us both. Contact us for more info today!
Impro Industries USA, Inc.
Diamond Bar, CA | 877-484-6776At Impro, we have top-of-the-line equipment for the most demanding investment casting requirements. Our equipment and automation process controls allow us to work with different ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, and maintain consistent and repeatable tolerances as close as ± 0.1 mm. Our investment castings are dimensionally and geometrically complex and produced to net shape, minimizing the need for secondary machining. Contact us today to learn more!
Lodestar Quality LLC
Lafayette, IN | 765-463-7455Founded in 2011, Lodestar Quality LLC is a knowledge-driven custom manufacturing solutions provider that provides manufacturers of products a full range of services from innovative design and engineering, to sourcing and production using best in class quality control methods in a cost efficient manner. Focus areas include fabrications, castings, machining and forging, plastic products, and mechatronics.
MetalTek International
Waukesha, WI | 262-544-7777MetalTek International manufactures metal components that power, protect, and connect people and businesses worldwide. Our sand, investment, and centrifugal castings are used in heat, wear, and corrosion environments from the depths of the ocean to the surface of Mars. With our diverse capabilities and depth of experience, we will help you overcome obstacles and push the limits of what is possible. Contact MetalTek today and together we will Make A Lasting Difference in people’s lives.
Modern Aluminum Castings Co., Inc.
Terre Haute, IN | 800-467-6252We act as a single-source aluminum investment casting partner for all our customers. We also act as a domestic and global supplier for all our products. We create products for industries including appliance, HVAC, electrical, construction, medical, and automotive. No matter what industry you are in, we can help you find the right solution. Contact us for more info!
Protocast JLC
Chatsworth, CA | 818-882-7848Protocast Inc. uses the precision lost wax investment castings method to prototype and produce products for the aerospace, commercial, medical, and military industries. We pour aluminum, bronze, and steel alloys. We have been in the investment casting business since 1966. We strive to have the highest quality products in the industry while continuously improving and expanding.
Signicast: A Form Technologies Company
Hartford, WI | 262-673-2700Signicast is a proven leader in precision investment casting and rapid prototyping with state-of-the-art facilities that utilize just-in-time manufacturing processes. Investment casting provides ultimate design freedom, variety, and alloy selection. And at Signicast, we have more than 150 alloys to choose from.
Precision Investment Casting - Ferralloy IncPrecision investment casting is a popular manufacturing technique for all types of industries including aerospace, jewelry, automotive, medical, and dental. Investment casting can produce high-precision mechanical and engineering parts, automotive engine parts, medical equipment, and braces, among other common items. Such applications often require components be manufactured to precise net shapes with specialized alloys that without investment casting would require costly secondary processes to adjoin parts, remove part lines, flashing and the like.
Precision Investment Casting - Ferralloy IncThough it is more expensive than other types of casting processes, precision investment, the nature of this particular process offers greater design flexibility, product detail, and metal options. The elimination of the need for welding, assembly or other finishing steps helps to minimize the initial cost of precision investment casting.
The relatively straightforward precision investment casting process involves a number of detailed steps in order to produce the highly accurate parts it is known for.
Manufacturers must first create a master die or wax pattern. This form is an exact replica of the part to be produced, in some cases it is the original prototype which may be either hand carved, machine made, or produced through injection molding. All flaws and imperfections must be removed from this model prior to all other steps, ensuring it is an exact replica of the desired part.
The master die is then mounted on a wax rod known as a sprue using a heated metal tool. In some instances, several such patterns may be attached to one sprue forming a cluster known as a tree.
Once the dies are in place the investment is applied. This ceramic slurry must coat the entirety of the wax mold. This is achieved by dipping the sprue or tree repeatedly into the investments of decreasing fineness until the desired thickness is achieved or alternately affixing the sprue in a flask and pouring the investment in around it.
The investment is then dried and hardened in an oven or furnace, which also causes the initial wax form to melt and run out leaving the desired mold. Additional heating is needed to remove all residue and moisture. This also preheats the mold allowing the incoming molten metal to coat more evenly before cooling in mold. Once the metal is poured into the mold, it is cooled and the hardened investment shell is removed via media blasting vibrations, hammers or a dissolving agent to reveal the seamless final product.
