Investment

Investment Casting Capabilities: 

Weight up to 850 lbs finished

Volume Envelope up to 40” diameter x 34” Tall

NDT such as Visual Inspection, Liquid Penetrant, Magnetic Particle, Fluorescent Penetrant, Radiography

Secondary Operations such as Finish Machining, Polishing, Electro-plating and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)

Rapid Prototyping by use of 3D Printing or Stereolithography (SLA)

Solidification Modeling

Tolerances:  +/- 0.010” to 0.040” As-cast

Surface Finish:  90 - 200 RMS As-cast

Investment Casting Process Description: 

Investment casting (or lost wax) is a process that delivers castings of very high detail, tight tolerances and thin walls.  Investment castings are often used to reduce or eliminate the need for machining or in the place of fabrications to reduce cost.

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In the investment casting process, a wax pattern of the desired finished part is created and mounted onto a wax tree (or pattern).  The wax tree is alternatively dipped into a ceramic slurry and sprinkled with stucco material in a controlled atmosphere and allowed to dry.  This process is repeated until a thick shell is created over the wax pattern. The wax is melted out leaving a cavity in the shape of the pattern.  The cavity is subsequently poured with molten metal and allowed to solidify. After solidification, the shell is broken away, gating material removed and the finished part remains.

When to use Investment Castings:

• Parts requiring fine detail and surface finish

• Parts requiring difficult internal structures

• Parts with thin walls

• Parts with tight tolerances

Typical Investment Casting Products:

Aerospace turbine blades

Nuclear pump and valve components

Flow Meter Bodies

Flow Nozzles

Food Processing components

Military components

Materials:

Carbon and Low Alloy 4140, 4340, 8630, ASTM A217 WC1, WC6, WC9, WCB and WCC

Tool Steels CA2, A6, CD2, CD5, CH13

Austenitic Stainless CF3, CF8, CF8C, CF8M, CH20, CK20, CF10SMnN, CG6MMN

Super Austenitic CK3MCuN, CN7M, CN3MN

Duplex Ferralium® 255, CD3MN (4A), CE3MN (5A), CD4MCu (1A), CD4MCuN (1B), CD3MWCuN (6A)

Precipitation Hardening 14-4PH, 15-5PH (CB7CU-2), 17-4PH (CB7CU-1)

Martensitic C12, CA15, CA40, 440A, 440B, 440C, CA6NM 

Heat Resistant Stainless ASTM A297 H-series, 50Cr-50Ni-Nb, Specialty Heat Resistant alloys formulated by application

Severe Corrosion and Heat Inconel® 617, Inconel® 625, ASTM A494 C-series

Ferralium® is a registered trademark of Langely Alloys for a super duplex stainless steel alloy

Inconel® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation for a family of austenitic nickel-chromium based superalloys

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Quality Standards:

ISO 9001:2015 (QMS)

AS9100 D (QMS)

MIL-I-45208

NADCAP

Numerous customer-specific approvals and certifications from critical customers in the Aerospace, Nuclear and Pressure Equipment Industries

Additional Services:

Conversion Assistance

Do you have a complicated machined hog-out or fabrication that may lend itself to converting to an investment casting?   Give a MetSource Engineer a call to discuss the ability to investment cast your product to improve Quality, Cost and / or Lead-time.

Material Process Selection

Do you have a part design but want a Solutions expert to advise optimal process to produce your part?  Subtle changes in part design can optimize process manufacturability to reduce cost, increase part quality and / or increase throughput.

Metallurgical Assistance

Do you want to speak to a Metallurgist regarding a part and environment to help with material selection?  Alloy selection can greatly affect overall cost and part manufacturability.

On-Site Visit and / or Phone Consultation

Do you wish to have a MetSource Engineer call or visit you to discuss a particular application?

Have a question or need to submit a RFQ?

Contact Your Metal Solutions Expert Today.