Investment
Manufacturing Spotlight
Link below shows the Investment casting process in a youtube video supplied by MetalTek International a leading producer of Investment castings.
Investment with MetSource
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.
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:
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Parts requiring fine detail and surface finish
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Parts requiring difficult internal structures
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Parts with thin walls
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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
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?
