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Investment Casting: A Comprehensive Introduction

2020-08-24

A Brief Introduction to Investment Casting

Over the years, the investment casting process has evolved to a great extent. A modern dewaxing casting manufacturer can create extremely complex and complicated parts with disrupting the shell or the mold. Since the process is vital, therefore, you need to have its basic understanding.

In the course of this article, we are going to present to you a brief introduction to the investment casting process. We will explain its manufacturing along with applications. So, without any further delay, let us get started!

Process of Investment Casting

Avec moulage de précision , manufacturers are able to achieve highly detailed, complex, and accurate metal castings. The basic idea of investment casting comes from the ancient concept of the lost wax method. Since it offers a number of benefits, therefore, it is an important technique to create a number of equipment and parts.

Investment Casting company

History

There is no denying the importance of the investment casting process. You will be surprised to know that the lost wax process has been around since 4000 BC. The origin of the concepts is believed to be in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.

Initially, the concept was used to design and develop beautiful, complex sculptures and jewelry. In old times, the manufacturers relied on the bee’s wax. However, today, they are able to use any material that has a similar composition as that of the wax.

Heating and softening of the wax led to the creation of the desired shape. This basic concept has remained the same through the modernization and evolving process of the investment casting technique. The dewaxing casting manufacturer today use industrial molding compounds.

Modern Times

In the early 20th century, the wax casting process was popular for creating equipment for the dental industry. However, due to WWII, there was an increase in demand for almost ready parts. Numerous industries including the military were searching for ready parts in mass volume.

Ainsi, le processus de coulée devient populaire et efficace. Actuellement, les fabricants exigent des pièces et des composants très sophistiqués. Pour atteindre le niveau de sophistication requis, ils devraient s'appuyer sur le moulage de précision . La méthode de la cire perdue influence la vie de presque tout le monde d'une manière ou d'une autre.

Processus de moulage d'investissement

La première étape

La première étape implique l'injection et l'assemblage des motifs en cire. Le fabricant injectait le motif sur un arbre de cire, ou le système de porte et le coureur. Afin d'assurer une coulée et un déparaffinage en douceur, le système incorpore une coupelle en céramique.

La coupe est extrêmement utile pour aider les processus de déparaffinage et de moulage. Habituellement, les noyaux de cire solubles sont présents dans les motifs complexes. Cependant, il est important de retirer ces noyaux avant de commencer le processus de bombardement et d'assemblage.

Au cas où vous auriez besoin d'un passage d'air ou de cavité dans le produit final, vous devez utiliser le noyau. Cela donnerait les résultats souhaités.

Deuxième étape

Après avoir assemblé les motifs en cire sur le coureur et le système de porte ou l'arbre, vous devez rechercher les imperfections mineures. Pour ce faire, vous vérifiez et habillez l'ensemble du système de porte.

N'oubliez pas que vous devez accorder une attention particulière à cette étape particulière. Après tout, le défaut qui passe inaperçu dans cette étape va faire partie des composants métalliques finis. Quelque chose que vous devez éviter en tant que fabricant.

To provide the optimum wax substrate, most manufacturers recommend that you dip the assembly into the triol pattern etching and wash agent. Complete this step before heading onto the shelling process.

Step Three

Now it is time to apply a series of ceramic coating around the wax assembly. Doing this would result in the formation of the shell around the wax assembly. You would have to slowly increase the particle size. To be more specific, manufacturers first dip the wax assembly into a liquid slurry solution.

After that, they apply refractory stucco materials to it. Both of these things combine to make the required shell coating. Give some time to the shell material to set and then head towards the dewaxing process.

Step Four

It is time to remove the wax from the shell system. In most cases, the manufacturer relies on the steam in the autoclave dewax process. Some of them even use high temperatures, especially for the dewax flashfire method.

Regardless of the type of process you use, the left-out wax is collected and recycled. Now it is time to condition the shell and high temperature and fire it. This would lead to the manufacturing of precision casting moulds.

These moulds are ready for part creation. They now have the strength and the sturdiness to accommodate molten metal.

Step Five

To get rid of impurities as well as to enhance molten metal flow manufacturers add ceramic foam filters. These filters also add precision to the mould casting process. Next comes the cooling rates. In order to control these rates, there is a covering of fiber insulating blankets around the mould.

Once the moulds have the insulating covering, they will be introduced to the molten metal. Several techniques are available for the introduction process. For instance, the conventional hand pouring method or crystal-casting technology.

The type of technique used greatly depends upon the complexity of the part or the component. For instance, for highly complex alloys, we recommend using the single crystal-casting technique. However, in the case of lesser complicated parts, you can go with the orthodox hand-pouring method.

Investment Casting suppliers

Sixième étape

Laissez suffisamment de temps pour que les alliages et les pièces métalliques refroidissent. Après le processus de refroidissement, vous devrez retirer le matériau de la coque via des processus mécaniques. Au cas où il resterait des noyaux internes en céramique, vous pouvez les retirer en coulant par une méthode de dissolution.

Vous auriez à dissoudre le moulage dans une solution caustique et donner les résultats souhaités.

Septième étape

Enfin, il est temps de retirer le moulage de l'arbre. Les fabricants inspecteraient minutieusement le produit fini. Ils recycleraient même le matériau d'alésage présent dans le système de porte et le coureur.

Do bear in mind that to yield effective results, the process requires complete attention and precision. You would have to control the process at every stage to ensure an accurate and error-free product. Only then will the product have the required mechanical characteristics and dimensions.

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