Investment Casting Services
Redstone Manufacturing provides investment casting services utilizing grey iron, stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum, carbon steel, and more. Our precision lost wax casting shops produce ISO9001 quality investment castings with fast turnaround times at affordable rates.
OUR PORTFOLIO OF
Investment Casting Companies
Finding a reliable investment casting company in the United States doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. Redstone Manufacturing is uniquely positioned to help serve your needs with ISO9001 certified investment casting facilities in China and India, as well as headquarters in the United States. We reduce the risk of working with foreign entities and help companies secure the best manufacturing prices for their investment casting services by utilizing Redstone Manufacturing’s diversified global supply chain.
Investment casting applications
Investment casting is typically used for smaller precision parts that are difficult to produce using other casting methods. Investment casting services allow for design flexibility and a wider choice of alloys, making it an attractive option for manufacturing. Investment casting is used industries such as aerospace, automotive, and dentistry, to name a few, have seen the value of utilizing this method to suit their needs.
Common Products &
Use Cases of Investment Casting
- Triggers
- Medical Equipment
- Automotive Parts
- Turbine Blades
- Hand Tools
- Lock Parts
- Aerospace Parts
- Pipe Fitters
Investment Casting Vs. Sand Casting
Both methods have been around for centuries, but the final product will dictate which option is best to use.
Sand Casting Services
- A range of different parts or several of the same part may share a mold.
- New molds are easy to remake.
- Higher casting weight limit.
- Greater ease of changing design.
- Difficult to cast parts with internal voids.
Investment Casting Services
- Ceramic mold (initial investment) is destroyed to get parts.
- Better equipped to make small, intricate parts.
- More complex and labor-intensive.
- Hundreds of small parts can be cast at once.
- Excellent surface finish.
- Greater design freedom.
Investment Casting Process
Create Pattern
Involves creating a wax pattern that has the same specifications as the part which also allows for shrinkage.
MOUNT WAX PATTERN & CREATE TREE
Mount multiple wax patterns to create a tree with gates that connect each pattern.
CREATE MOLD SHELL
The wax pattern tree is dipped in ceramic, allowed to dry, then re-dipped until a shell of desired thickness is achieved.
Wax Removal
Assembly is heated to remove wax pattern until only ceramic remains.
Melt & Cast
Mold is preheated then filled with molten metal to form the part casting.
Final Operations
After cooling, the shell is broken to reveal the final part. Runners and gates are removed, and some grinding, machining and sandblasting might be required.
FAQ's ABOUT OUR INVESTMENT CASTING SERVICES
Investment castings require more preparation and expense. They also don’t allow for large production runs. This process also has smaller size limitations compared to other casting methods.
Investment casting produces a near-net shape and is an extremely accurate process.
Compared to other casting methods, it is considered more expensive because of the extensive preparation of the ‘tree’ and multiple molding steps. However, most other methods are incapable of producing smaller and more intricate designs usually obtained through investment casting.
Investment casting is a versatile casting method that can utilize most metals which can be melted and poured. The selected metal type will depend on your product specification needs. Contact our sales department for a free consultation on metal selection if neccessary.
INVESTMENT CASTING MATERIALS
Redstone’s Manufacturing’s investment casting services can utilize seven different metal material types – grey iron, ductile iron, stainless steel, alloy steel, carbon steel, aluminum, and copper.
Grey Iron
Investment Casting
Commonly used for investment casting because of its good machinability and low cost. It is a popular choice when a metal with good corrosion resistance and less solidification shrinkage is desired.
Ductile Iron
Investment Casting
Known for its erosion resistance, surface hardening ability, and strength to weight ratio. Its net ductile shape allows engineers additional design freedom and its attractive manufacturing cost makes it a popular choice.
Stainless Steel
Investment Casting
Prized for its durability, resistance to wear, and corrosion. Moreover, it retains its excellent qualities, typically without requiring additional coating or plating.
Alloy Steel
Investment Casting
Commonly used in industrial applications that require corrosion-resistant, tough metal. Additional elements are added to alloy steel to increase hardness and vary based on the intended use of cast parts.
Carbon Steel
Investment Casting
Commonly used when parts are required to perform under great pressure and resistance to wear. As their name suggests, carbon is what provides extra toughness, and this alloy can produce parts with a wide range of applications and properties.
Aluminum
Investment Casting
Among the most popular metals used for investment casting, and for good reason. Aluminum has one of the best high strength to low weight ratio.
Copper
Investment Casting
Commonly used in high wear and high corrosion applications. It is a less popular alloy because price fluctuations drive up the cost of waste.
Companies that use our investment casting solutions
INVESTMENT CASTING SERVICES BROCHURE
Get more information about our investment casting services