Investment casting - how this process is labor-intensive

The process by which castings are produced by a method of free casting of metal in a melt state into special shapes is called "investment casting."

The technology of the process itself is rather complicated. First, it is required to create a special master-model, which will be, in a sense, a prototype of what will be smelted, that is, it will serve as a reference point, in the direction of which the developments will be conducted.

To make a master model, specialists oftenall use materials such as wood and gypsum. In the role of a model, a product already manufactured at another factory can perform. The next step is to create a matrix and a mold. They are just needed in order to carry out injection molding.

Molds are usually filled with stearin or wax, since it is these substances that have high plasticity, which allows you to get any shape at the output.

Further it is required to smelt in the form a new cavity - a working cavity. It is obtained by the method of melting. That's why the whole process is called "investment casting."

The casting itself remains in the shell,created from a special composition, capable of withstanding very high temperatures, which are thoroughly processed before the pouring procedure. At the end of the solidification of the casting, the workers dismantle the mold.

With conventional casting for investment models, stearinor wax is removed with hot water. The shells that result from this process, then proceed sequentially the stages of calcination and pouring molten metal. On ignition, the shells are heated to temperatures often exceeding 900 degrees Celsius, which allows to solve the problem of organic compounds entering the composition, which, if not eliminated, will reduce the quality of the products produced at the output.

Separately, it should be noted that the shell must be made with regard to the resistance to a variety of different chemical compounds.

It is the investment casting allows you to get the output of castings, masswhich can be several grams, or maybe several tons. The thickness of the side walls of products can be only half a millimeter, which meets all international standards.

With the concept of investment casting, suchThus, the concept of exact casting is directly connected. It means almost complete identity of castings with finished products both in size and shape.

The process of investment casting is very popular both in Russia and in the rest of the world. There are even pilot plants that allow plastic injection molding.

For the implementation of the investment casting processmodels require a whole range of different devices and installations. The technological process includes manufacturing and subsequent pouring of molds made of ceramics, their drying, coating with refractory composition and smearing of stearin, cleaning of obtained castings. The entire process described above is rather complicated and time-consuming.