The advent of the computer age has increased the capabilities of investment casting. With computer aided design systems and electro-discharge machines, the most intricate of shapes are easily engineered and developed into the dies used to produce wax patterns of the final casting.
Patterns
After undergoing quality control inspection, semi-liquid wax is injected into the die to produce as many wax patterns as are required.
Assembly
The wax patterns are then assembled into clusters. The ability to put together significant quantities of parts into single or multiple clusters makes possible the low cost, mass production of high quality parts.
Coating
The cluster is repititively dipped into a slurry and stucco to produce a ceramic shell mold. The wax from the resultant shell system is then removed throgh high pressure steam or flash firing, leaving a cavity into which the alloy will be poured.
Casting
Prior to pouring, the mold is cured in a sintering furnace to ensure the lods integrity. When the metal has cooled, the ceramic shell is broken up and the individual castings cut off. each peice then undergoes grinding and finishing to meet the required standards.
