Why investment casting
Small batches of highly loaded, topology-driven parts can be cast from printed patterns without tooling, in the same alloys as series parts.
Components
- Uprights
- Suspension and gearbox parts
- Exhaust collectors
- Turbo housings
Materials
High-strength steels, titanium, nickel alloys, aluminium.
Frequently used alloys
| Grade | Type | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| 4140 | Cr-Mo quench-and-temper steel 42CrMo4 type | SAE J404 / AISI 4140 (cast: ASTM A732 Gr. 8Q) |
| CB7Cu-1 | Precipitation-hardening stainless steel, cast 17-4 PH type 17-4 PH® type | ASTM A747/A747M |
| Ti-6Al-4V (C-5) | Alpha-beta titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V Ti-6Al-4V | ASTM B367 |
| Alloy 718 | Precipitation-hardening Ni-Cr-Fe-Nb superalloy Inconel® 718 type | SAE AMS 5383 (investment castings) |
Typical requirements
Small batches and short lead times favour printed or machined patterns instead of hard tooling.
- Short lead time
- Low weight at high stiffness
- Heat treatment to peak strength
Related engineering topics
Process variants
Variants of investment casting: air-melt and vacuum casting, counter-gravity and centrifugal filling, solid mould casting, directional solidification and printed patterns.
Design guidelines
Practical design-for-manufacture rules for investment castings: wall thickness, transitions, fillets, holes, cores, undercuts, ribs, bosses, draft, machining allowance and part consolidation.
Finishing and heat treatment
Post-casting operations for investment castings: shell removal, cut-off, grinding, heat treatment, blasting, surface finishing, straightening and machining.