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Investment/lost-wax casting
The investment casting method is a complex and multistage process. It applies mainly for manufacture of parts with complex geometrical shape, which, if produced by other casting methods, will involve much loss of labour and time for machining or for manufacture of parts from costly, difficult to work alloys with loss of metal during machining.
The process comprises the following stages:
- fabrication of moulds of aluminium or stainless steel for production of wax patterns;
- preparation of wax mixture and fabrication of wax patterns;
- assembling of the patterns and coating. During this process a ceramic shell is formed by several immersions in a special suspension till the required thickness is achieved. Consequently the shell solidifies.
- melting of the patterns and heat treatment of the shells. The wax patterns are melted by immersion in a tank with hot wax mixture and go to the tunnel furnace for hardening at temperature of 900 – 1000 °Ñ. The ready shells are transported to the casting shop.
 
- filling of the shells with melted metal and cleaning of the castings. The ready shells are filled with metal melted in induction furnaces. After solidification the shells are removed by vibratory machine and the cleaned castings go to the heat-treatment and machining shop.
 
• back to production process
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