Precision Casting Basics
Precision Casting, as its name implies, is the casting process for precision parts. This type of casting method is actually a lost wax investment casting process, which will be able to produce net or near net shape, high-dimensional accuracy and intricate design.
In precison casting process, the first step is to build a wax version of the final product, whose dimensions are the same as finished castings. This can be done in 3 steps:
- Design and manufacturing a pair of metal mold according to the 3D model of the part. (Offered by purchasing company or casting engineer).
- Create wax patterns, which have the same shape of castings, and repeat this process until the quantity of wax patterns is the same as order quantity of castings.
- Inspect and repair wax patterns, and assemble them like a tree.
When wax patterns are formed as an assembly like a tree. They are then repeatedly dipped in a ceramic slurry that hardens when it dries. After receiving several layers of ceramic that are allowed to harden, the tree and its patterns are heated to remove the wax. The wax in the sprues and gates also flows out of the tree and forms tubes and pipelines for molten metal to follow and completely fill the mold. Molten metal is poured into the now-empty mold and left to solidify. The ceramic mold, the investment, is destroyed to remove the part.
Compared with other metal forming processes, precision casting exhibits great flexibility on many sides, which are summarized as follows:
Metal Types: Precision casting parts are the metal pouring process from liquid metals, so the chemical compositions can be adjustable as requested. Precision casting manufacturer can make components for customers with various metal types, such as stainless steel castings, carbon steel castings, aluminum castings, brass castings, etc. While in forging or machining from bars or plates, the parts are formed from solid material by removing excess material, so the metal types are limited.
Shapes: In precision casting process, wax patterns, that have the same shape as final casting parts, are formed by pouring wax into mold. This process allows precision casting company to produce complex shapes.
Order Volume: Precision casting is suitable for parts both in large and small volume. Of course, the price of large volume production can be slight lower than that of low volume.
Lead Time: Once mold is ready, the lead time of precision castings is short, normally around 20-25 working days only.
Cost: Compared with forging, both the mold cost and unit cost of precision castings are lower. So, precision casting is really a preferred choice.
Precision Casting for Complex Stainless Steel Parts
As a top leading stainless steel foundry in China, CFS adopts precision casting technology to creat complex stainless steel parts. In CFS Foundry, our precision casting process can produce stainless steel investment castings in different alloys, such as, 304(L), 316(L), 17-4 ph, 2205, etc.
Our precision casting process can control better dimension accurancy and better surface finish compared with other casting methods. Stainless steel castings made in precison casting process can be with complex structure. The finished stainless steel precision castings are almost with final shape, which can be without machined or only little machining process.
In addition to stainless steel precision casting, we provide a broad range of secondary services that range from heat treatment, machining to surface finish. Finishing options include shot blasting, sand blasting, mirror polishing, surface coloring (such as vacuum titanium coating, powder coating, etc). Moreover, we can supply 3d printing service for new designed stainless steel parts.
Complex stainless steel parts by precision casting cover different fields, such as valve and pump parts, food machinery parts, pipe fittings, luxury goods, automotive parts, etc.
CFS foundry can supply custom service of precision casting for complex stainless steel parts. If you have RFQ’s for precision stainless steel castings, please contact us.