Internal features
Identify passages, sections and tool access that influence the casting route.
Investment Casting.
The lost-wax process produces near-net-shape castings with complex internal and external geometry — parts that would require extensive machining (or be impossible) from billet. Stainless, steel, brass, and bronze. Precision-metal production is coordinated through our long-term strategic manufacturing bases.
Product Range
Investment Casting — Product Gallery
Reference forms for drawing review, not evidence of supplied alloy, manufacturing site or validated performance.
Complex Geometry. Defined Machining Interfaces.
Material and condition
Confirm the alloy specification, heat treatment and corrosion requirements.
Inspection scope
Agree dimensional, surface and internal-integrity acceptance before tooling.
Production route, manufacturing responsibility, available documentation and acceptance criteria are confirmed for the particular product and order.
Inputs for This Manufacturing Route
- Alloy, geometry, wall sections and finished-part mass
- Casting versus machined tolerance, datums and surface requirements
- Heat treatment, NDT, first-article records and annual quantity
For Procurement
MOQ, lead time, packaging and commercial terms — go straight to a quotation.
Request a QuoteFor Engineering
Grades, drawings, process data and design support for your DFM review.
Technical Guides & DFM NotesFor Quality / SQE
Certificates, inspection planning, traceability and PPAP / FAI support per project.
Certificates & DocumentationFor Logistics
Packing, destination and delivery terms — discuss the shipment requirements for your order.
Coordinate deliveryWhy Investment Casting?
When your part has complex geometry — internal channels, thin walls, sculpted surfaces — investment casting delivers it net-shape without multi-axis machining.
- ✓Complex geometry — undercuts, internal cavities, and sculpted surfaces that machining can't produce economically
- ✓Near-net-shape — cast to ±0.1mm — machine only critical faces and leave the rest as-cast
- ✓Wide alloy selection — any castable alloy: stainless, carbon steel, tool steel, brass, bronze, cobalt, and nickel superalloys
- ✓Excellent surface finish — Ra 3.2–6.3µm as-cast — often suitable for visible surfaces without finishing
Applications
| Application | Typical Spec | Why This Material |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Hardware | 316 stainless | Corrosion-resistant fittings and rigging |
| Valve Components | 17-4PH, CF8M | Complex flow passages with pressure-tight walls |
| Food Equipment | 304 stainless, polished | Sanitary fittings and pump impellers |
| Firearms & Defense | 4140, 17-4PH | High-strength complex components |
| Architectural Hardware | Bronze, brass | Decorative castings with sculpted detail |
Investment Casting Capabilities
Alloy datasheets available for download.
| Parameter | Capability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alloys | 304, 316, 17-4PH, 410, carbon steel, brass, bronze, more | Any castable alloy |
| Part weight | 0.03–40 kg | Small precision to large structural |
| Tolerance | CT4–5 (±0.1mm per 25mm) | Tighter on machined faces |
| Wall thickness | 1.5mm minimum typical | 2.0mm preferred for reliability |
| Surface finish | Ra 3.2–6.3µm as-cast | Polishable to mirror on stainless |
| MOQ | 100 pieces | Prototypes from 10 pcs (3D-printed wax patterns) |
| Heat treatment | Normalizing, hardening, solution + age | In-house per your spec |
DFM for Investment Casting
Design decisions that improve castability and reduce cost:
- ✓Uniform wall thickness — avoid heavy sections — they shrink and create internal porosity; use ribs instead
- ✓Gentle transitions — fillet all corners (minimum 3mm radius) — sharp corners create stress and crack initiation
- ✓Parting considerations — investment casting has no parting line, but the wax pattern must eject from its mold — design for pattern release
- ✓Machining datum — specify which surfaces will be machined — we establish casting datums that guarantee stock on critical faces
Prototyping Path
From 3D model to production parts:
- ✓3D-printed wax patterns — no tooling for first articles — cast prototypes in 10–15 pieces in 2–3 weeks
- ✓Aluminum pattern tooling — for production volumes — $2,000–$8,000, lasts 50,000+ cycles
- ✓Bridge production — 3D-printed patterns scale to 100–500 pieces while tooling is built — no delay to your schedule
Factory Tour
Inside Investment Casting Manufacturing
Investment casting moves from wax trees and ceramic shells through high-temperature pouring, finishing, dimensional inspection and protected crate packing.
3 process viewsProduct-specific manufacturing
2 inspection viewsRelevant quality equipment
1 packing viewProduct-appropriate protection
End-to-end process visibilityManufacturing · inspection · packing documented in one focused route
Manufacturing processInspection & testingPacking & dispatch
Wax Trees & Shell Building
Gated wax patterns receive repeated ceramic layers before dewaxing.
High-Temperature Pouring Area
Protected operators handle molten alloy and hot shells in a dedicated foundry zone.
Casting & Finishing Workshop
Specialist equipment processes custom precision-cast components.
Industrial CT Internal Inspection
High-resolution X-ray CT reveals internal porosity, inclusions and dimensional features without sectioning the casting.
Machined Casting Metrology
CMM probing confirms the final datum structure and interface geometry.
Heavy Casting Crate Packing
Finished cast components are separated and secured inside reinforced wooden cases.
Equipment route varies by material and geometryRemote video inspection available before shipment
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose investment casting over machining?
Investment casting can reduce billet removal and machining time for complex parts. Existing planning references cite 30–60% savings and a 45-to-5-minute machining example; these are not validated project results. Simple parts may remain more economical to machine.
What tolerance can you hold as-cast?
CT4–5 class — approximately ±0.1mm per 25mm of dimension, with a minimum of ±0.15mm on small features. Critical features can be machined to ±0.005mm after casting. We mark machined vs. as-cast surfaces on the quote for clarity.
Can you do 3D-printed wax prototypes?
For 10–100-piece prototype runs, printed wax patterns can avoid dedicated pattern tooling. The existing 2–3-week lead-time reference requires project confirmation; dimensional acceptance follows sample inspection, not an assumption of identical results.
Do you provide material certifications?
Heat-level alloy analysis, certification to the specified ASTM, DIN or GB standard, and chemical/mechanical reports are reviewed against the order scope. Third-party verification is available for critical applications when agreed.
Inspection & Quality Documentation
What ships with your parts — scoped per project during quotation.
Dimensional
First article and AQL sampling per your inspection plan; CMM reports on critical dimensions; casting datums agreed during DFM review.
Material & Surface
Chemical analysis per heat, tensile and hardness to ASTM / EN standards; radiographic and dye-penetrant inspection on request for critical castings.
Project Documentation
EN 10204 3.1 material certificates, FAI reports, and PPAP documentation per project requirements.
Inspection Plan Agreement
Specify critical characteristics, sampling and acceptance criteria so the requested records match your part and application.
Plan the quality reviewHave a Drawing?
Send it to our team for engineering review, DFM feedback and quotation.