Investment Casting — Complex Geometry, Minimal Machining
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.
For Procurement
MOQ, lead time, packaging and commercial terms — go straight to a quotation.
Request a Quote →For Engineering
Grades, drawings, process data and design support for your DFM review.
Technical Guides & DFM Notes →For Quality / SQE
Certificates, inspection planning, traceability and PPAP / FAI support per project.
Certificates & Documentation →Investment Casting — Product Gallery
Representative product forms for reference. Final geometry, material and finish are agreed for each project.
Why 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 — identify machined surfaces, then agree casting datums and machining allowances during DFM review
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
Investment Castings: A Defined Route to Repeat Orders
Agree the process, acceptance criteria and shipment plan before production starts. The quotation identifies the producing site and the controls required for your part.
Confirm the manufacturing route
Review the pattern, alloy, shell process and machining allowances before approving the tooling route.
Approve the inspection plan
Define chemistry, heat-treatment condition, dimensional controls and any required NDT or pressure tests.
Qualify before repeat supply
Define sample approval, drawing revision and lot identification. Agree how material, process or site changes will be reviewed before implementation.
Plan releases and delivery
Confirm order quantities, capacity allocation, packaging and shipping terms against your forecast. Delivery dates and any buffer-stock arrangement belong in the agreed supply plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose investment casting over machining?
For complex geometry, investment casting often costs 30–60% less than machining from billet. A part that takes 45 minutes to CNC might cast to near-net-shape and machine in 5 minutes. The higher the machining content, the more investment casting saves. For simple geometries, machining remains cheaper.
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?
Yes — for 10–100 piece prototype runs, we 3D-print the wax patterns directly from your CAD file. No tooling investment, 2–3 week lead time, and the castings are dimensionally identical to production parts from tooled patterns.
Do you provide material certifications?
Material certification and test reports are specified during quotation. We agree the alloy standard, heat traceability, chemical and mechanical tests, sampling and required records for the project. Third-party verification can be included when required.
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, tensile and hardness testing to the specified material standard, with sampling agreed for the project; radiographic and dye-penetrant inspection when required by the inspection plan.
Project Documentation
EN 10204 3.1 material certificates, FAI reports, and PPAP documentation per project requirements.
Have a Drawing?
Send it to our team for engineering review, DFM feedback and quotation.