Technical Information
How Investment (Lost-Wax) Casting Works
Investment casting, also called lost-wax casting, is a technique for making highly complicated, near-net-shape metal parts — the same process behind every casting we ship.
The Process, Step by Step
The process starts by using injection molding to create a wax pattern that resembles the actual part, then applying multiple layers of ceramic sand to form a hard shell coating on the wax pattern. When the shell is heated, the wax melts out, leaving a hollow space into which molten metal is poured. After cooling, the shell is broken and the desired metal part is removed.
Breakdown
Four Stages, One Near-Net-Shape Part
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01
Wax Pattern Injection
Injection molding creates a wax pattern that resembles the finished part, ready to be built up into a mold.
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02
Ceramic Shell Build-Up
Multiple layers of ceramic sand are applied over the wax pattern, forming a hard shell coating.
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03
Dewax & Pour
The shell is heated so the wax melts and drains out — "lost" — leaving a hollow cavity that molten metal is then poured into.
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04
Shell Removal & Finishing
After the metal cools, the ceramic shell is broken away and the finished part is removed, ready for machining, polishing, or shipping as-cast.
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