Methods
Investment Casting
Mechanical Engineering
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Investment casting is a mechanical engineering manufacturing method, also known as lost-wax casting, in which a wax pattern of the desired part is coated with a ceramic shell, then heated to melt out the wax and leave a hollow mold cavity, into which molten metal is poured to form the finished part once the ceramic shell is broken away. The process, one of the oldest metal-forming techniques known, can reproduce fine detail and complex geometry with a smooth surface finish and tight dimensional tolerances, which is why modern investment casting is used to manufacture intricate components such as turbine blades, surgical instruments and firearm parts that would be difficult or costly to machine from solid stock.
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