The Development of Precision Casting

Precision casting, also known as wax loss casting, produces products that are precise, complex, and close to the final shape of the part, and can be directly used without or with little processing. Therefore, investment casting is an advanced process of near net formation.

In ancient China, the Prince Wu Ding, Bronze Ban, Bronze Lion, and so on were all masterpieces of investment casting. Since investment casting was used in industrial production in the 1940s, it has been developing at a rapid pace for half a century. Especially in European and American countries, there is rapid development. Investment casting is used outside the aviation and weapons sectors, and is applied to almost all industrial sectors, especially in sectors such as electronics, petroleum, chemical, energy, transportation, light industry, textiles, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, pumps, and valves. In recent years, China has also developed rapidly.

The development of investment casting technology has enabled it to produce not only small castings, but also larger castings. The maximum contour size of investment castings is nearly 2m, while the minimum wall thickness is less than 2mm. At the same time, investment castings are becoming more precise, and in addition to linear tolerances, parts can also achieve higher geometric tolerances. The surface roughness of investment castings is also decreasing, reaching Ra0.4 μ m。