Slide ✓ Competitive pricing
✓ Consistent quality
✓ ISO 9001:2015 certified
✓ CMM / SGS reports available
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INVESTMENT CASTING

Our core partner for investment casting is located in Ningbo, one of the leading locations in the world for casting.  Inodus are able to offer excellent technical knowledge and capability while at the same time being highly competitive in both pricing and lead time.

 

Traditionally investment casting is high in overall cost, however thanks to the advanced 3D printing facilities we have, many high-quality patterns can now be produced in a cost-effective manner. We are also versatile and offer both lost-wax and silica-sol methods depending on material and geometries.

 

As we offer a comprehensive range of metal manufacturing methods, we can provide you a comprehensive quote based on CNC, MIM, PM (Powder metallurgy), Investment casting, Forging, and 3D printing if the material is compatible. You can decide which one is the best for your project.

Investment casting capability overview

Investment casting
Maximum part size No limit, parts can be over hundreds of kilograms
Typical lead time From 30 days
FOTS (First off-tool) lead time 10 - 12 days
Standard linear tolerance
Up to 15mm, ± 0.1 mm
For each additional 25mm, ± 0.05mm

When to use investment casting

  • Extremely complex geometry that’s not possible by die casting
  • Low to medium volume production
  • High dimensional accuracy
  • Excellent surface finish in as-cast state
  • No flash or parting lines

 

Please note that even though investment casting can produce very complex geometry, it does have some limits. Objects requiring complicated or multiple cores could be a problem. Our technical specialists will be able to provide quick DFM evaluation if necessary.

Comparison of CNC, MIM, PM and IC

CNC Metal Injection Moulding Powder Metallurgy Investment Casting
Relative part density 100% 95-99% 86-92% 98%
Tensile strength High High Low High
Surface finish High High Medium Medium
Very-small part capability Medium High Medium Low
Thin wall capability Low High Medium Medium
Geometry complexity High High Low Medium
Design tolerance Medium High Medium Medium
Production volume Medium High High Medium - High
Range of materials High High High Medium - High
Relative part size No limit Small Small No limit
Tooling cost N/A High Low Low - Medium

As a rough guide, the chart below illustrate that the complexity and volume need to be considered when choosing a specific production method

Available materials for investment casting

Inodus offers the most comprehensive selection of materials.  If your required material is not in the list, we will try our best to source it for you. If you are not sure which material is best for your application, our design engineers are here to help.
Almost any metals and alloys include:
Stainless steel
Carbon steel
Nickel and cobalt alloys
Copper alloys
Aluminium alloys
Titanium alloys

Post-processing service for investment casting

Service
Heat treatment T4, T5, T6 etc.
CNC machining Additional machining Drilling and tapping
Sand / bead blasting  
Anodizing Type II (glossy) Type II (matte) Type III (hardcoat) Various colour
Plating Nickel, zinc, tin, brass, copper, silver, gold, Teflon impregnated, copper
Powder coating To any RAL colour
Part marking Laser etching, laser engraving
Electropolishing  
Brushing  
Chromate conversion coating  
Other finishes Mixture of above, UV protection coating, Teflon coating, Sand blasting, Brushing Polishing, Vapor polishing (plastic only)

Facility Audit

We understand that sometimes your company will need to perform an audit or a third-party QC firm to approve the project. We are highly experienced in both and can make arrangements if you decide to visit the production site.

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