What is lost wax casting?

1. Creating a model

To create the lost wax mold, a model of the required part is fabricated either manually or by machining from wax, or via computer aided design (CAD) and then reproduced to scale. Sprues, providing paths for the molten wax to flow out and to fill the cavity, are then added to the wax model. This wax model can only be used once. Thermal contraction or shrinkage is already considered in this process step.

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2. Mold-Making

Afterwards, the wax pattern is repeatedly covered with refractory ceramic material and a ceramic slurry, also known as ceramic shell mold material, to create a shell around the investment casting pattern. This shell is then allowed to dry and harden. Afterwards, the wax is melted out of the shell in a kiln, leaving behind a negative cavity in the shape of the original model. As the wax is burned and cannot be totally reused, the process is called &#;lost wax casting&#;.

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3. Pouring and revealing the final part

Before casting, the lost wax mold is heated again in a kiln to reduce the temperature difference with the molten metal. Finally, molten metal is poured into the cavity and compressed with gravity or vacuum pressure. After the metal has solidified and cooled, it has taken on the shape of the original wax pattern. The final cast part is revealed by breaking away the ceramic shell and cutting off the sprues.

4. Finishing operations

After the metal part has been revealed, several post-processing operations, for example sandblasting or grinding, are implemented. To reach their desired properties, lost wax casting parts are often exposed to additional machining. If the final product consists of several components or requires additional features, welding or assembly processes can be carried out to join the parts together.

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