When it comes to manufacturing processes - the oldest and most critical function is casting, or shaping molten metal in a mold so that it solidifies to form an object of desired shape. Metal parts find a wide array of usage in all fields, and the cornerstone of good manufacturing is proper casting. There are two major forms of casting - investment and die casting.
Investment Casting
Investment casting (also called precision casting) involves creating a wax pattern bound to a sprue and dipped in a ceramic liquid which then hardens and takes up the shape of the casting. The wax is molten and let out, and molten metal is poured in its place. Molten metal is then allowed to solidify in this ceramic mold, after which it is broken out. Investment castings in India have been carried out from the earliest traces of manufacturing development.
Die Casting
Die casting involves forcing the molten metal into the required die cavity under a high pressure. The rest of the process is similar, that is, the metal is then allowed to harden and broken off from the mold. The mold cavities used are created out of hardened tool steel.
Which Process Should You Choose?
The process to be used is based on several considerations, instead of simply opting for a choice between Investment castings manufacturers and die castings manufacturers. Different processes come in handy for different aspects of manufacturing. Here are a few of the main aspects you should keep in mind when you choose between investment castings and die casting for your manufacturing processes.
- Materials - Investment casting can be carried out with a variety of alloys which cannot be done with die casting. The type of metal being used to construct the parts is an important consideration to take into account before choosing a casting process. Most die casts are made of alloys of zinc, aluminum or copper, whereas investment casting can be done for ferrous alloys which make up a huge chunk of industrial metal works.
- Design - Complexity of design determines the process to be used as well. Investment casting allows for more complex designs than die castings. Therefore, investment castings are preferred for intricate designs and die casting for solid geometries.
- Part Sizes - Investment casting comes with restrictions in part sizes because the wax mold has to remain securely gated to the sprue for repeated dipping in the ceramic slurry. Die castings can accommodate larger part sizes, but there is a limit to that as well.
- Costs - Investment casting generally is priced higher than die casting, because it requires a lot of manual intervention and provides better complexity in design. Die casting is more cost effective for parts with high usage and high-volume runs, whereas investment casting is effective for smaller parts which require intricacy in construction.
We see that the choice between investment and die casting is based on specific requirements, as there is no general metric to establish one process as being superior to the other. The considerations outlined here should help you choose the right casting process. The general trend is to opt for die casting for the bigger jobs and investment casting for smaller, specialized parts.
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