Materials
Best Investment Casting Materials in JC Casting Foundry
The investment casting process is complex processing. Only on investment casting materials choosing, it is vast. As one of the investment casting companies in china, We have rich experience in it.
We produce different precision components with different Investment Casting Materials. We have to consider the functions of the final product. The materials are cost-saving? Investment casting defects? The secondary processes limitation after the casting？ Final parts can display smooth surfaces and dimensional precision? Allowing for lower weight, thin walls, or other beneficial properties? The casting part properties can be successfully incorporated into or not is largely depending on material choice. These materials offer the best results strength, malleability, and flexibility.
Here, let us list the best investment casting materials for your applications.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steels are typical investment casting materials with superior durability. There are several types of stainless steel for investment casting materials.
| Stainless Steel Types | Features | USES |
| AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEELS | As part of our stainless steel investment casting, we can use austenitic stainless steels. The main crystalline structure of this steel is a non magnetic iron. The hardness of this metal will not be increased during heating and it is fully nonmagnetic. The corrosive resistance of this metal makes it extremely popular, especially in automobiles and hospitality. | Food and Drink Equipment Automobile parts Industrial equipment |
| FERRITIC STAINLESS STEELS | These metals have a high chromium content, which gives them great ductility, resistance to corrosion and cracking. These materials are used frequently in our stainless steel investment casting projects. | Kitchen goods Cookware Automobiles Coastal/ offshore machinery |
| PRECIPITATION HARDENING STAINLESS STEELS | This metal is either semi-austenitic or martensitic, depending on what stage of the process they reside. Due to a variety of heat treatments, this metal has high strength and toughness, especially on a weight-strength ratio. | Aerospace parts Springs |
For more stainless steel types, kindly view our article: Stainless Steel Grades
Carbon Steel
Carbon Steel is the most common steel used in the world. It is a low-cost material. Based on the amount of carbon content, it has a variety of grades. It is the most popular choice made when using investment casting. Because of its high structural integrity, especially in heating treatment. The strength, ductility, and performance of carbon steel can be improved in industrial applications through heat treatment.
We pour a variety of alloys to create custom carbon steel investment-casted components.
Carbon Steel Casting Common Usages
- Motor parts, Electrical appliances
- Door locks and internal lock mechanisms
- Gun triggers, hammers, and sights
Cast Iron
Cast iron usually refers to gray iron and ductile iron. Such kind of investment casting material can be used to produce iron castings with carbon content higher than 2%. Iron castings are known for their high accuracy and affordable price tag.
| gray iron grades | HT150, HT200, HT250, HT300, HT350. |
| ductile iron grades | QT400-15, QT400-18, QT450-10, QT500-7, QT600-9. |
Iron Casting Common Usages
- Electrical fittings and equipment
- Hand tools
- Pipe fittings,
- Brackets,
- Farm equipment,
- Mining hardware
- Machine parts.
Cast Aluminum
Cast aluminum is a specific metal. Essentially, it is created when methods such as die-casting, mold casting, or sand casting are used to temper the aluminum for use in creating components for many different types of products.
One of the main advantages of using cast aluminum is that the metal is often cost-efficient. The combination of lower cost and reliable durability. While it is not necessarily true that it will last as long as cast iron in some applications, aluminum products do tend to hold up well for some years.
Common cast aluminum grades: ADC-12, A356, A380, ZL104.
Common Usages
- Cookware and furniture
- Land vehicles and boats.
- Connecting rods,
- Pistons, housings, radiator tanks
Aluminum Alloy
Aluminum is known for its high strength-to-weight ratio. Aluminum alloy can be heat treated to achieve greater strength, ductility, corrosion resistance, and machinability.
Aluminum alloy is the most used material in investment casting. Industries that use it most frequently include aerospace, avionics, electronics, and the military.
During aluminum investment casting, we use resistance melting and extensive de-gassing methods to pour aluminum in NDT levels up to Class 1, Grade A.
Aluminum Castings are offered for demanding applications like airframe components. Because the material’s improved strength and the availability of quality castings made from aluminum-silicon-magnesium alloy.
Aluminum Alloy Casting Common Usages
- Heat Sinks Levers
- Pistol Frames
- Valves
- Medical Devices
Alloy steel
Alloy steels are a combination of carbon steel (described earlier) and one or more additional elements. The elements which can be added to the carbon steel are usually one or more of (in alphabetical order):
- Chromium can be added to the steel to improve the toughness and resistance to things such as heat.
- Cobalt can be added to ensure that the metal retains its durability and strength, even when heated to “red heat”.Nickel can be added to improve the strength and toughness of the carbon metal, whilst also providing more resistance to corrosion.
- Tungsten can be added to again improve the heat resistance of the carbon metal and also adds hardness.
- Vanadium is commonly added to carbon metals due to the variety of features it can improve. Such as strength, toughness and a better resistance to things such as corrosion.
Alloy steel Casting Usages
- Ball valve components
- Steam trap components
- Complete hinge assemblies
- Agricultural implements
Low Alloy Steel
Low alloy steels are among the most frequently used steels in the mechanical world due to their affordability and beneficial mechanical properties. Specialized heat-treating processes make it possible to engineer parts that have different properties in different areas of the same workpiece. For example, varying heat treatments can be used to make one surface tough and impact-resistant. While another surface becomes wear-resistant.
Low Alloy Steels are used for their strength, toughness and resistance to effects such as corrosion. This is due to the addition of elements such as Nickel and Chromium amongst others. Despite its increased toughness, it is still capable of being welded effectively with the right materials.
Low Alloy Steel Casting Common Uses
Oil and Gas components Pumps valves Vehicles (especially military) Construction vehicles (tractors and diggers)
Niclel Alloys
One of the main things which make Nickel alloys unique are their heat expansion properties. They are also uniquely magnetic.
The standard nickel grades you will find are Ni200, Ni201 and Ni205, each giving a unique advantage depending on your part type.
Common Usages
- Electrical housings
- Oil and Petrol Industry (filters)
- Wires
Cobalt Alloy
Cobalt alloys have excellent qualities in heat resistance and corrosion resistance. They are also extremely durable and usually last a long time.The most common alloys are 6, 3, 21 and 31.
Common Usages
- Jet engines
- Orthopaedic implants
Copper Alloy
Copper-based alloys are corrosion-resistant and feature low rates of wear. A versatile material, more than 400 different alloys are featuring a wide variety of properties.
Many part types can be investment cast from copper-based alloys. More common types of copper-based alloys include bronze and brass. The strongest copper alloy is beryllium-copper. It has similar properties to high-strength alloy steel. But with a higher corrosion resistance over longer periods.
Common Usages
- Ship or pump propellers
- Electrical components
- Plumbing components.
Brass and Bronze
Both brass and bronze exhibit excellent machinability and corrosion resistance. Non-sparking, lack magnetism and provides unique wear characteristics and aesthetics. We provide tight tolerances and exceptional part-to-part repeatability for brass and bronze investment casting parts.
Common Usages
- Impellers
- Door handles and complete hinge assemblies
- Pump components
Special Alloys
Pouring more specialty alloys than any other investment casting company in the industry today.
Typical Grade Special Alloys
• Inconel • Monel • Chrome-cast iron • Hastelloy • Cobalt • Nitronic® 50 • Copper • “Beryllium Copper” • Duplex stainless 2205 • Tool Steel
Special Alloys Casting Common Usages
Fluid power, oil and gas, marine technology, food and dairy, and aerospace industries.
Investment Casting Materials from JC Casting
Investment casting materials have different properties and use. That is why it is important to choose the correct casting material for your application. Proper material selection will ultimately help you achieve the desired functionality of your design. It can cut costs and material waste. For more information on material selection. Or check below JC Casting foundry investment casting materials list.