Investment Casting Services.
Xofah provides precision investment casting services for complex geometries with excellent surface finish and tight tolerances across various materials.
Precision Investment Casting
High-precision casting for complex parts with tight tolerances and excellent surface finish.
Rapid Prototyping
Fast turnaround for prototype investment castings to validate designs quickly.
Production Casting
High-volume investment casting for production runs with consistent quality.
Multi-Material Casting
Wide range of materials including stainless steel, aluminum, and exotic alloys.
What Is Investment Casting?
Investment casting, also known as lost-wax casting, is a precision casting process that produces parts with excellent surface finish and dimensional accuracy. The process involves creating a wax pattern, coating it with ceramic material, melting out the wax, and pouring molten metal into the resulting cavity.
This manufacturing process is ideal for producing complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to machine. Investment casting can produce parts with intricate details, thin walls, and complex internal passages with minimal post-processing required.
Xofah's investment casting services provide access to a global network of certified foundries capable of producing parts from prototype quantities to high-volume production runs. Our expert team manages every aspect of the process, from pattern design to final inspection.
Quality Certified
ISO 9001, AS9100, NADCAP certified foundries
Precision
Tolerances as tight as ±0.005" with excellent surface finish
Global Network
Access to certified foundries worldwide
Expert Support
Dedicated project managers and casting engineers
Operational Logic
+/- 0.005" per inch
125-250 RMS (As-cast)
0.040" (1.0mm)
Up to 24" (600mm)
Material
Matrix.
Stainless Steel
Carbon & Alloy Steel
Aluminum Alloys
Exotic Alloys
Investment Casting Process
The investment casting process consists of several key steps that ensure precision and quality in the final product.
Pattern Creation
The process begins with creating a wax pattern that exactly replicates the desired part. Patterns can be injection molded for production runs or 3D printed for prototypes.
Shell Building
Wax patterns are assembled into a tree configuration and repeatedly dipped in ceramic slurry and coated with refractory material to build up a strong shell.
Dewaxing and Casting
The ceramic shell is heated to melt out the wax, creating a cavity. Molten metal is then poured into the preheated shell.
Finishing
After cooling, the ceramic shell is removed and parts are separated from the tree. Final finishing operations prepare parts for delivery.
Investment Casting Materials
Xofah supports a comprehensive range of materials for investment casting, from common alloys to exotic high-performance materials.
Stainless Steel Alloys
Carbon and Alloy Steels
Aluminum Alloys
Exotic Alloys
Design Guidelines for Investment Casting
Following these design guidelines will help optimize your parts for investment casting and reduce costs.
Uniform Wall Thickness
Maintain consistent wall thickness to prevent shrinkage defects
Avoid Sharp Corners
Use radii of at least 0.015" to reduce stress concentrations
Consider Parting Lines
Design to minimize parting line visibility on critical surfaces
Add Draft Where Possible
Even small draft angles improve pattern removal and reduce costs
| Feature | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Minimum Wall Thickness | 0.040" (1mm) typical, 0.020" (0.5mm) possible |
| Draft Angles | 0-3° typical, can cast with zero draft |
| Tolerances | ±0.005" (0.13mm) for first inch, ±0.002" per additional inch |
| Surface Finish | 125-250 RMS as-cast, better with finishing |
| Minimum Hole Diameter | 0.060" (1.5mm), cored holes 0.125" (3mm) |
| Undercuts | Possible with soluble cores or multi-piece patterns |
| Threads | Can be cast but machining recommended for precision |
| Inserts | Can be cast in place with proper design |
Applications and Industries
Investment casting is used across numerous industries for critical components requiring precision and reliability.
Turbine Components
Blades, vanes, and housings for gas and steam turbines
Pump and Valve Parts
Impellers, valve bodies, and flow control components
Surgical Instruments
Precision medical tools and implantable devices
Aerospace Fittings
Brackets, connectors, and structural components
Automotive Components
High-performance engine and transmission parts
Industrial Tooling
Molds, dies, and specialized manufacturing tools
Finishing and Secondary Operations
Xofah offers comprehensive finishing services to meet your exact specifications.
Heat Treatment
Solution annealing, aging, stress relief, hardening
Machining
CNC machining for tight tolerances and critical features
Surface Finishing
Grinding, polishing, bead blasting, tumbling
Coating and Plating
Anodizing, powder coating, electroplating, passivation
Inspection and Testing
CMM, X-ray, dye penetrant, dimensional inspection
Assembly
Sub-assembly and final assembly services
Advantages of Investment Casting
Vetted Standards.
Ready to Start Your Investment Casting Project?
Get expert consultation and competitive pricing for precision investment castings.