What is investment casting?

Investment casting is an ancient manufacturing process that has been used for centuries to create complex, high-precision metal parts. The process begins with the creation of a wax model, which is then covered with a ceramic slurry to form a shell.

Once the shell has hardened, the wax is melted and the molten metal is poured into the cavity. Once the metal has solidified, the ceramic shell is removed using a vibrating hammer and the resulting part is calibrated, among other things using our unique multi-dimensional straightening technique.

Investment casting also produces less waste than traditional methods such as sand casting or die casting, making it more cost effective and environmentally friendly.

Home » What is investment casting?

INVESTMENT CASTING IS A TECHNIQUE USED BY precision foundries

The wax is melted (known as lost wax) and injected into a mold. As it cools, the wax becomes the form to be reproduced.

This method allows the creation of very complex and detailed metal alloy parts, which may or may not be highly alloyed.

The process can be manual or automated. The preferred method at Vestshell is automated since it eliminates the risk of human error. This helps us to achieve a perfect replica of the original mold.

the best option for high-END industries

All this means that the investment casting technique (compared to assembly, welding or forging) is the best option for high-end industries and the most demanding clients, for whom errors are not an option.


what are the 10 main advantages over other techniques ?

  1. Precision and reliability in the end result.
  2. Cost-effective, among other factors, if repeatability is applied.
  3. Speed of execution, especially in order renewals.
  4. Elimination of oxidation and metal contamination (with Vestshell’s method of pouring directly from the melting crucible to the mold).
  5. Quality control by N.D.T. testing when the foundry is certified.
  6. Complete freedom of design. No limit to the complexity and detail of parts.
  7. Prototyping using computer-aided techniques.
  8. Compliance with the strictest standards and dimensional tolerances.
  9. Little or no machining required.
  10. Some foundries, such as Vestshell, offer finished castings ready for assembly.

guided tour of our Montreal foundry

Before entrusting the casting of precision steel parts to a manufacturer, your responsibility as a buyer or engineer is to select the one that meets all your requirements.

We will invite you on a guided tour of Vestshell’s Montreal foundry to demonstrate the rigour of our investment casting process. You’ll have the chance to ask questions about each stage of the manufacturing process.

a process with N.D.T. controls

Each steel part resulting from precision casting goes through seven specific stages. During this process, N.D.T. testing is performed, depending on the part requirements and manufacturing complexity:

  • Radiography
  • Fluorescent particle inspection
  • Magnetic particle inspection
  • Chemical analysis using a spectrometer

Any anomaly detected during any of these controls starts a correction process, and the time is taken to validate the conformity of the part.

In addition, costly inspection processes can often be reduced, given the quality and stability level of the procedure.

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