Lost-wax casting, also called investment casting, precision casting, or cire perdue, method of metal casting in which a molten metal is poured into a mold that has been created by means of a wax model. Once the mold is made, the wax model is melted and drained away.

For industries requiring mass produced metal parts with a high level of dimensional accuracy, casting remains a cost-effective and highly capable manufacturing process, producing critical components for automotive, industrial and medical applications.

Lost-Wax Casting process

Tooling and Pattern Making A tool is built to customer-provided specifications (A). Cold wax is then injected into the tool to create a waxpattern/prototype (B) that will hold precise dimensional requirements in the finalcasting.	Pattern Assembly  The wax patterns are assembled onto the sprue.	Dipping and Coating  Successive layers of ceramic (A) and stucco (B) are applied to the sprue assembly to form a hard shell.	De-Waxingand Firing  The molds are flash-fired to remove the wax and sprue materials and then heated to 1,800° and placed on a sand bed, ready for pouring.

Casting Molten metal, up to 3,000°, is poured into the hollow mold and then cooled.	Knockout The ceramic shell is broken off, and the individual castings are cut away.	Finishing Excess metal is removed, surfaces are finished, and castings are heat treated.	Drilling & Tapping  Drilling and tapping according to drawing requirements

Testing & Inspection Castings undergo thorough testing and inspection to ensure that they meet dimensional tolerances and specifications.	Surface Treatment According to the surface appreance requirements.	Packing and Shipping Castings are securely packaged for shipping to the customer.

The Advantages of Lost wax Casting

Available Materials for lost wax casting

Stainless Steel The main alloys of stainless steel are chromium, nickel, and molybdenum, which determine the grain and mechanical properties of the casting. How the alloys are combined decides how the casting will be able to endure heat and resist corrosion. Since stainless steel is 10% chromium, it is resistant to liquid corrosive conditions and oxidation. SS 304 and SS 316 are common stainless steel for lost wax casting parts.
Steel Carbon, low alloy, and tool steels are used in the aerospace, agricultural, medical, and firearm industries, to name a few. Steel is chosen for lost wax casting because it is economical, available in several grades, and can be heat treated to adjust its ductility.

Finishing Options for Lost-Wax Casting

Picture	Finishing	Description	Texture
	Painting	The process is sprayed with liquid paint. The appearance looks more beautiful after spraying various colors. At the same time, the life and service life of the product can be extended due to an extra layer of protection.	Smooth, Glossy, Matte
	Powder coating	Powder coating is a strong, wear-resistant finish that is compatible with all metal materials.	Glossy or Semi-glossy
	Black Oxide	Applicable on steels, black oxide is a conversion coating used to improve corrosion resistance and minimize light reflection.	Smooth
	Passivation	Passivation is a widely-used metal finishing process to prevent corrosion.  The chemical treatment leads to a protective oxide layer, or passivation film, that is less likely to chemically react with air and cause corrosion.	Matte
	Electroplate	Electroplating can be functional, decorative or corrosion-related. Many industries use the process, in which chrome-plating of steel automobile parts is common.	Smooth, Glossy finish