INVESTMENT CASTING - YOUR ADDED VALUE

FEINGUSS BLANK is available for you at any time. Whether by email, via the contact form or by a phone call - we are there for you!

After you have contacted us and we have received the design data, we check your product in detail with regard to feasibility by means of feasibility analyses and structured system considerations in order to be able to ensure process-stable series production. We are happy to support you in developing a functionally integrated solution from a single source.

FORMENBAU BLANK GmbH manufactures tools for injection moulding from the 2D or 3D data sets. In this process, negative shapes of the later investment castings are machined out of aluminium blanks using machining or eroding processes. In the injection moulding process, these are later injected with low-melting-temperature plastic. There is also the innovative possibility of prototyping. Additive processes offer the possibility of replicating manufacturing steps using 3D printing even before tools and samples are produced. This allows, for example, the casting system to be optimised or special machining variants to be worked out, saving you both costs and time.

Once the tool has been made, the wax pattern production can begin with the injection of the mould. The wax models are the basis of the whole investment casting process. In the next process step, the individual components are combined into so-called wax trees. Where possible, we use automated robots to ensure process stability and efficiency.

After the wax models have been made, they are transported to the adjacent dipping room. This is largely automated. The wax models are dipped into a special dipping mass (ceramic mass) consisting of binder and flour and sanded. This process is repeated 6 to 12 times. In this way, we ensure the stability of the ceramic mould in addition to the highest surface quality of the castings. This is necessary for the precision of the finished product. After each dip, a drying step must be carried out in our special drying rooms.

Before the wax is melted out in the lost wax process at over 1000°C and the ceramic mould is fired, the low-melting-point plastic is evaporated in the ceramic mould. The aim of melting out and firing the ceramic mould is not only to give the ceramic shell the necessary strength so that it does not break or crack in our casting process. It is also designed to remove all wax residue to ensure maximum quality when casting. So-called autoclaves are used for this process step. We recycle the wax in an environmentally conscious way via our system partners so that it can be reused. Due to the melting out of the wax model, the investment casting process is referred to as the lost model.

The melting process is followed by our core competence and the heart of the process: casting. When casting, we basically differentiate between two casting methods: Atmospheric casting and vacuum casting. In addition, the low-pressure casting process is also used in aluminium casting. The choice of casting process depends on the subsequent use of your product and the material used. Influencing factors will be the desired properties of your product, such as weight reduction to a certain target weight, or resistance to environmental influences. We can perform our precision casting with over 200 alloys. Our appealing variety of materials combines both steel and super-alloys as well as aluminium and copper-based alloys. If required, we will coordinate an individual alloy for you to meet your requirements as a development partner. Our foundry mechanics prepare each material composition individually for the melt and test it in the laboratory before casting the melt. In order for the melt to flow precisely into each chamber of the ceramic shell, the temperature must not cool down too quickly during casting. The casting temperature, the shell temperature and the analysis of the melt are of particular importance for the cast quality of your castings.

Once the casting into the ceramic shells is done, they must cool down before the ceramic shell can be knocked off. We then separate the individual components of the cast trees from each other. The sprue is removed, the parts are mechanically processed, cleaned, blasted, engraved, heat treated or otherwise individually treated and finished as required. Delivery of the casting as a blank is also possible, as is the assembly of individual components into sub-assemblies. To counteract waste, the separated cross and the sticks of the tree structure are recycled and reused as recycled material. In the case of highly complex and angled castings, chemical cleaning is also carried out to ensure that all ceramic residues are removed.

To ensure that you receive your products in the expected quality, our laboratory and in-house quality assurance offers solutions that meet the requirements. In addition to ongoing quality inspection, we offer the option of spectral analysis, testing of mechanical properties and other quality controls. Metallographic examinations, digital radioscopy, crack detection by dye penetrant process or magnetic crack detection, dimensional inspection and other individual testing and measuring techniques are also available at our company.

Your investment casting products are individually packed and shipped by us. For this process step, FEINGUSS BLANK has a modern logistics centre at its disposal, staffed by our experienced specialists.