When designing for investment casting, all of our customers want the same thing: quality components that provide superior performance and durability. This requires sound mechanical design of the final component, reliable process controls, consideration of market economic requirements, and clear communication among all parties. Most of our customers are not familiar with designing specifically for investment casting, so while the tips below are important to remember, we strongly urge you to involve our engineering team early in the design process to realise the benefits of our knowledge and design efficiencies.
Contact our team today to start the conversation.
1. Size & Weight
Part size and weight are the most critical factors in determining part cost because mould capacity is limited by both. The more pieces that can run on a mould, the lower the part cost. While almost any configuration can be investment cast, our team of engineers can help to optimise your part for the investment casting process by reducing part weight and optimising design geometries. The key to using this process as cost-effectively as possible is to fully utilise its flexible capabilities and incorporate as many useful features into the cast piece as possible.
2. Gating Design
The number of gates you have has a direct influence on the cost of your project. The impact of gate location on the component must be considered during the design phase, as it can require a careful balance between manufacturability, part function, dimensional control, and aesthetics.
Where possible, a part should be designed so that a single gate can feed the part. This will generally yield more pieces per mould and reduce the pour weight per mould. Single-gate feeding also enhances the dimensional stability of a given part by providing a directional solidification pattern.
3. Component Castability
Castability is very important to the investment casting process. Ideally, an investment-cast component would be shaped like an icicle for directional solidification—you would pour from heavy to thin. If a design contains features that will raise scrap or rework rates (and piece price), a Signicast estimating engineer will recommend design modifications to help minimise costs.
Quality Investment Castings
Early supplier involvement means Signicast's in-house technical staff and CAD capabilities are available to help ensure that you receive the best quality component. The design tips above will only help to improve the way your component is investment cast, even if it was previously manufactured by another casting process. Unlike other casting processes, designing for investment casting has a unique set of efficiencies that can be utilised to create the best part at the best possible price.
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