Blog

Monday, 01 February 2021 00:00:00

Fit Form Function FAQs

Part design is crucial to the success of your component. It is important for the overall success of your project to stay on target when it comes to timelines and deliverables. To you, a supplier asking for a design for manufacturing review has the potential to hinder your progress—but an initial design review at the beginning of a project could save costs to the fit, form, and function of the part with design experts’ input. Below are a few frequently asked questions regarding the investment casting process and how our team of highly trained engineers can improve your part.

Is my part too heavy for investment casting?

Just like any other manufacturing process, there are limitations with investment casting. In multiple steps throughout the investment casting process, the molds must meet certain weight requirements. Molds themselves have weight restrictions based on the type of alloy poured, maxing out at 100 to 120 pounds and meeting the industry weight standard. At other stages, molds are handled manually, or even automatically by Signicast’s state-of-the-art automation and robotics systems, requiring strict weight and safety restrictions.

Does surface area cause limitations?

There are three areas in which surface area has limitations—dip cells for our ceramic shell-building process, dewaxing where we’re using that steam pressure to remove the wax from the shell, and then our burnout ovens.

Dip

The more surface area the part has, the more viscous slurry sticks, increasing the weight of the sprue and causing weight limitations for the robot.

Dewax

Now that we have a fully injected and dipped mold, we have the weight of the wax and the added weight of the ceramic shell weight. In this stage, there are personnel safety weight limitations to safely transport the molds in the plant.

Burnout Oven

The molds are fired to 1800℉, and once the temperature is reached, we must ensure that the molds are still handled safely.

How do I take full advantage of the investment casting process?

As previously mentioned, almost every design will face a geometry, pour weight, or shell weight limitation during the initial mold design phase.

But it is through a Design for Manufacturing (DFM) meeting that the Signicast Engineering team will work with you to broach potential limitations, increasing the value of the part right out of the gate. Your part is “renting” space on a mold, so whatever changes made, or features added to the design are essentially free—so long as you don’t increase the footprint of the mold.

For example, holes or bosses can be added to the design without the overall footprint of the part increasing. The number of pieces on the mold will stay the same, as well as the piece part price. Small price implications could be added to the tool cost.

In a recent project, the Signicast Engineering team brought a customer’s piece part price down from $23 to $18—a cost reduction of almost 30%. The price reduction was not caused by the alloy cost, but rather a design change that allowed more pieces per mold. The initial customer DFM session also utilized the full benefits of the investment casting process by adding lettering, lot codes, part numbers, and logos on the parts—for no additional cost.

When should I consider alloy and heat treatment selection?

Very often, alloy selection and heat treatment are thought of very early on in the design process and never revisited.

Some of our customers use cutting and grinding tools. A knife blade design came to our team designed in 420 steel because it was originally machined from solid. After talking about the function of the part and doing a DFM call, our in-house metallurgist suggested a D2 tool steel. The end result—seven times the original wear resistance, therefore extending the life of the part in service.

It is also important to think about heat treatment. If you want a part that is going to be heavily machined, you definitely want to heat treat and homogenize the material before machining to limit hard spots or broken tools. However, if you aren’t doing extensive machining, you may be able to eliminate heat treat altogether.

How can I eliminate machining and ultimately cut costs?

By simply designing an investment casting to have certain features, your part can avoid having to be machined and eliminate a large cost of the part.

Our engineering team often sees prints with surface finish callouts. This is often adding cost where it’s not needed. Many of the features that we machine on the casting are for size, position, or flatness. A surface finish only needs to be called out if it’s for a sealing surface, O-ring groove, or a press fit. Very often, the DFM process can help you eliminate one or two machine passes, or even reduce the cycle time for machining altogether.

How long does a DFM meeting take?

Typically, it depends on the complexity of the part and where our engineering team can find room for improvement. On average, the meeting could take between 15 minutes and 1 hour. In that time, our team will be able to have a full DFM call and leave with action items and be able to update the quote or RFQ.

To learn more about the design for manufacturing process and how Signicast can add value into your component without adding cost or production lead time, download our FREE webinar, Saving Cost: Fit, Form, Function.

Gating and Solidification: The Key to Eliminating Porosity

Monday, 01 February 2021 00:00:00

When turning to the investment casting process, it is important to understand all of the factors that go in to making a successful part. One of the first steps to avoid part failure is to ensure the required soundness of a part before it is cast. Investment casting is one of the few manufacturing processes that can preliminarily demonstrate component success.

Gating systems

When designing an investment cast part, the gate location and size must be taken into consideration. The gate is a small opening that allows molten metal to flow freely to the cavity and can be thought of as the connection point between the feeding source, or sprue, and the part. The gate is ideally located on the thickest and heaviest section of the casting, allowing the metal to continuously flow and fill the part in its entirety before solidifying.

How does metal solidify during casting?

To fully understand gating, you must first understand how metal solidifies and what happens when the metal transitions from a liquid to a room temperature solid. Molten steel is measured at approximately 3000°F. From the initial pouring temperature, the metal will shrink volumetrically as it cools to its solidifying temperature of roughly 2500°F. As the metal continues to solidify, there is an additional shrinkage of volume, also referred to as solidification shrinkage, and once the metal finally becomes a solid, there is one final change in volume due to thermal expansion.

To give an example, if a 1" x 1" x 1" cube is filled up, the final room temperature part size would be 0.96" x 0.96" x 0.96". Because of the change in volume, part geometry and gate location and size must be designed so that as the metal starts to solidify, the casting is still being continually fed with liquid metal to replace the change in volume. Volumetric change is key in designing part geometry and gating.

What makes a successful cast part?

Gate location and size

After understanding the basics of metal solidification, we can start to determine the size and location of the gate. If gate details are not taken into account, the gate could solidify before the metal has the opportunity to fill the casting and replace lost volume. This could create large pockets within the part that are not fully filled, also known as internal porosity. Porosity refers to the level of solidity achieved, that is, whether there are cavities or holes within the part. If a component is not carefully gated with part function in mind, this could lead to part failure.

Part design

The gate is not the only determining factor in eliminating porosity. Part geometry can impact the directional solidification of the metal. The design must account for making thermal gradients steep enough to keep the feed paths clear from the sprue to the part. Since parts do not solidify all at once, and they cool from the outside in, a quality design will allow for the metal to cool away from the gate, first. An icicle shape is the prime example of a perfect casting, with the tip freezing first and the remainder of the icicle freezing from the smallest sections back through to the thickest section (the water source).

In designs that show initial porosity, adding features like feed ribs can eliminate any unwanted pockets. Part design can also be enhanced with structural changes, like tapering bottom floors, to reduce porosity. In some instances, however, part geometries cannot be altered. We can take advantage of radiant heat, designing the gate with inconsequential arms that keep thin walls hot enough to feed the part, including end plates, as it solidifies.

In working closely with customers, Signicast design engineers are able to better understand part function and optimize part geometry to meet the requirements of the application.

Casting Material Selection

In addition to design considerations, material choice directly impacts porosity within a part and the solidification of a casting. Each element within an alloy has different solidifying temperature, making an alloy like 17-4 stainless steel have a larger temperature range as it goes from a liquid to a solid due to the amount of elements within the alloy. The large temperature range inhibits flow, making it less forgiving than a low carbon steel. Knowing material requirements on the frontend of the project, design engineers have a better opportunity to predict part success and limit porosity before moving to the tooling stage.

Before heading into full production with a part design, it is important to identify potential porosity issues. At Signicast, we use solidification and flow software to determine the efficacy of gating locations and predict casting porosity to validate the design. Our design engineers can help make beneficial design suggestions that will result in successful parts without delaying time to market.

Contact one of our engineers today!

To learn more about how to minimize porosity, download our free webinar Minimizing Porosity, Maximizing Performance.

Please fill out the form below to download our free on-demand webinar.

Monday, 30 November 2020 00:00:00

3D CERAMIC PRINTING FOR RAPID PROTOTYPING

Signicast is redefining how today's manufacturers create and deliver products through world-leading engineering, rapid prototyping, and automated investment casting processes. Investment casting is one of the oldest and most versatile forms of metal working, solving for many of the most critical challenges faced in manufacturing today. You can use it to cast virtually any geometry, any size, and any alloy.

As technology continues to evolve in the manufacturing world, accelerating prototyping capabilities is no exception. Through the addition of 3D printed ceramic shells, customers are able to achieve investment casted quality components in the fraction of the time.

Prototyping capabilities

An effective prototype should be more than just a replica of your component. It should be able to withstand strength testing, hold tight geometries, and validate proof of concept. A good, functional prototype is the foundation for transitioning your project from the design phase and into production.

Signicast offers a multitude of rapid prototyping solutions and capabilities—3D printed wax patterns for quick turnaround time, SLA (Stereolithography) and PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) patterns for slightly bigger geometries, and DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) for complex geometries and exacting untoolable features. And with our recent partnership with DDM, we are able to add 3D printed ceramic shells to our prototyping capabilities.

Benefits of 3D ceramic printing

Signicast and DDM formed a strategic partnership in September 2020 to offer customers the convenience and speed of ceramic 3D printing with the precision and performance of investment casting. Adding this new technology to Signicast's repertoire will help fill a need in the prototyping space for low volume production and complicated geometries. Through additive manufacturing, "ready to pour" ceramic shells are formed without any tooling or patterns – thus speeding up the time to production. DDM’s LAMP™ (Large Area Maskless Photopolymerization) ceramic 3D printing technology brings more advanced capabilities—including topology optimization and generative design—for achieving the most complex components with unprecedented speed and precision.

Considered a hybrid investment casting method, 3D printed shells transition perfectly to traditional foundries and create high-quality products that meet the specifications of traditional investment castings. The ceramic printing technology, including the equipment, hardware, software, and materials, is fully consistent with the quality and precision of investment casting operations. And in terms of dimensional accuracy and surface finish—the 3D castings are directly in line with injection molded wax patterns.

Complex Geometry and Dimensional Accuracy

3D ceramic printing is able to create difficult geometries with new and emerging capabilities like topology optimization and generative design—which until recently, could only be achieved with metal printing.

For small batch prototype runs, 3D ceramic printing can eliminate the usage of any wax, as well as additional tooling needed for internal passages, while still achieving significant geometric complexity. It can also conquer thin-walled design features. Accounting for ceramic and metal shrink, dimensional accuracy is usually within ± .008 of an inch, or 200 microns, which is acceptable as a profile tolerance in the most stringent industries, like aerospace, or even for air melt industrial parts.

Certified Surface Finish Quality

With the investment casting process, there is really no limit on the type of alloys that can be poured. Signicast offers a catalog of 150 standard alloys, but with a team of expert metallurgists on-site, we are also able to produce custom blends.

When considering using 3D ceramic printing for a prototype run, customers often question if the alloy quality is the same as investment casting. Through extensive testing, properties like surface finish and density are consistent and comparable to the standard process. And since the 3D printing process can cast virtually any metal or superalloy, the same standard of surface finishes is attained.

Cut Down Lead Time

3D ceramic printing with investment casting creates a clear pathway to full production, significantly cutting down lead time to market. By converting the original part design into a new CAD model of the casting shell, various adjustments are made to hit the target geometry with less production runs. And with other processes, such as CNC machining and metal printing, you often have longer lead times which can be costly over time.

With more and more customers moving away from designing parts for specific manufacturing processes, the value of 3D ceramic printing will only increase over time. Full production runs using this technology are on the horizon. 3D ceramic printing does not change the way metal is poured into a ceramic shell, nor does it change the chemistry or composition of the alloy—it simply offers customers with low production needs a faster path to production, without sacrificing quality.

Please fill out the form below to download our free on-demand webinar.

Medical Grade Investment Castings

Thursday, 09 July 2020 00:00:00

The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and in recent years, the sector has recorded an increased need for innovations in medical technology and portable, durable devices. In the same way, there is a growing demand for medical components that are not only high-performing, but are compatible with the human body over sustained use.

For many years, stainless steel had been considered the only material suitable for manufacturing medical equipment. However, aluminum and cobalt chromium alloys have recently found a place in the medical market. And with Signicast investment castings, you can take advantage of each of these alloys as well as our precision capabilities and tight tolerances for the best performance in the industry.

Stainless steel alloys for medical-grade equipment

While innovations in materials for the medical industry are ever changing, there is no disputing the fact that stainless steel is still often the first choice for most medical equipment manufacturers due to its low and high temperature resistance, high strength, and biocompatible properties. And with investment casting, you can engineer the necessary complex geometries into the casting to enhance part performance and reliability. Our stainless steel alloys include different combinations of nickel, chromium, and carbon. Depending on the application, you can choose between the 300 or the 400 series stainless steels.

The 400-series comprise 25% nickel, 1%carbon, and 11-27% chromium. The 300-series contain 6-25% nickel and 16-30% chromium. If you need a material with high strength and are looking to cut cost, the 400-series could be the right choice. However, for applications that need high strength, high corrosion resistance, and to retain their properties at high temperatures, the 300-series group could be more effective.

It is best to connect with one of our metallurgists to determine which material is best suited to your requirements. You may be surprised to find that there is an option available that you had not yet considered. Contact our team today!

Aluminum alloys for Class 1 & 2 devices and housings

While stainless steels meet biocompatibility and strength requirements for Class 1 and 2 medical devices, its weight is often a limiting factor when it comes to usability. Aluminum alloys often incur lower total costs while maintaining significantly higher strength to weight ratio compared to stainless steels. Plus, aluminum inherently creates aluminum oxide when exposed to oxidizing agents, creating a protective layer that prevents further oxidation, and therefore weakness, of the component. This is where lightweight aluminum has found its place in the market producing medical components for applications such as handheld surgical devices and portable medical equipment that needs to be durable, lightweight, and easy to use while also being able to pass stringent FDA regulations.

Cobalt alloys (ASTM-75) for implantable devices

Signicast has utilized cobalt alloys as an alternative to stainless steel, especially for use within implantable devices. Cobalt-Chromium, which is ferromagnetic, is very strong even when exposed to very high temperatures and has high corrosion and wear resistance when compared to other metals. It is also entirely biocompatible, making it suitable for implantable devices.

Medical component manufacturer

Medical devices, whether Class 1 or 2, have components that should meet and/or exceed the necessary efficiency and safety requirements set in place by governing forces as well as the physical and mechanical properties required by you, the manufacturer. This calls for extra care when choosing what material to use in the manufacture of such devices and the right manufacturing partner to successfully launch your program.

If you’re looking for a manufacturing partner that can offer more than just parts off the line, contact Signicast today! Our engineers can help you find the best and most cost-efficient material for your project.

Streamlining Your Supply Chain with Signicast

Friday, 12 June 2020 00:00:00

Manufacturers in the medical and healthcare industry turn to Signicast to streamline their supply chain and get to market faster.

You’ve developed your concept, ironed out the kinks in the design stage, and you’re ready to start manufacturing your component to get to market as soon as possible. Unfortunately, for some industries, there are still roadblocks that slow a program’s progress from the design phase into mass production.

For manufacturers in the healthcare and medical industries that are subject to regulatory entities like the FDA, getting to market involves several stringent testing and validation phases—sometimes even before the part is cast.

Components are typically tested for function, durability, biocompatibility, and sometimes, ease of use. To pass these tests, each phase of the manufacturing process for the final part must be approved. For medical manufacturers, you can’t validate a medical device prototype by machining from bar stock, and expect to use another manufacturing process for the end product. Each process you plan to use in mass production needs to be taken into consideration and approved by the governing bodies.

At Signicast, we know that expediency isn’t only relevant to the medical industry. If your current manufacturing process is falling short of timely delivery expectations or you’re looking to get a safe, reliable product to market as soon as possible to beat out the competition, you need the quick quote turnaround time, automation, and just-in-time delivery of Signicast.

Quote turnaround in one week or less

When choosing a supplier, the entire process begins with requesting a quote. Although not always considered a critical step in product launch, quote turnaround is a foundational step towards moving your program forward. We know your time is valuable, and we want to make sure that you can get the ball rolling with your chosen manufacturing process as quickly as possible. We make it a priority to get a quote back to you as soon as we can.

Process automation

Typically, processes like machining are chosen for their relative speed and complex capabilities. But with Signicast, you can achieve the same rate of production and complexity with our advanced proprietary automation. And our automated processes not only deliver on speed—they deliver on reliability and regulatory requirements.

By default, manufacturing processes that employ automation eliminate some of the scrap associated with human error. Process automation shows regulatory entities that your company is doing its due diligence for quality control throughout the entire supply chain, streamlining your program’s road to approval and validation.

Reduced lead times for just-in-time delivery

Signicast has a unique ability to ramp up and ramp down production on demand. Because we can deliver precisely the right components, exactly when you need them, you can plan your needs according to your production schedule instead of stocking up and taking up valuable space. This means that for components that require testing and validation, you can submit an order once your component is approved and still get to market quickly, rather than submitting an order before approval that may require modifications.

Ultimately, it means you can hold less inventory, reduce costs, and ensure your parts don’t become obsolete.

Don’t want to take our word for it? Just ask this oil & gas industry customer, who sourced a continuously-failing part with a high-scrap yield from another investment caster for three years before switching to Signicast—where they got their part tooled and in production in just under eight weeks.

Get to market sooner with Signicast

In today’s world, efficiency is king. In order to remain competitive, manufacturers need to streamline processes wherever possible. Although component validation presents a potential roadblock for manufacturers in the medical field and similar industries, getting to market sooner is made easier with Signicast.

Three Ways to Optimize Your Design for Cost Savings

Wednesday, 29 April 2020 00:00:00

After deciding on the investment casting process for your project, your next business objective is to maximize your return on investment by engineering your component to take advantage of the process. In other words, to lower manufacturing costs, engineers should approach each project with the intent of designing their component for optimal manufacturability.

You’re in luck! Design for manufacturability (DFM) is a Signicast core methodology. DFM ensures that investment cast parts perform to specification while reducing cycle times and the need for secondary operations. These operations are both costly and time consuming, and the most convenient time to minimize them is during the design stage.

DFM is more than just a concept—it’s a way to remove cost and eliminate inefficiencies before your project moves towards production. In this blog, we’ll walk you through three ways to design your investment cast component for additional cost savings.

Strategic gating

With the investment casting process, gating is an essential feature that engineers must factor into their design. When designing your component to lower cost, you should take the gate location into consideration.

The gate location must be seamlessly integrated into the design so that it doesn’t disrupt part performance. To minimize porosity and reduce cost, it’s best to consider where you will gate the part early on in the design process. The gate location should be incorporated on geometry adjacent to the thickest part of the casting to minimize porosity, ideally on a surface that doesn’t have stringent tolerance requirements for functionality. Isolated heavy sections should be avoided if possible, as these sections may require additional gating which negatively impacts cost.

Interested in learning more about how gating and porosity play a role in overall part performance? Download our webinar, Minimizing Porosity, Maximizing Performance here.

Incorporating design and cosmetic features

Using other manufacturing processes, complicated design features like lettering, date codes, internal threads, splines, and other unusual shapes require costly secondary operations. Investment casting, on the other hand, can incorporate these features directly into the casting, no matter how complex. While this may slightly increase the cost of tooling, you will not have to pay for additional secondary operations for each part, ensuring a considerable drop in piece part price. Additionally, since our wax is non-abrasive, the tooling will not wear down over time. Incorporating these complicated designs and cosmetic features into your investment cast geometry will eliminate secondary operation costs down the line.

Take advantage of value engineering for savings and performance

The most important part of designing your component to lower overall cost is getting your supplier involved early in the process to identify and knock out any potentially costly features in your part design—whether they might be detrimental to your bottom line or part performance.

For example, we often have customers that come to us with a project for several different parts that will be assembled in the final product. With Signicast’s value engineering, we are able to consolidate these parts in one single casting without any secondary assembly. In doing so, our engineers help you to optimize the component to take advantage of the abilities of investment casting, while also securing a decrease in piece part price with the elimination of secondary assembly operations.

When optimizing your part for performance to avoid costly redesigns, experience is the best teacher. At Signicast, our engineers have been around the block a time or two and know how to engineer features that ensure dimensional stability, and which features put castings at risk of failing. For example, with early involvement of our design team, we are able to incorporate features like ribs and cores to provide strength and optimal solidification without sacrificing performance.

Maximize ROI with investment casting

Are you beginning to see a pattern? When designing your investment cast component, the key to maximizing your ROI is to take advantage of process capabilities like part consolidation, low piece part prices, and complex design features, and to involve the experts as early in the design stage as possible. With these tools, you’re ready to design for optimal manufacturability.

Contact our engineering team today to get the conversation started.

Prototyping for Mass Production

Monday, 02 March 2020 00:00:00

An effective prototype should be more than a replica of your component. It should be able to withstand strength testing, hold the geometry of your final part, and validate proof of concept. A good, functional prototype is the foundational stepping stone towards transitioning your project off the drawing board and into mass production.

Signicast offers various prototyping technologies to suit your individual project, and we’re staffed with a team of engineering experts with experience producing prototypes for a variety of industries and applications.

Prototyping options for productive testing

To choose the most effective prototyping process, you need to determine your end component’s physical properties and testing requirements. These requirements will narrow down your available prototyping options. Once you’ve done that, you can pursue a functional prototype utilizing one of these avenues:

Short-run, hard tooled prototype

If you’re looking for a prototyping process to produce a large number of parts with the exact mechanical and physical properties, dimensions, and tolerances of your end component, a short run hard tooled prototype is the most effective option. The hard tooled prototype entails an up-front tooling cost, but produces prototypes at a lower piece price than processes that utilize SLAs or PMMAs. If your project requires an exact prototype and rigorous yield strength testing, a hard tool prototype is the way to go.

3D ceramic printing

Through additive manufacturing, "ready to pour" ceramic shells are formed without any tooling or patterns – thus speeding up the time to production. DDM’s LAMP™ (Large Area Maskless Photopolymerization) ceramic 3D printing technology brings more advanced capabilities—including topology optimization and generative design—for achieving the most complex components with unprecedented speed and precision.

3D printed wax pattern

If you’re looking for design validation, proof of concept, fill validation, or for your prototype to mimic the mechanical properties of a true investment cast component, 3D printed wax patterns are efficient with a fast turnaround time. Our printed wax patterns are created in-house within hours and immediately processed into fully functioning metal components. Recent technological advancements have made it much easier to validate surface finishes on these prototypes. The biggest limitation for this process is component size—printers will only accommodate parts about the size of a Rubik’s cube or smaller.

A 3D printed wax pattern and the cast prototype

SLA (Stereolithography)

SLA is similar to our 3D printed patterns, but chosen when part size is larger than our 3D printer capacity—about the size of a sheet of paper, 6 to 8 inches high. Much like 3D printed wax patterns, SLA prototypes mimic the mechanical properties of a true investment cast component and are an effective method of prototyping for fit and design validation. Aside from size, the main difference between 3D printed patterns and SLA patterns is the pattern removal is far more manual.

PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate)

PMMA patterns are similar to SLA patterns and accommodate parts that exceed the size capabilities for SLA. Similar to 3D wax patterns and SLA, PMMA is good for dialing in surface finishes, fit and design validation, and mimicking the mechanical properties of an investment cast component. PMMA is also a great indicator of the strength and repeatability of complex geometry.

Machined from solid

Machining from solid bar stock is typically an extremely fast process and great for producing a dimensionally-accurate part to measure fit and proof of concept. To guarantee speed, this process is best suited to cut low volume, aluminum alloy parts. Parts cut from stainless steels and carbon steels are cut more slowly, and the longer run time has the potential to increase cost.

DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering)

This process suits prototypes with complex geometries and exacting, untoolable features. With this process, however, you’ll want to consider that DMLS can’t usually hold the same mechanical properties as a true investment casting. So while this process is great for proof of concept and demonstration, it won’t hold up to real-world testing.

Which prototyping process is the most effective for mass production?

Over the course of a successful product launch, you could conceivably use a combination of several different processes. The most effective prototyping process for the current stage of testing depends on the scope of your project and how close you are to product launch.

Eventually, when you’re close to running your project at mass production capacity, we recommend moving into a short-term hard tooled investment casting run. This way, you’ll be able to effectively test and validate each requirement of your end component.

Get the most out of you prototypes

One of the most important—and often undervalued—part of the prototyping process is getting your supplier involved in the design process as early as possible. Ideally, you want to design your prototype for optimal manufacturability, and the most straightforward way to do this is to involve design engineers who are familiar with the investment casting process. In doing this, you can avoid setbacks in the prototyping process, like having to re-design a part to certify mold flow and solidification, re-design for castibility, or re-design for alloy requirements.

Signicast has the know-how and experience to optimize the production process from the beginning so that you can get the most out of your prototype and streamline the transition to mass production.

Interested in learning more about prototyping effectively for mass production? Download our free webinar Prototyping for Production! Click below.

Prototyping for Production FAQ

Tuesday, 25 February 2020 00:00:00

When it comes to designing and developing your components, developing a prototype is one of many critical steps towards successful program launch and efficient mass production.

How do you determine which prototyping route to utilize?

With 3D printing on the rise, choosing a metal prototyping option may seem like a matter-of-fact decision. However, you’ll want to start at a very basic, foundational level and determine the cost impact of a variety of factors in order to achieve better long-term results.

The geometry, size, and quantity of your end component will be the three biggest factors that determine which prototyping process will make the most sense, because these three factors drive the cost. Certain features and properties are going to lend themselves to one process or the other. And finally, you need to determine if your prototype will act solely as proof of concept for your design, or if want a fully functional part to test in real-world applications.

Don’t worry; our team of engineers can help you determine the best prototyping option for your project. Contact our team today.

What if I’m trying to decide between a few different alloys for my part?

The prototyping stage is an excellent point during design and development to test different material options for your component. At Signicast, we can run through multiple material options when you prototype with the investment casting process. For example, Signicast engineers can run 3D printed patterns for prototypes in place of the traditional wax pattern. Using this process, our engineers print multiple patterns to run through different molds with different alloys to help you determine the right end-game alloy as it relates to mechanical and physical properties of your component.

What is the typical lead time for tooling and fixtures?

With Signicast’s in-house tool room, we build the tool and the fixtures concurrently. Our tooling room runs just like our foundries: two 12-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are no lapses in time. Since we don’t defer to an outside source to build our tools, we quote standard tooling lead times of three to five weeks.

Does Signicast do in-house production machining or just machining for prototyping?

We do both. We have a very expansive machine shop at our Hartford, Wisconsin location. In the shop, we have three, four, and five axis machining centers with a wide variety of capabilities. Request a plant tour to see it for yourself!

Will there be differences between parts off a manual tool and parts off a full mass production tool?

Typically, no. With a manual tool, we are limited to how fast we can inject parts, so the only notable difference is the speed of injection. With a fully productionized tool, we are able to take advantage of the automated presses and the robotic part removal that is associated with a fully-fledge investment casting run. If your prototyping project has higher volumes, you will gain more efficiency with a productionized tool environment.

What kind of non-destructive testing (NDT) processes are available for investment cast prototypes?

At Signicast, we can do a variety of NDT testing procedures, including but not limited to these tests and procedures:

Fluid penetrant injection (FPI)
Mag particle inspection
X-ray
Test bar
Dimensional scanning
Coordinate measuring (CMM)

Whatever your testing requirements, whether it’s on the printer or post production, we have sources and capabilities in-house to deliver a functional prototype to your doorstep.

Fully functional metal prototypes

We know that finding a supplier who can constantly and consistently deliver effective prototypes can make or break your business. With investment cast prototyping, you do not have to compromise quality for time or cost. To learn more about how you can utilize the investment casting process for prototyping, download our free on-demand webinar.

Fill out the form below to download our free on-demand webinar.

Converting to Investment Casting: Is Your Part a Good Fit?

Monday, 27 January 2020 00:00:00

What makes your part a good fit for investment casting?

When deciding on the best manufacturing process for a precision metal component, the design, cost, and timeframe allotted for production drives the conversation. And if you’re like most engineers, you’ll begin looking for alternatives to your current process when something isn’t working as well as it should.

The manufacturing process you select can have a significant impact on the final result you’ll achieve. It’s why so many design engineers find the arguments for converting to investment casting so compelling.

Investment casting allows you to cast almost any shape, in any alloy, with sophisticated and complex design features—all to exacting tolerances at a total lower cost. Whether your current process is marred by inefficiencies, added cost, or part variance, converting to investment casting will add value to your project.

In this blog, we’ll outline the three F’s of form, fit, and function that make a part a viable candidate for the process.

Fit, form, and function

When we start speaking with customers about transitioning an existing part to investment casting, we focus on three areas:

Where will the part fit?
What form will it take?
How does it need to function to deliver maximum value?

We refer to these as the three F’s and the answers to each are key to determining whether investment casting is a good alternative to what customers already have in place.

Fit

When we talk about fit, we’re looking to understand how the part is situated in the final product. For instance, is it currently part of an additional assembly process? This can help us focus on areas where you may be able to realize greater value by simply recreating an existing part using the investment casting process.

Form

In terms of form, we’re looking at whether the part has either a simple or more complex geometry. As we said before, investment casting can produce virtually any level of geometric complexity, but highly complex components are where the process stands to deliver the most return on your investment. More traditional shapes such as wedges or cope-and-drag style boxes are all possible with investment casting, but it may struggle to be cost-effective versus a more rudimentary process such as sand casting.

Function

Finally, we focus on function. Here we’ll look at whether the component is static or moving; whether it needs to be able to withstand impact and constant wear; whether it has to sit flush against another part in a way that can be pressure sealed. This gives us critical information about the kind of alloy that might be best suited to the job. If you’re open to adjusting the specific formulation of the alloy you’ve been using with a different process, you may be able to see improved part performance by making the switch to investment casting.

So you’re thinking of making the switch to investment casting. What now?

While we’re big fans of investment casting, that doesn’t mean it’s the perfect fit for every application. Like any manufacturing process, it is better suited to some applications than others. So how do you decide if investment casting is right for your component?

The best way to know for sure is to get in contact with one of our design engineers. We’ll lend our expertise to walk you through step-by-step and help you decide whether or not to make the switch. You can contact an engineer here.

Looking for more resources on converting to investment casting? Download our free, on-demand seminar on converting to investment casting to hear Sales Engineer Lann Ellis, and Sales Director, Pete Lorenz, discuss the solutions that investment casting can provide and how other customers have successfully converted their components.

Fill out the form below to download our on-demand webinar.

Adding Value with Investment Casting

Thursday, 23 January 2020 00:00:00

Whether your current process is marred by inefficiencies, added cost, or part variance, converting to investment casting can add value to your project.

So the initial manufacturing process for your component is turning out to be less successful than you had hoped. No worries, we’ve all been there. If your current process is marred by inefficiencies, added cost, or part variance, consider making the switch to investment casting.

Investment casting is an extremely versatile manufacturing process which allows an exceptionally wide range of parts and industries to take advantage of its benefits.

Certain projects, however, stand to gain more from converting to investment casting than others. For these projects, initial manufacturing processes usually yield complex parts, but have problems with the delivery of design, cost, and speed-to-market. For instance, we often convert complex parts that were initially either cast as several separate pieces or had most of their geometries machined from solid.

Are you currently machining from solid? Talk to one of our engineers to see if your part is a better fit for the investment casting process.

The Downside of Secondary Operations

While casting several pieces and machining from solid produces a technically functional part, these processes are extremely inefficient when compared to investment casting. When the Signicast team gets involved, we take a more holistic view of your entire project, including cost, production timeline, and intended part performance. Engineers find that secondary operations associated with assembly and machining have a negative impact on both speed-to-market and part performance.

By comparison, the investment casting process offers net-shape or near net-shape parts in a fraction of the time. Using software simulation like mold flow analysis, Signicast design engineers ensure that the complex geometry within the net-shape component will be both strong and mechanically sound before they pour metal into the mold. Signicast’s ability to cast net-shape or near net-shape not only allows design engineers greater freedom, but eliminates waste associated with scrap material when machining from solid.

And with the assistance of advanced robotics and best-in-class technology during the casting process, we automate almost every step of the way, guaranteeing repeatability and radically accelerating the manufacturing process beyond any other manufacturer’s capabilities.

The Value of Investment Casting

As Lann Ellis, Signicast Sales Engineer puts it, “The repeatability you achieve with this process by reducing or eliminating downstream operations also reduces rework loops and streamlines the journey from manufacturing to customer.”

With investment casting, you get all the benefits of one of the most optimized, repeatable precision metal processes in history, all while reducing the need for assembly and machining down the line and accelerating your speed-to-market.

Looking for more resources on converting to investment casting? Download our free white paper on Making the Move to Investment Casting to learn about the solutions that investment casting can provide and how other customers have successfully converted their components.

Fill out the form below to download our free white paper.

Investment Casting Material Options

Monday, 11 November 2019 18:30:00

Investment casting is such a versatile manufacturing solution in part because the material options are nearly endless.

Whether you’re looking for corrosion resistance, increased tensile strength, or ductility, we have the materials to meet your requirements. At Signicast, we pour everything from 400 series stainless steel and plain carbon steel, to nickel and aluminum. With the capability to cast parts ranging from a few ounces to upwards of 200 pounds, Signicast’s investment casting process is one of the most dynamic manufacturing solutions on the market.

This versatility means that we can more easily resolve traditional casting challenges in design, production, cost control, and delivery. The availability of material options means that you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice one element of a design in favor of lowering cost—our engineers are involved in every step of the design and production process to aid in the selection of the most effective metal for your project’s unique challenges.

There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when selecting the best alloy for the job. To narrow the scope, here are some frequently asked questions about investment casting materials and options, answered:

What alloys accept plating or painting best?

Any material can be painted. The alloys that are easiest to paint are generally those that don’t oxidize a lot. For instance, stainless steels can be difficult to paint without some secondary thermal processes, but the plain carbon low alloy steels are quite easy to paint. The other factor that affects painting and plating is the surface finish of each unique part. If the part is too smooth, the paint won’t adhere as well. In general, low alloy steels paint and plate the best.

Does Signicast refine carbon and low alloy steels?

Typically, we don’t need to refine these materials. Our proprietary process meets and exceeds clarity properties without any subsequent steps. We melt very clean raw materials, as opposed to other processes like sand casting that need to refine their melts to eliminate unwanted matter.

Can you create identical parts of different alloys from the same tool or do you need one tool per each alloy of identical parts?

Due to the different coefficient of thermal expansion of each alloy, a tool that accommodates the shrink rate of one alloy may not be able to accommodate the shrink rate of another. Though the wax pattern would be the same dimension regardless of the alloy, the part will shrink differently during and after solidification with different metals.

Are some alloys better than others for minimizing porosity?

Some alloys are better for minimizing porosity without secondary operations, but minimal porosity can always be achieved with additional heating processes. For instance, aluminum alloys can be quite difficult to manufacture without secondary shrinkage operations. Due to its high hydrogen solubility, bubbles can form as the part solidifies, so there must be extra processing steps to prevent that from affecting the performance and porosity of the final product. Generally speaking, stainless steels are good for minimizing porosity during initial production.

What alloy works best for thin walls?

Because we spend a lot of time designing each casting, we can achieve very thin walls with most materials. Aluminum works quite well for thin-walled parts, as well as sulfur-baring steels.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of the wide spectrum of material options, download our free, on-demand seminar on investment casting materials here.

Using Soluble Cores in Investment Casting

Monday, 11 November 2019 18:30:00

Do your metal components require complex inner cavities?

Investment casting is ideal for parts that require tight tolerances, repeatability, and complex design characteristics. For parts that require particularly complex inner cavity configurations, our design engineers can incorporate a soluble core into the investment casting process. The use of soluble cores allows for more intricate cavity patterns to be included in the casting, reducing or eliminating the need for additional machining.

Watch this video to learn more about our investment casting process!

Designing for soluble core

Incorporating a soluble core into the investment casting process is achieved through strategic design and a few additional steps to our advanced investment casting process.

During the standard investment casting process, the pattern wax is injected into the mold cavity, cooled, ejected, and then attached to the sprue before continuing on for the remainder of the casting process. If the part does not require a particularly intricate core, this process is automated with our state-of-the-art technology. If the part does require an inner channel, the soluble core process is best-achieved by one of our specialized operators.

First, a soluble wax is injected into a mold to form the geometry of the core. The core is then ejected from the mold and cooled.

An operator will mount the soluble core in a precise position within the cavity of the mold for the entire component. The position of the soluble core within the mold is held by points of support that are incorporated into the mold during the design process. The added support ensures that the core stays in place when the pattern wax is injected and helps to facilitate the removal of the wax from the mold. The mold is then closed and the pattern wax is injected into the cavity around the soluble core. In the mold, the soluble core creates the inner baffles, channels, and ports that will be included in the final casting.

Once the pattern wax is cooled, the whole part is ejected from the mold. The part is then inserted into a bath of mild muriatic acid, and the soluble core is dissolved out, leaving behind a geometrically complex core that could not be otherwise achieved with standard investment casting.

The remaining pattern wax is then attached to the sprue and continues through the remainder of the investment casting process as normal. The end product is a repeatable, intricate part that delivers high performance without demanding costly secondary operations.

So why soluble cores?

Utilizing soluble cores provides many benefits, but the biggest benefit is the ability to design components with more complexity in the core of the part without costly secondary operations.

Without the need for additional machining, engineers enjoy greater design freedom. Additionally, the elimination of secondary operations mean that you’ll save time in the manufacturing process, and therefore, save on manufacturing costs.

Want to learn more about soluble cores or any of our other options for intricate inner-core designs? Download our free webinar!

Innovations in Casting Hand Tools

Thursday, 25 October 2018 12:00:00

When you think of a hand tool, like a ratchet or a wrench, the number one thing you’re looking for as a consumer is strength and reliability. As a manufacturer of hand tools, you’re looking for mass quantities, fast turnarounds, and cost efficiencies. Signicast has been creating hand tools for customers across the country for upwards of 50 years and many of today’s leading manufacturers turn to Signicast for fast, repeatable manufacturing.

Converting Machined Hand Tools

For decades, hand tools have been machined or forged from solid. While this does provide a strong and durable component, it results in tons of scrap, often wasted money, and hours of laborious re-work.

In the 1980s, Richard Freeman, a 25-year engineering veteran to a well-known hand tool manufacturer, had the idea to the convert the previously machined ratchet to the investment casting process.

After being turned down by almost every lost wax manufacturer in the Thomas Register, now ThomasNet, Freeman found his answer with our Hutchins, Texas-based investment casting company. Working with the engineering team, after a few design iterations, he helped convert the design from raw forging to a net-shape investment cast component. “We were always reworking the old way,” says Freeman. “It shortened the process time by eliminating 7-10 processes that were cut out by converting to casting, saving us over a hundred thousand dollars a year in cost—and that was back in the 80s!”

Freeman noted that “we learned on the way and had a lot of guys making special waxes and cavities to get everything right. They [Hutchins] weren’t afraid to take on the challenge.”

“If we could cast the ratchet with net shape, so there wasn’t any rework, we would save time and money”

Stainless Steel Hand Tools

At Signicast, we cast hand tools from a variety of different materials but for strength and longevity, most customers prefer cast steel. Utilizing our in-house engineering team, we design hand and power tools to meet occupational health and safety (OH&S) requirements which we test through careful accident analysis to ensure components are designed with the highest levels of safety and usability.

If you’re interested in converting any of your metal components to the investment casting process, reach out to our engineering team to get the conversation started. We offer free on-site technical seminars to help you better understand the investment casting process and how we can better serve your foundry needs.

Kovar Spotlight

Monday, 25 June 2018 12:00:00

Following on our success with Invar 36, Signicast is excited to offer Kovar, an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy, to our customers. Kovar is another alloy that exhibits the “Invar Effect.” The thermal expansion is low and linear below the Curie Point and much higher above the Curie Point. Whereas Invar is designed to have a very low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and is thus “in-variant” to temperature, Kovar is designed to be “co-variant”. It was designed so that its CTE closely matched that of borosilicate glasses but it is a good match for some alumina ceramics as well.

What are the Benefits and Applications of Kovar?

Kovar’s thermal expansion rate is the key property that makes this super-alloy useful. Compared to other alloys, Kovar expands at a variable rate with increasing temperature with very little change in dimension. This makes Kovar a great fit for seals and glass-to-metal bonded assemblies with minimal locked-in pressure.

It is used in applications requiring a hermetic seal between the metal alloy and the glass or ceramic component. The metal to glass seal is created by performing an oxidizing treatment to the parts after they have been annealed. The oxide layer is intermediary, bonding both to the glass and to the alloy substrate on which it was formed. The hermetic seal creates a bond free of the trouble and failures caused by dirt, dust, moisture, fungus or lack of pressure at high altitudes. Applications for this alloy include x-ray tubes, microwave tubes, and light bulb ends among many others.

Physical and Mechanical Properties

By varying the amounts of the major alloying elements, the CTE behavior of these alloys can be tailored to match different ceramics and glasses.

Kovar’s typical physical and mechanical and physical properties are as follows:

Density: .302 lb/in3roperties are as follows:
Curie Temperature: 435 ºC
Melting Point: 1450 ºC
Specific Heat:

.105 cal/gm/ ºC at 0 ºC
.155 cal/gm/ ºC at 430 ºC

Heat of Fusion: 64 cal/gm
Thermal Conductivity: 17.3 W/m · K
Electrical Resistivity: 490 microhm/mm
Shear Modulus: 7.5 · 106
Modulus of Elasticity: 20 · 106
Ultimate Tensile Strength: 75,000 psi
Yield Strength: 50,000 psi
Elongation: 30%
Hardness (Rockwell B): 78

Investment Casting Manufacturer

With world-leading experts, rapid prototyping and delivery, and the most advanced investment casting facilities in the world, Signicast is redefining how today’s manufacturers create, refine, and deliver products. Whatever your situation, our expert engineering staff is ready to listen. With 30 in-house engineers, we partner with you on every project to ensure your component is the highest quality possible. Contact our engineering team today to get the conversation started.

Investment Casting Aluminum

Wednesday, 04 April 2018 12:00:00

Well, not too much, except for that we can cast intricate tap handles that pour your brew of choice. Keep reading to learn more.

Design and purchasing engineers often find themselves searching for the right casting process. Asking what process offers the most design freedom and holds the tightest tolerances? Or which offers the most cost saving opportunities? While more than one manufacturing process may be suitable, they can also be complementary. Keep reading to learn how investment casting and die casting—together—became the right solution for this particular customer.

Casting A356

When most people think of investment casting, they often think of casting steel for large jet engines but investment casting is also great for commercial components. And while Signicast is well known for casting stainless steel, they are very successful at casting aluminum. Which worked out perfectly for this one particular customer, who in a bind, needed aluminum components—fast!

The component that was originally designed for die casting, but the die cast tooling was taking longer than expected and the project launch date was quickly approaching. Signicast’s engineering team stepped in to create ~50,000 aluminum parts to meet the customer’s strict timeline and hold them over until the die cast tool was finished.

*disclaimer, the die cast manufacturer was NOT Dynacast.

Flexibility with Investment Casting

The ability to create parts quickly is not typical for the investment casting process but Signicast has automated every part of the process creating the industry’s fastest leads times. For this particular customer, we went from designing the tool to part in hand in a matter of four weeks. This was possible in part to the speed and flexibility of Signicast’s in-house tooling.

Investment cast tooling is made from hardened aluminum, whereas die cast tools are made from hardened steel. The process difference being that the aluminum tool creates the wax pattern that molten metal is poured into for investment casting. With die casting, molten metal is injected into the die so the tool itself has to be much harder and able to withstand higher heat and force.

Watch this quick video to learn more about the investment casting process.

In regards to creating the tool, aluminum is easier to machine, in turn making it much faster and easier to modify. With die cast steel you machine it, harden it and then machine further. So, after three design iterations with this customer, you can imagine changing the design with investment casting was easier and more cost-effective than making those changes with the die casting process.

Once the die cast tool was up and running, Signicast had designed and created ~50,000 tapper handles for this customer. At that point, for high volume runs, die casting was more economical for this specific design and customer. But without the speed of Signicast’s investment casting continuous flow manufacturing process, this customer would not have met their customer’s time to market goals.

Whatever your situation, our expert engineering staff is ready to listen. With 30 in-house engineers, we partner with you on every project to ensure your component is in-hand when you need it. Contact our engineering team today to get the conversation started.

Invar 36 Spotlight

Thursday, 02 November 2017 12:00:00

Invar 36[1], also known within the industry as Nilo 36[2], is a nickel-iron superalloy known for its low coefficient of thermal expansion. Containing 36% nickel, it maintains nearly constant dimensions as well as good strength and hardness over a wide range of temperatures. Invented in 1896 by Swiss physicist, Charles Edouard Guillaume, Invar was created as a low-cost solution to a meter once made of platinum and iridium. Guillaume’s work led to the discovery of a fairly inexpensive iron-nickel alloy—a steel-like material—that expands very little when heated. He named the alloy Invar because it was almost unchanging or "invariable.”

**Invar [3] is typically machined, but what many people don’t know is that it can be cast.**

Invar 36 Success

One of our customers came to us specifically wanting to use INVAR 36 for a component requiring the near constant dimensions and long-term dimensional stability this alloy is known for. Due to confidentially agreements, we cannot name the customer but what we can tell you, is that like with many other projects, Signicast engineers rose to the challenge to not only cast Invar 36 successfully but completely exceeded the customers’ expectations—all while saving them money. Because after all, isn’t that the end goal? Create a quality component at the lowest total cost.

>> Discover your solution.

Why did our customer need Invar 36? The slightest change in dimension or shape of their component could alter their end product—even though they were already in a temperature controlled room. A few degrees could alter the function of the part. They knew they needed to work with a material like Invar 36 but machining it from solid became costly.

How did Signicast help? We had never worked with Invar 36 in the past, but there has never been a challenge our engineers didn’t at least try to overcome. With some research and testing we came up with a casting material that actually performed as good or better than wrought and we were able to cast net-shape successfully. Not only did we add savings on final part cost because they didn’t have to machine the part, but our final part cost was actually cheaper than their original block of metal—prior to machining.

The end result? A very happy customer who saved tenfold and a new material added to our offerings.

Invar 36 maintains nearly constant dimensions at temperatures below -150 degrees Celsius up to 260 degrees Celsius.

Who Should Use Invar 36?

Customers who are under strict temperature constraints will likely see the advantages of using Invar 36. Unfortunately, those who are currently machining from solid do not realize that casting net-shape is even an option. In today’s world, Invar 36 is often used in measuring devices, precision mechanical systems, laser components, thermostat rods, meters and components that transport liquefied gases—to name a few.

Invar Industry Applications

Invar can be used in a variety of applications within the aerospace, medical, and consumer electronics industries. But where superalloys with low CTE are really starting to outperform other metals is in technologies within the automotive industry. As autonomous vehicles rise in popularity, sensors, radars, and cameras become increasingly advanced and critical to the function of the car. LiDAR, an acronym for light detection and ranging, uses light waves from a laser to calculate how long it takes for the light to hit an object or surface and reflect back to the scanner—determining the distance of surrounding objects. An alloy with near constant dimensions and long-term dimensional stability, such as Invar 36, is extremely important in such intricate devices. Alternative alloys, like Kovar, with low CTE are also viable options for casting LiDAR sensors. Investment casting is a cost-effective solution compared to machining LiDAR parts from solid.

Material	Units	Invar 36	304 Stainless Steel
Density	g/cm³	8.05	8.00
Young's Modulus	GPa	141	193
Poisson's Ratio	--	0.26	0.27
Microyield Strength	MPa	70	>300
Thermal Expansion Coefficient	x 10^-6 K^-1	1	14.70
Thermal Conductivity	W/m K	10.40	16.20
Specific Heat	W s/kg K	515	500
Specific Stiffness	--	17.50	24.10
Thermal Diffusivity	10^-6 m²/s	2.60	4.10
Thermal Distortion (Steady State)	µm/W	0.10	0.91
Thermal Distortion (Transient)	s/m²K	0.38	3.68

What are the Advantages of Invar 36?

The most obvious advantage of Invar 36 is its ability to hold dimensions at cryogenic temperatures. Aside from that, Invar 36 looks and feels similar to steel. It also has outstanding weldability and machinability. Invar can also be created with customized chemistries to better meet the strength and hardness needs of customers.

Whatever your situation, our expert engineering staff is ready to listen. With 30 in-house engineers, we partner with you on every project to ensure your component is the highest quality possible. Contact our engineering team today to get the conversation started.

1* Invar 36 is a trademark of Carpenter Technology, Reading PA
2* Nilo 36 is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation, USA
3* Invar is a trademark of Imphy Alloys, France

Nickel-Based Steel Alloys

Wednesday, 27 September 2017 12:00:00

While the investment casting process is capable of pouring almost any alloy, our most popular alloys are in the nickel family. Consisting primarily of nickel, chromium, and molybdenum, nickel-based alloys are among the most widely used investment casting materials. The most popular being CW2M.

Creating a nickel-based alloy takes great precision and skill. At Signicast, we pay very close attention to the composition of the material we melt to ensure we create superior alloys. Our casting process creates very metallurgically clean castings with excellent weldability.

What Industries Use Nickel-Based Alloys?

Any industry can use nickel-based alloys, but the majority of our customers who use them are looking for the best corrosion resistance in oxidizing environments. Additional elements like molybdenum and chromium are added to create an alloy that is arguably one the world’s toughest.

When should you use a Nickel-based Alloy? If 300 series stainless steels do not cut it, nickel-based alloys are great for components used in the chemical and process industries. Additionally, meter bodies used in chlorine and acid services utilize CW-2M for its excellent mechanical and physical properties.

High-Performance Alloys

Nickel-based alloys are part of the super alloy family, also known as high-performance alloys. As well as being highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation these alloys are harder and stronger and corrosion resistant at higher temperatures making them a great option for welding applications. Some alloys lose corrosion resistant when you raise the temperature, nickel-based alloys do not. They also have great ductility and can be easily fabricated.

See all of our alloy options.

Signicast offers everything from 400 stainless steel to aluminum. We are committed to giving you the very best performing part at the lowest total cost. Contact our team today to discover our capabilities so that you never have to compromise when it comes to an investment casting manufacturer, again.

Did You Know?

Hastelloys are name brand nickel-based alloys invented by Haynes International in 1912. The original patent expired allowing manufacturers to develop “generic” or off-brand “Hastelloys”. For example, our CW-2M is equivalent to Hastelloy C. So while the name itself may be different, the alloy acts and performs just like the original Hastelloy.

Top 5 Things to Consider When Choosing an Investment Casting Company

Wednesday, 21 June 2017 12:00:00

If you have ever worked with an investment casting company or visited their plant, you know how manually intense the process is—and it takes a lot longer than other casting methods. When searching for an investment casting company, there is no need to settle for traditional or ordinary. Here are the top five things to consider when searching for the best investment casting company.

Quality & Repeatability

Investment casting is considered a net-shape or near net shape process and it can be done consistently with the right tools. We believe the key to great quality starts with early supplier involvement during the formative stage of product design. With over 30 engineers on staff, our technical and CAD capabilities are available to help you improve the way your existing component is produced—even if it was previously manufactured by another casting process.

We start with high-quality wax injection tooling and we create a manufacturing process that never stops. Our tool building process helps to reduce project time and aids in building more complex tools to create high-quality, complex parts with the tightest tolerances. Tool building process that is unparalleled in capability and speed. Everything is based on speed getting that tool finished. Additionally, we utilize simulation software to simulate solidification during the casting process resulting in significant time savings by eliminating multiple trials—thus achieving a high-quality repeatable process, the first time.

Speed & Delivery

When you think of investment casting, we know most people are concerned with speed. In fact, some people would say that investment casting is one of the most frustrating casting processes because it is typically very slow. At Signicast, we have eliminated the word slow from all aspects of our business. We don’t batch projects like other investment casting companies, we connect all the dots so each project runs as one complete operation—from tooling to finishing, robots move parts one from step to the next in a continuous flow. Other investment casting companies complete each process independently of each other—often leaving your parts sitting at one cell for weeks at a time—while Signicast does it all in one consecutive process. Doing so helps drastically reduce defects and potential part failure.

Speed is so critical especially if you are getting defective parts. You wait a long time and then get shitty parts. Combining the speed and the quality is the kicker. If you ship a part on-time but it's defective is it really on time? Quality before speed—but it just so happens we get everything done just as fast.

If you visit our Hartford, Wisconsin facility you will see a completely automated manufacturing system incorporating robotics, eliminating material handling to deliver your job faster and better than any other investment caster.

With true just-in-time delivery, you do not have to keep heavy inventory to cater to market fluctuations. Our average throughput for new product launch once we get the purchase order to build the tool, inject the parts, send samples, get approval and run the project, is less than 8 weeks. That is less than the average investment casting company takes to run a project for a current customer.

Contact our team today to schedule a plant tour to experience the Signicast difference firsthand.

Lowest Total Cost

While many of today’s casting companies promise the cheapest part price, Signicast strives to offer the lowest total cost which includes getting your product to market faster while still producing a high-quality cast part. We operate with a first to market mentality meaning our customers provide their production schedules and Signicast develops a delivery program to accommodate their workflow. Our continuous flow manufacturing process enables us to reduce cost due to less labor which in turns helps us create the lowest total cost for our customers.

The extreme flexibility of the Signicast investment casting facility is the reason why we are a true just-in-time manufacturer. Signicast is ready and equipped to handle radical shifts in output when you are faced with unexpected spikes in demand for your product. If you want repeatability, low lead times, better reliability, and total support, contact our team today to experience the Signicast difference.

Finish First When You Finish with Signicast

Wednesday, 14 June 2017 12:00:00

When you partner with Signicast to finish your investment castings, you not only have access to our world-class engineering team that assists with design for manufacturing but you also receive the highest-quality cast components. Why does this matter? Mechanically sound parts from the get-go, ensure your secondary operations are completed at the lowest total cost. Our continuous flow manufacturing process enables us to complete parts in half the time of other investment casting companies—without cutting any corners.

The Highest Quality

Signicast has in-cycle part checking and cutter compensation systems that verify quality through the use of contact probes and lasers. From machining to surface finishes, our finishing capabilities are consistent from the first part to the last. Signicast’s finishing capabilities include, but are not limited to:

Machining

Stamping
Surface grinding
Broaching
Milling
Machining
Passivation
Drilling
Tapping

Plating and painting

Yellow zinc
Chrome
Polished zinc
Nickel
Clear zinc
Black oxide
Powder coating

Secondary operations

Electro-polishing
Pickling
Anodizing
Acid treating
Mechanical polishing
Sand blasting
Glass bead blasting

There is no need to negotiate a scrap allowance when you partner with Signicast.

The Best Equipment

Signicast consistently invests in our Finishing Division to ensure our machine tools remain top-of-the-line. All machinery receives scheduled maintenance so unexpected shutdowns won’t interfere with your lead times. In the event a tool may need maintenance during a run, our in-house tool room offers immediate assistance. We can accommodate unforeseen tooling issues in hours while other investment casting companies have to outsource their tooling repairs—which can take days!

Dramatically Reduced Lead Times

Customers who utilize Signicast’s finishing services receive completely finished components on time and enjoy the industry’s shortest lead times. High-quality finished parts begin with the best as-cast components. At Signicast, everything we do starts with quality.

One Less Supplier to Worry About

Finishing your newly cast component at another facility just doubles your headaches. You already trust Signicast to provide you with the best components in the industry–why not have them finish your components as well? Signicast is your one-stop shop for all of your investment casting needs.

Better Component Design and Performance

Since all of Signicast’s modules work together seamlessly, excellent internal coordination and communications generate improved component designs, faster product launches, and fewer mistakes–all with less management on your part.

The bottom line: having Signicast finish your part can save you time and money. Contact our team today to get started.

New Product Launch – Time to Market Checklist

Wednesday, 07 June 2017 12:00:00

Signicast is a full-service investment casting company that is capable of completing parts in a fraction of the time it takes traditional investment casters. Our first to market approach starts with you, the customer. If you are starting a new project, here are the most important things to remember to get your new project up and running:

1. Early Supplier Involvement

We cannot stress how important it is to involve the Signicast team in your design phase so that we maximize your design for manufacturability and take advantage of all the opportunities and flexibilities that the investment casting process offers.

2. 2D Print and 3D Model

In order for us to be efficient with our quoting process, it is best to send your print and CAD files including the components adjacent to the casting that need to be designed. Important information such as part size, tolerance, and gating should all be included. The more our engineers have to work with, the faster we can return your completed quote.

Signicast has a very precise process in place where you can track the status of your tool being built. We make this process visible to our customer to ensure there are no surprise delays. With our innovations, in-house tool room and engineering expertise, it takes us 10 days to make an investment cast tool where the industry standard is typically 4-8 weeks.

3. Part Samples & Test Procedures

After your PO is issued, Signicast makes your project a priority. While other investment casting companies create your tool and then let it sit until they can work your project into the schedule, at Signicast, we prioritize that no matter what, when a tool hits the wax cell it is running immediately. Our continuous flow manufacturing process ensures your parts go from one cell to another without slow batch times.

If by chance there is something wrong with the tool during production, we can fix it on-site. We may lose an hour in the production process where most facilities would lose days. Our manufacturing process is fully automated so that we can deliver an efficient, unbroken flow of product—all the time.

If you’re looking to get to market quickly, we highly recommend having an approval process planned and ready to go so that you can have a successful, fast program launch. When we get you samples, the longer it takes to approve it, the longer it will take to get your product on the shelf. Each of our customers have a different approval process, knowing the necessary steps ahead of time and having that plan in place will ensure that there are no hold-ups.

At Signicast, we work with a first to market mentality. Our state-of-the-art automation removes the old limitations of traditional investment casting. We can rapidly prototype new products, consolidate multiple parts into higher performing units, and deliver new products with true just-in-time capability—at a fraction of the time it takes other manufacturers.

Contact our team today to experience the Signicast difference.

Top 3 Design Tips for Investment Casting

Wednesday, 26 April 2017 12:00:00

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 marketplace economic requirements, and clear communication among all parties. Most of our customers are not familiar with designing specifically for investment casting, so while the below tips are important to remember, we strongly urge you to involve our engineering team early during design to realize the benefits of our knowledge and design efficiencies.

Contact our team today to get the conversation started.

Size & Weight

Part size and weight are the most critical factors in determining part cost because mold capacity is limited by both. The more pieces that can run on a mold, the lower the part cost. While almost any configuration can be investment cast, our team of engineers can help to optimize your part for the investment casting process by reducing part weight and optimizing design geometries. The key to the most cost-effective use of this process is to fully utilize its flexible capabilities and incorporate as many useful features into the cast piece as possible.

Gating Design

The number of gates you have has a direct influence on the cost of your project. The impact of the gate location on the component must be considered during the design phase, as it can be a careful balance between manufacturability, part function, dimensional control, and aesthetics.

When possible, a part should be designed so that a single gate can feed the part. This will generally yield more pieces per mold and reduce the pour weight per mold. Single gate feeding also enhances the dimensional stability of a given part by providing a directional solidification pattern.

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 minimize costs.

Quality Investment Castings

Early supplier involvement means Signicast’s in-house technical staff and CAD capabilities are available to help you to 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 utilized to create the best part for the best price possible.

Contact our team today so that you can benefit from our engineering experience and state-of-the-art innovations.

Investment Casting vs Metal Injection Molding

Tuesday, 16 April 2024 20:54:39

If you’re looking to create high-quality metal components and can’t decide between metal injection molding (MIM) and investment casting, you aren’t alone. Many businesses have trouble choosing the best metal manufacturing process, knowing it will ultimately affect their bottom-line profits.

What is Metal Injection Molding?

MIM is a unique hybrid technology combining the processes of powder metallurgy and plastic injection molding. It starts when super-fine metal powders are mixed with a primary paraffin wax material and a secondary thermoplastic polymer. The final mixture is extruded and chopped into tiny pellets called “feedstock”, which are then heated before being injected into a mold cavity under high pressure. It’s a technique that delivers tighter net shape tolerances over high production runs, making it possible to produce extremely complex components with enhanced surface finishes.

What is Investment Casting?

Investment casting, also known as lost wax casting, begins with the creation of a wax injection die. Wax patterns are grouped and assembled onto a sprue to form a complete mold. The mold is then coated with layers of ceramic slurry and rapidly dried to harden the shell. Once dry, the mold is put into an autoclave to remove the wax from the mold. Molten metal is then added to the mold and allowed to cool. Finally, the shell is removed with high pressure water jets to reveal the final precision part.

Material options – what process is best for certain alloys?

Both IC and MIM produce strong, durable parts using a wide variety of alloys. For MIM, OptiMIM’s distinguishing factor is custom feedstock and the ability to specify metal particle size distribution and develop unique binder compositions. This makes the process fully customizable to deliver the end mechanical performance and properties your application requires. This also ensures that parts are more structurally sound, more reliable, and are less prone to embrittlement (cracking).

OptiMIM specializes in various ferrous and non-ferrous alloys including several stainless-steel grades, copper, and low alloy steel components which make up about 70% of our business. Specialty alloys, like Cobalt-Chromium (F-75) and other high alloy materials, are available as well. For a full list of MIM materials, click here.

Investment casting is such a versatile manufacturing solution in part because the material options are nearly endless. At Signicast, we pour everything from 400-series stainless steel and plain carbon steel, to nickel and aluminum. This wide array of materials helps to deliver corrosion resistance, increased tensile strength, and ductility. The availability of material options means that you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice one element of a design in favor of lowering cost, and the versatility means we can more easily resolve traditional casting challenges in design, production, cost control, and delivery. To learn more about investment casting materials, click here.

Part Size and Quantity – What is achievable?

MIM is ideal for producing large batches of small parts, roughly a half pound or smaller. In fact, most MIM parts fit in the palm of your hand down to a single grain of rice. Investment casting, on the other hand, is best suited for smaller lot sizes of large parts that are half a pound to 250 pounds, making it a cost saving alternative to machining from solid. When it comes to IC, think larger part and smaller lot size. Both processes scale very well, however MIM is the clear winner in terms of achieving high volumes - typically 10,000 parts or more - as this technology is a batch-driven process.

IC weight capability: 3g - 250 lbs

MIM weight capability: .05g - 35lbs

Common Applications and Designs – What Industries Are Served?

The MIM process is known for producing incredibly dense, precise parts with high strength and wear resistance, making it ideal for medical and dental manufacturers looking to meet strict regulatory requirements. In addition, scalability and heat resistance make MIM a great solution for automotive applications. Our ability to create parts from custom formulated alloys means we can deliver precisely the required performance characteristics.

Signicast’s complex casting capabilities, rapid prototyping and secure supply chains make it the perfect solution for a variety of industries. Stainless steel is especially efficient for industries that require high strength and temperature resistance like aerospace and defense applications. Our specialized processes allow us to address specific needs – like thin-wall casting, for a lightweight, streamlined design in medical and dental instruments or part consolidation in locks, hardware, and recreational vehicles.

If you’d like to learn more about the capabilities of investment casting and metal injection molding, download our free, on-demand webinar on IC vs. MIM by completing the form below.

SOPHIA® Investment Casting: Applications in Aerospace, Defense, and Specialized Industries

Tuesday, 16 April 2024 20:54:39

Defining Sophia® for Aerospace, Defense, and Special Applications

In the mission critical fields of aerospace, defense, and specialized applications, advanced innovation takes center stage. SOPHIA®, an advanced investment casting process, is making waves in the industry. See why the impact of SOPHIA® investment casting manufacturing is crucial for components made in these sectors.

What is SOPHIA®?

SOPHIA® exemplifies precision and innovation in investment casting. Utilizing a controlled cooling process post-casting, SOPHIA optimizes parameters for enhanced component geometry, resulting in a finer microstructure and superior mechanical properties. Developed in the late 1980s, the process focuses on achieving controlled and accelerated solidification.

Molten aluminum is poured into a hot shell in front of the SOPHIA® chamber at around 750 degrees Celsius. The mold is then transferred into the chamber for a computer-controlled descent into a cooling medium between 40 to 60 degrees Celsius, adjusting speed based on component geometry.

This method produces a finer microstructure, delivering higher strength compared to conventional casting. Implemented in only four global plants, including Soest, SOPHIA employs three times cooling to rapidly cool the mold, initiating solidification and further cooling the aluminum.

Post-casting, the mold goes into the SOPHIA chamber for a part-specific program tailored to volume and wall thickness, ensuring controlled solidification. Steps include initiating solidification at the lowest edge, descending at a defined speed, and stopping just below the upper edge to avoid overtaking the solidification front.

Compared to conventional casting, SOPHIA achieves a smaller dendrite arm spacing (DAS) and superior eutectic molding, eliminating the need for additional melt modification. SOPHIA emerges as an advanced and efficient method in investment casting.

Precision without Complications

SOPHIA® excels in achieving close tolerances and excellent surface quality without the need for mold angles. Lightweight components, the ability to map undercuts, and near-net-shape characteristics contribute to intricate designs with improved fuel efficiency and enhanced overall performance.

Material Freedom and Alloy Overview

Offering freedom in material choices, SOPHIA® works seamlessly with high-performance aluminum alloys:

A357 (AlSi7Mg0.6)
A356 (AlSi7Mg0.3)

Characteristics such as minimum wall thickness (1.5-2 mm), excellent castability, design flexibility, good weldability, corrosion resistance, and pressure tightness make SOPHIA® an ideal choice, leading to higher mechanical properties compared to conventional casting processes.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Reduced Wall Thickness Dependence

The SOPHIA® process significantly reduces the dependence of strength values on wall thickness. This leads to improved mechanical properties, offering designers a distinct advantage over conventionally manufactured milled parts.

Practical Applications in Aerospace

SOPHIA® finds application in various aerospace components, including landing flap fittings, handles, joysticks, casting HP pumps, LGSCU housings, electronic boxes, and engine casings for turbofans. Its ability to realize complex geometries makes it invaluable in meeting the highest requirements in the aerospace sector.

Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life

Comparisons between conventional and SOPHIA® investment castings reveal marked improvements in fatigue life. With unnotched test specimens, SOPHIA® castings show significant enhancements, providing a competitive edge in dynamic properties.

Welding Capabilities

In the qualification testing, SOPHIA® demonstrates consistent dynamic properties in in-process welding. The welded test bars, using the same chemistry as the parent material, exhibit identical dynamic properties compared to non-welded counterparts.

Casting Factor and Process Controls

With a casting factor of 1 according to CS 25.621 (EASA), SOPHIA® qualifies as a premium casting process. Strict process controls, including time and temperature mold adjustments, transfer times, metal temperature, spectral analysis, density index, and more, ensure a reliable and consistent casting process.