Investment casting is an important manufacturing process widely used in aerospace industry. It can produce complex and high-precision metal parts with smooth surface finish. The use of investment casting in aerospace brings many advantages. This article will analyze the reasons why investment casting is suitable for aerospace applications and introduce some representative aerospace investment casting companies.
High dimensional accuracy and surface finish
Investment casting can achieve very high dimensional accuracy and surface finish. This is extremely important for aerospace applications where tight tolerances are required. The ceramic mold created in investment casting can replicate fine details accurately. The surface of final castings has excellent finish without parting lines or flash. Such high precision reduces the need for secondary machining and polishing, lowering costs.
Ability to produce complex shapes
Investment casting enables the production of complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible with other techniques. Thin walls, undercuts, internal passages can all be created to meet design needs. Aerospace components like turbine blades often have very complex shapes to optimize airflow and performance. Investment casting provides the geometry flexibility for aerospace engineers to fully realize such complex designs.
Variety of alloy materials
A wide range of alloy materials including nickel, cobalt, aluminum and titanium alloys can be used in investment casting. It supports practically all castable high-performance alloys. This allows the optimal material to be selected for different aerospace applications based on strength, weight, corrosion resistance etc. requirements.
Cost effectiveness for small volumes
The unit cost of investment casting is economical for small to medium production volumes. This matches the requirements of the aerospace industry where components are often made in batches. The casting method is very suitable for expensive aerospace alloys since material waste is minimal.
In summary, investment casting is advantageous for aerospace applications due to its dimensional accuracy, surface finish, geometry flexibility, material options and relatively low cost at small volumes. Many aerospace investment casting companies provide casting services to major aircraft and jet engine OEMs.