Investment casting
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Investment casting is an important metal forming process, which is a method of making metal castings by using investment patterns. Investment casting technology originated in Europe in the middle of the 19th century. With the continuous development of science and technology, investment casting technology has also been continuously improved and gradually applied to automobiles, aviation, construction, medical treatment and other fields. This article will introduce the principles, advantages and development trends of investment casting from three aspects.
The principle of investment casting is to put a model made of materials such as ceramics or gypsum into molten metal liquid, and after cooling and solidifying, take out the model to obtain a metal casting with the same size as the model. The advantage of investment casting is that it can produce complex hollow structures and parts with complex shapes, and it can also save metal raw materials and reduce production costs. The disadvantage of investment casting is that it requires high production costs and complex manufacturing processes, and it also requires the use of specific mold materials.
Investment casting technology has been widely used in the automotive field, such as turbine blades, exhaust pipes, radiators, etc. of automotive engines. Investment casting technology is also gradually applied in the aviation field, such as compressor blades and turbine blades of aircraft engines. Investment casting technology is also used in the field of construction, such as doors and windows, pipes and so on. Investment casting technology has also been widely used in the medical field, such as artificial bones, heart stents, etc.
The development trend of investment casting technology is towards digitization, intelligence and refinement. Digitalization refers to the digital management of all links in the investment casting process through computer-aided design and manufacturing technology to improve production efficiency and quality. Intelligence refers to the automation and intelligence of the production process through robotics and automation technology. Refinement refers to the improvement of the precision and quality of parts through precision machining and control technology.
In short, investment casting technology is an important metal forming process, which has the advantages of making complex parts, and can also save metal raw materials and reduce production costs.