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| History of the Investment/Lost Wax Casting Process |
| Investment Casting using the lost wax technique
is not new; on the contrary, it is one of the oldest casting methods
known and examples of its use to produce statuary and jewellery can
be traced back to antiquity. In the early part of this century, the
method was applied to the manufacture of gold fillings and dental inlays
for false teeth, while in 1932 the lost wax ceramic block mould process
was developed, using cobalt-chromium alloys for dental applications
and orthopaedic components.The demands of the Second World War changed
the limited application of the technique and in the wake of the introduction
of the aircraft gas turbine and intensified development of turbo chargers
for high flying bombers and fighters, designers were drawn to investment
casting to produce the necessary high quality components.
The 1950's saw the expansion of the industry, mainly allied to aircraft and military applications but with a significantly increasing involvement in the general commercial field. With the introduction, in the mid 50's of the ceramic shell mould process, the range of materials cast increased dramatically and to the original alloy steel and super alloys were added carbon steels, tool steels, aluminium alloys, copper alloys, magnesium alloys and more recently, titanium alloys, typifying the versatility of the process. Contributors include BICTA, with special thanks to Mr David Critchley |