The difference between investment casting and die casting

Differences between Investment Casting and Die Casting

Although investment casting technology and die casting choose similar manufacturing principles to produce parts and products, there are distinct differences between these processes. For example

1. investment casting uses disposable molds for each new casting, while die casting uses reusable molds.

2. Investment casting is suitable for both light and rare metals, while die casting is only suitable for non-ferrous forged metals.

3. The investment casting process is ideal for small and medium batch production, while die-casting is more suitable for mass production.

4. Investment casting parts generally have little to no secondary machining, while die-cast parts may require post-processing to achieve the desired dimensions and surface finish.

When you pick die casting

1 - You need to have a large order

Die-cast tooling is too costly and requires a lot of work. However, these molds can last up to one million parts produced.

If you can have orders of this magnitude, the product cost per die-cast part becomes very low.

2 - You need fast turnaround time

Once the die casting mold is ready, the production and export of parts becomes a simple and repetitive process that is thoroughly suited to automation.

3 - You need large parts

Die casting products are larger in size than investment casting. Although it requires more complex and expensive machining, you can make parts of any size with die casting technology. This is not easy for investment casting. It must take into account the provisions of lost wax technology and the pouring process.

When you pick investment casting

1 - You need a high density product

Design freedom and tight tolerances are the key industries in which investment casting valve bodies excel. When you use wax molds, it is easy to add subtle design flair. Suppose you need to make a model with complex patterns and high precision features again. Going for investment casting is a good choice.

2 - When you need light and rare metals

The limitation of die casting is that the mold cannot be exposed to temperatures higher than the melting point of the mold material. This limits the die casting to mainly non-ferrous metals.

However, investment casting does not have this limitation. The refractory material for investment casting can be either ferrous or non-ferrous.