Investment Casting & Sand Printing
Some critical parts are made using the investment casting process. In this process a wax or plastic replica of the part is made. That part is coated with several layers of ceramic over a 10 day period. The wax is melted or the plastic is burned out of the ceramic "mold". Metal is melted and poured into the mold to make the casting. If dimensions and/or surface finish is critical, investment casting might be the way to make your parts.
Standard Alloys is also using the "state-of-the-art" sand printing process to make mold and/or core pieces. These pieces of "sand" are computer generated allowing for precise dimensional control. The result is a part that is almost as dimensionally accurate as an investment casting but we can deliver slightly quicker with the “sand process”.