Thousands of years ago duplicate metal structures were cast from an original sculpture by the lost-wax casting process. Investment casting is one of the oldest metal-forming techniques based on this lost-wax casting process. A beeswax pattern is coated with refractory ceramic material, which then hardens and takes the shape of the casting. The ceramic mold […]

Casting Chronicles The history of humanity is defined by man’s relationship with the material world. Man’s ability to make tools from metals has changed our historical trajectory. A copper frog from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) dating back to 3200 BCE is the oldest known casting. Farm tools made of cast iron were used in China in […]

In metalworking, casting is the process of setting molten metallic material in a pre-designed mold. Once the molten metal cools, it becomes a solid metal object in the desired shape. Casting can be achieved with a wide variety of metals, and various materials can be used to form the molds and other equipment. Because casting […]

Metal shrinks as it transforms from liquid to solid (known as solidification shrinkage) and undergoes additional thermal contraction as it cools to room temperature. Cast parts are therefore designed with shrinkage allowances to result in parts of the desired dimensions. Cast steel, for example, will shrink about ¼ in. per foot and produce rough-looking castings. […]