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Investment Casting Services

Fathom offers metal casting prototype services in a variety of materials including magnesium, aluminum, zinc, and bronze, which are created with a plaster, sand, investment or permanent molding process. 

The Process

1. A master model is created from the master mold
2. The master molds are used to generate plaster molds
3. The mold is left to dry (typically 3-5 days)
4. The metal is poured into the plaster mold
5. The final product is cleaned and prepped for shipping or machining

Wax is injected into an aluminum die to produce a pattern that is an exact replica of the part to be produced. For every casting, a wax pattern must be manufactured. The patterns are clustered around a coated sprue and repeatedly dipped into an agitated vat of ceramic and allowed to dry. After a shell thickness of approximately 3/16″ has been built, the molds are dewaxed by either flash firing at high heat (1,400° F.) or autoclaving (pressure and steam). The hollow shells are then preheated to 800-2,000° F, depending on the alloy to be poured. The molten metal is immediately cast into the hot shell. After the metal parts have cooled, the ceramic is vibrated, blasted off and discarded. The balance of the cleaning operations (cut off, grind, heat treat, straightening & blast) are straightforward and quite similar to the other casting processes.

 

Low Alloy Steels Investment Castings Martensitic Stainless Steel Investment Castings Austenitic Stainless Steel Investment Castings Duplex Stainless Steel Investment Castings Ferritic Stainless Steel Investment Castings Tool Steel Investment Castings
1020 410 303 ASTM 890 Grade 4A 409 A2
1045 416 304, 304L 430 A6
1050 420 316, 316L 436 D2
1095 431 316 Non-Mag 446 D5
4130 15-5PH CF-8, CF-3 L6
4140 17-4PH CF-8M, CF3M M2
4150 440A 330 M52
4340 440C 347 O1
6150 CA-6NM 20-CB3 S5
8620 Alloy 20, CN-7M S7
8650 CF10-SMnN

 

Copper Base Alloys Investment Castings Nickel Base Alloys Investment Castings Cobalt Base Alloys Investment Castings Aluminum Investment Castings
CDA 872 NI-B CoAlloy 3 356
CDA 875 NI-C CoAlloy 6
CDA 876 NI-X
CDA 903 NI-625
CDA 905 MONEL E
CDA 954 NON-GALLING

Across National
Time Zones

Precision manufacturing
from coast to coast.

HEADQUARTERS //
1050 Walnut Ridge Drive
Hartland, WI 53029
877-FATHOM-8

ARIZONA
444 W. 21st St. Ste. 101
Tempe, AZ 85282
480-966-2300

CALIFORNIA
46758 Lakeview Blvd
Fremont, CA 94538

COLORADO
7770 Washington St.
Denver, CO 80229
303-288-6855

FLORIDA
14000 N.W. 58th Court
Miami Lakes, FL 33014
305-889-3280

ILLINOIS
1207 Adams Drive
McHenry, IL 60051
815-385-7500

1401 Brummel Ave
Elk Grove, IL 60007
847-952-8088

MINNESOTA
13758 Johnson Street NE
Ham Lake, MN 55304
763-755-7575

NEW YORK
1920 Slaterville Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-277-7070

401 W. Shore Blvd.
Newark, NY 14513
315-331-7680

TEXAS
1513 Sam Bass Rd.
Round Rock, TX 78660
512-255-1477

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