| Investment or lost wax casting is a
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| | metal casting process that uses
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| versatile but ancient process, it is used
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| | expendable foam patterns to produce
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| to manufacture a huge variety of parts
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| | castings. Lost foam casting utilises a
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| ranging from turbocharger wheels to golf
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| | foam pattern which remains in the mould
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| club heads, from electronic boxes to hip
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| | during metal pouring. The foam pattern is
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| replacement implants.
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| | replaced by molten metal, producing the
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| The industry, though heavily dependent on
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| | casting.
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| aerospace and defence outlets, has
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| | The use of foam patterns for metal
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| expanded to meet a widening range of
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| | casting was patented by H.F. Shroyer
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| applications. Modern investment casting
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| | during then year of 1958. In Shroyer's
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| has its roots in the heavy demands of the
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| | patent, a pattern was machined from a
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| Second World War, but it was the adoption
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| | block of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and
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| of jet propulsion for military and then
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| | supported by bonded sand during pouring.
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| for civilian aircraft that stimulated the
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| | This process is known as the full mould
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| transformation of the ancient craft of
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| | process.
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| lost wax casting into one of the foremost
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| | With the full mould process, the pattern
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| techniques of modern industry.
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| | is usually machined from an EPS block and
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| Investment casting expanded greatly
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| | is used to make large, one-of-a kind
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| worldwide during the 1980s, in particular
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| | castings. The full mould process was
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| to meet growing demands for aircraft
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| | originally known as the lost foam
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| engine and airframe parts. Today,
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| | process. However, current patents have
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| investment casting is a leading part of
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| | required that the generic term for the
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| the foundry industry, with investment
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| | process is known as full mould.
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| castings now accounting for 15% by value
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| | It wasn't until 1964 when, M.C. Fleming's
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| of all cast metal production in the UK.
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| | used unbonded dry silica sand with the
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| It really is the modernisation of an
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| | process. This is known today as lost foam
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| ancient art.
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| | casting (LFC). With LFC, the foam
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| Lost wax casting has been used for at
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| | pattern is moulded from polystyrene
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| least six millennia for sculpture and
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| | beads. LFC is differentiated from the
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| jewellery. About one hundred years ago,
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| | full mould method by the use of unbonded
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| dental inlays and, later, surgical
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| | sand (LFC) as opposed to bonded sand
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| implants were made using the technique.
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| | (full mould process).
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| World War two accelerated the demand for
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| | Foam casting techniques have been
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| new technology and then with the
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| | referred to by a variety of generic and
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| introduction of gas turbines for military
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| | proprietary names. Among these are lost
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| aircraft propulsion transformed the
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| | foam, evaporative pattern casting,
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| ancient craft into a modern metal-forming
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| | evaporative foam casting, full mould,
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| process.
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| | Styrocast, Foamcast, Styrocast, and foam
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| Turbine blades and vanes had to withstand
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| | vaporization casting.
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| higher temperatures as designers
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| | All these terms have led to much
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| increased engine efficiency by raising
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| | confusion about the process for the
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| inlet gas temperatures. Modern technology
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| | design engineer, casting user and casting
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| has certainly benefited from a very old
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| | producer. The lost foam process has even
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| and ancient metal casting process. The
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| | been adopted by people who practice the
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| lost wax casting technique eventually led
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| | art of home hobby foundry work, it
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| to the development of the process known
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| | provides a relatively simple &
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| as Lost Foam Casting. What is Lost Foam
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| | inexpensive method of producing metal
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| Casting?
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| | castings in the backyard foundry.
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| Lost foam casting or (LFC) is a type of
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