All metal casting processes have their own unique characteristics. When designing a new part for casting, the most appropriate process should be determined by a number of factors, including:

• Tooling costs
• Labor costs
• Design characteristics
• Desired appearance

The goal of the manufacturer and the supplier should be to find the optimal balance that produces the lowest per-part cost at a given quantity, while meeting or exceeding all quality requirements.

Here, we compare investment casting to three metal casting processes: shell mold casting, greensand casting and permanent mold casting.

Eagle Precision Cast Parts, Inc. just released a downloadable resource, titled Investment Casting Process Guide: A Comprehensive Introduction to Investment Casting.

The goal of the 21-page ebook is to make it easy for manufacturers, and anyone else who's interested, to learn the basics of investment casting. Manufacturers looking for a better way to produce parts can find information on tolerances, design recommendations and a full case study.

Investment casting, sometimes known as lost-wax casting, is a metal forming method known for its ability to produce parts with tight tolerances, complex inner cavities and accurate dimensions.

As we discussed in our Introduction to Investment Casting post, the basic technique has existed for millennia. Over the years, innovations in equipment and methodology have kept pace with demand. Today, investment casting is one of the most popular forms of metal casting.

Read on to learn more about the unique process of investment casting.

Investment casting is nearly as old as metalcasting itself, with the earliest known examples dating back to 3,500 BC. Before investment casting was invented, metal castings were created using open stone or ceramic molds. Investment casting allowed for much greater detail and smoother finish, vastly expanding the possibilities of metal casting.

Today, investment casting is one of the most versatile methods of metal casting. The process, which is still similar to that used over 5,000 years ago, allows for tighter tolerances, more intricate shapes and smoother surface finishes than other metal casting methods.

Whether your businesses is considering a new certification or you're shopping for a new supplier, it's important to know exactly what certifications can offer.

Here, we focus on the quality-based ISO 9001 standards. Over 1 million companies in over 170 countries meet ISO 9001 standards, but there are millions more that don't.

Read on to learn the difference between those that are certified...and those that aren't.

Our recent post on fabrication to casting conversion might have gotten your wheels turning. Now you're wondering, "Could my products benefit by making the switch to casting?"

If you sell, use or otherwise produce fabricated parts, there's a good chance that you could produce them better, cheaper and faster through casting. To help you decide, we've prepared a brief Part Evaluation survey.

We're here to talk about METAL

No, not that kind of metal–actual metal, like the kind that your car is made out of, that replaced your uncle's bad knee, that holds up the skyscrapers downtown, that keeps cruise ships afloat, that built the rocket that catapulted the telecom satellite into space so you can have an internet connection, that makes up that satellite...

A lot of things are made out of metal. You get the idea.