3D Printing Investment Casting Services for Rapid Metal Prototypes

Product Overview: From CAD to Cast Metal

Waiting weeks for metal tooling to be machined is no longer a bottleneck in product development. At Vastmaterial, we bridge the gap between digital design and physical production with our hybrid 3D printing investment casting solution. By integrating advanced SLA casting patterns directly into our precision foundry workflow, we eliminate the need for expensive, time-consuming wax injection dies.

Our process transforms your CAD data into industrial-grade metal parts with tool-less metal manufacturing. We utilize high-precision 3D printers to generate sacrificial patterns that burn out cleanly during the casting process, allowing us to pour high-performance alloys—from Stainless Steel 316L to Cobalt-based superalloys—without the constraints of traditional molding.

Why Choose Digital Foundry Services?

We combine the agility of rapid prototyping with the metallurgical integrity of traditional casting. This approach delivers:

• Zero Tooling Costs: Bypass the initial capital investment required for metal molds, making low-volume production economically viable.
• Complex Geometries: Cast intricate features, undercuts, and thin walls that are impossible to mold using standard tooling.
• 75% Faster Lead Times: Accelerate your R&D cycle by moving from design file to finished metal part in days rather than months.
• Production-Grade Quality: Receive parts that meet the same strict aerospace and industrial standards as our high-volume rapid investment casting outputs.

The 3D Printing Investment Casting Process

At Haoyu Material, we have optimized the workflow to merge digital foundry services with traditional metallurgy. By replacing the traditional wax injection die with high-precision 3D printing, we accelerate the transition from design to finished metal part. This 3d printing investment casting method allows us to produce complex geometries that would be impossible or prohibitively expensive with standard tooling.

Step 1: Pattern Printing with Ash-Free Resins

The process begins with stereolithography investment casting (SLA) or DLP technology. We print master patterns directly from your CAD data using specialized ash-free burnout resin. Unlike standard prototyping plastics, these SLA casting patterns are formulated to burn away completely without leaving residue, ensuring the internal cavity remains pristine for the metal pour. This eliminates the need for expensive metal molds, making it ideal for rapid prototyping and low-volume production.

Step 2: Ceramic Shell Building

Once the sacrificial resin patterns are printed and assembled onto a gate system, we proceed to ceramic shell casting. The pattern assembly is dipped into a high-grade ceramic slurry and coated with refractory sand. We repeat this process multiple times to build a robust shell capable of withstanding the extreme heat of molten steel or superalloys.

Step 3: Burnout and Pouring

The ceramic shell is heated in an autoclave or furnace. The printed resin structure collapses and evaporates instantly—this is the QuickCast process in action. Once the shell is empty and verified to be free of ash, we pour the molten metal. Our facility handles a wide range of materials, from standard Stainless Steel (304, 316L) to high-performance Cobalt Alloy 6B and Nickel-based superalloys.

Step 4: Finishing and CNC Post-Processing

After the metal solidifies, the ceramic shell is broken away to reveal the raw casting. We remove the gating system and perform initial surface grinding. For parts requiring tight tolerances, we transition immediately to secondary operations. Our integrated testing and quality assurance protocols ensure that every casting meets strict dimensional accuracy before it undergoes final CNC machining or surface treatment.

Material Capabilities and Alloys

We don’t just print prototypes; we use 3D printing investment casting to deliver fully functional, industrial-grade metal parts. The core advantage of this hybrid workflow is that while the pattern is created via SLA casting patterns or QuickCast process, the final output is 100% dense metal with the same mechanical properties as traditional casting. We guarantee our materials meet strict aerospace and industrial metallurgy standards.

Ferrous Metals: Stainless and Carbon Steels

Our foundry handles a wide spectrum of steel alloys. This includes austenitic stainless steels like 304 and 316L for corrosion resistance, and precipitation-hardening grades like 17-4PH and 15-5 PH for superior strength. For projects requiring specific hardness and wear resistance, we cast 400 series stainless steel and various tool steels. We also support standard low carbon steel for general structural components where ductility is key.

High-Performance Superalloys

For precision metal prototyping in extreme environments, we specialize in advanced superalloys that withstand high heat and corrosion:

• Cobalt-Based Alloys: Including Cobalt Alloy 6B for exceptional wear resistance.
• Nickel-Based Alloys: High-temperature alloys used in turbines and engines.
• Chromium Cobalt Molybdenum: Ideal for medical and industrial applications requiring biocompatibility or extreme durability.

Lightweight and Non-Ferrous Metals

Our investment casting 3d printing capabilities extend to lightweight metals essential for automotive and aerospace sectors. We routinely cast complex geometries in Aluminum and Titanium alloys. Additionally, we offer copper-based alloys, including Brass and Bronze, for marine and electrical applications. This material versatility allows for low-volume metal production without the constraints of traditional tooling.

Technical Specifications and Tolerances

At Vastmaterial, our 3d printing investment casting workflow is engineered for strict adherence to industrial standards. We bridge the gap between digital design and physical metal, ensuring that the high fidelity of SLA casting patterns is retained in the final pour. This method allows us to handle complex geometry casting projects that would be cost-prohibitive or impossible with traditional metal tooling.

For parts requiring exceptional fit and function, we maintain rigorous control over dimensional accuracy. While standard casting tolerances apply, the use of high-resolution digital patterns allows us to hold tighter deviations on critical features. If your project demands mirror-like surfaces or specific friction coefficients, our integrated precision CNC machining capabilities can refine the raw cast surface to meet aerospace or medical grade requirements.

Standard Manufacturing Capabilities

We utilize precision metal prototyping protocols to verify these specs early in development. This ensures that whether we are casting stainless steel or superalloys, the final component meets the exact mechanical and geometric demands of your application.

Key Applications in Aerospace and Automotive

We leverage 3d printing investment casting to solve engineering challenges where traditional tooling hits a wall. By bypassing the mold-making phase, we accelerate the production of high-performance components for industries that demand zero failure rates. This hybrid approach enables us to deliver functional metal parts with complex geometries in a fraction of the time usually required.

Aerospace Components

In the aerospace sector, weight reduction and geometric complexity are non-negotiable. Our investment casting 3d printing process allows for the creation of intricate internal cooling channels and thin-walled structures that are often impossible with standard machining or tooling.

• Turbine Blades: Cast from high-temperature Nickel and Cobalt alloys to withstand extreme thermal stress.
• Fuel Nozzles: Consolidated designs that improve engine efficiency and reduce assembly steps.
• Structural Brackets: Optimized topology for maximum strength-to-weight ratios using Titanium and Stainless Steel.

Medical Implants

The medical field relies on our technology for patient-specific solutions and biocompatible materials. We produce orthopedic replacements using Cobalt-Chrome-Molybdenum alloys known for their exceptional wear resistance and biological safety. For instance, our Tibial Plateau Co28Cr6Mo implants demonstrate the high strength and precision required for critical knee fracture reconstruction and arthroplasty.

Automotive and Industrial Machinery

Automotive engineers use our rapid investment casting services to prototype transmission cases, turbocharger housings, and engine mounts within days, not months. Beyond the automotive sector, we support heavy industry by delivering durable parts for oil, gas, and mining equipment. Our large steel casting solutions ensure that even the most massive industrial machinery components meet strict dimensional tolerances and durability standards without the high cost of permanent tooling.

3D Printed Casting vs. Traditional Wax Casting

When you need metal parts fast, waiting weeks for a machined mold just doesn’t cut it. We use 3D printing investment casting to bridge the gap between digital design and physical metal without the heavy upfront investment of hard tooling. By swapping out the traditional wax injection die for a precision-printed resin pattern, we drastically reduce the time to first article.

While our standard lost wax casting foundry process is unbeatable for high-volume mass production, rapid investment casting is the smart choice for prototyping and short runs. We can move from a CAD file to a cast metal part in as little as 3-7 days, compared to the 4-8 weeks typically required for tooling production. This approach allows for low-volume metal production that is both cost-effective and agile.

Comparison: Printed Patterns vs. Injected Wax

Design Freedom and Agility

The biggest advantage of investment casting 3d printing isn’t just speed; it is geometry. Traditional molding requires draft angles and cannot easily handle complex internal channels or undercuts because the tool has to pull apart. With 3D printing, we print the pattern exactly as designed, no matter how complex the lattice structures or internal voids are. This gives engineers total freedom to optimize parts for weight and performance without worrying about manufacturability constraints.

Quality Assurance, NDT, and Finishing

Precision is the baseline for our 3d printing investment casting workflow. We verify every component to ensure the speed of rapid prototyping never compromises industrial reliability. Our quality control integrates advanced metrology to guarantee parts meet strict aerospace and automotive standards.

Our Validation and Finishing Capabilities:

• Dimensional Inspection: We utilize CMM and 3D scanning to validate tolerances directly against the original CAD file, ensuring high fidelity.
• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): We perform X-Ray and Dye Penetrant testing to detect subsurface defects. Our alloy cast steel factory capabilities ensure consistent internal structure and density.
• Heat Treatment: We optimize mechanical properties through precise thermal cycles, including hardening and specific aluminium heat treating processes to achieve superior strength and durability.
• Surface Finishing: Options range from bead blasting to electropolishing for a production-grade surface finish ($R_a$ < 0.8).

By combining investment casting 3d printing flexibility with robust post-processing, we deliver parts that are structurally sound and chemically consistent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the printed resin leave any ash during burnout?

No, we use specialized ash-free burnout resin for all our SLA casting patterns. These photopolymer resins are formulated specifically for investment casting 3d printing, ensuring they evaporate completely during the autoclave or furnace cycle. This leaves a pristine ceramic shell cavity, resulting in metal parts free from inclusions or surface defects commonly associated with standard prototyping resins.

Are the final parts as strong as machined metal?

Yes. Since 3d printing investment casting is simply a modern method for creating the pattern, the final product is solid, fully dense metal. Whether you require stainless steel, cobalt alloys, or titanium, the metallurgical properties meet the same rigorous industrial standards as our traditional precision investment casting services. The parts undergo standard heat treatment and quality assurance testing to ensure they perform reliably in demanding aerospace or industrial applications.

What file formats do you accept for quoting?

To get started with tool-less metal manufacturing, we prefer standard 3D CAD formats. The most common files we work with include:

• .STEP / .STP (Preferred for accurate geometry)
• .IGES / .IGS
• .STL (specifically for 3D printing preparation)
• .X_T (Parasolid)

Is this process suitable for mass production?

Rapid investment casting is ideal for prototyping and low-to-medium volume production runs where tooling costs would be prohibitive. For high-volume orders, we can seamlessly transition from printed patterns to traditional wax injection tooling within our foundry, offering a scalable digital foundry service that grows with your project needs.