Vacuum caster speeds investment wax patterns

A high capacity vacuum casting machine to speed the production of wax patterns for investment casting has a separate resin degassing chamber and houses the largest single chamber capacity in the UK.

Castings Technology International (Cti) has invested in a new high capacity vacuum casting machine to speed the production of wax patterns for investment casting.

The new machine, the 5/05, manufactured by Staffordshire, UK based MCP Tooling Technologies, houses the largest single chamber vacuum casting capacity currently available in the UK.

It also boasts a separate resin degassing chamber, CCTV facility for better 'chamber process control' and dual access doors allowing access to the casting chamber from two sides.

Cti's investment demonstrates the relevance of vacuum casting to the metal casting industry.

The organisation provides fast prototype and pre-production castings in steel, titanium, magnesium, aluminium, and nickel and cobalt-based superalloys to a wide range of industry sectors.

The 5/05 will complement Cti's extensive rapid casting production facility and enable the production of wax patterns for investment casting and Cti's own RepliwaxR casting process.

Cti's Chief Executive, Dr Mike Ashton says, "Using the Vacuum Casting process to produce silicone tooling to manufacture wax patterns has the potential to replace the need for expensive and time consuming hard tooling.

It will have the greatest advantage over traditional methods for low production or pre-production runs where time, quality and cost are critical factors." Three factory fitted options have been incorporated into Cti's 5/05 machine: Firstly, MCP's Heated Cup Module, which is used to melt and maintain the temperature of the wax as it is poured into the vacuum chamber - thus ensuring better material condition.

Secondly, MCP's unique VarioVac Module, developed for the successful vacuum casting of highly complex, thin-walled parts in viscous or thixotropic materials has also been installed to ensure efficient mould fill.

Unlike conventional vacuum casting where both mixing and filling of the mould are undertaken at the same vacuum levels, the VarioVac Module incorporates two totally separate vacuum chambers.

The wax will therefore be melted in a lower vacuum but then effectively 'pulled' into the mould by the higher vacuum in the lower casting chamber.

Thirdly Cti will use a specially designed Alloy Casting Module to produce parts in low melting point alloys (such as MCP 137), a cost effective method of producing first stage metal prototypes and for tool room use in preparation of jigs and fixtures.

The ability to use the same unit to cast parts and prototypes in wax, PU resins and alloys demonstrates the true versatility of MCP's new generation Vacuum Casters.

Anticipating an exciting future partnership with Cti, MCP's General Manager, Simon Scott, says, "As a new Member of Cti, MCP is looking forward to sharing its experience and expertise with what is arguably the world's leading provider of R and D and consultancy for castings.".

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