processingdetails

Lost Foam Casting

Lost-foam casting, also can be referred as LFC, which is a type of evaporative-pattern casting process that is similar to investment casting .While the difference of them, in lost-form casting , the  foam is used for the pattern instead of wax. This process takes advantage of the low boiling point of foam to simplify the investment casting process by removing the need to melt the wax out of the mold.

Lost foam casting allows the production of complex parts. The process produces complex parts and reduces finish machining of the part. To make a lost foam casting, a foam pattern of the finished part is made. The pattern is dipped into a water solution containing a suspended refractory. The refractory material coats the foam pattern leaving a thin heat resistant layer. Sand is poured around the pattern and provides mechanical support to the thin refractory layer. Molten metal is then poured into the mold, and the molten metal melts and vaporizes the foam. When the metal becomes solid, it is removed form the sand, thus the name lost foam casting. Lost foam castings may be of any shape or size. Materials commonly used in lost foam casting are Aluminum, iron, steel and nickel alloys.