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Investment Casting

Investment Casting

Investment casting is used to produce parts with complex geometries and tight tolerances.  Alumina is used in the shell building process to provide strength, creep resistance and thermal management during casting.  Regulating heat transfer is critical in the solidification process and facilitates the casting of metals with different grain structures.

Alumina is used in investment casting depending on the melting temperature,  solidification behavior and desired grain structure of the metal.  The most common metals cast in alumina-containing molds are vacuum cast superalloys and Titanium alloys, which are typically used in commercial aerospace, defense and industrial gas turbine applications.

Almatis ground products for flour have a broad distribution to allow for higher solids loadings and consistent plate weights.  The reduced alkali content of our low and ultra-low soda flours improve slurry stability and lifetime.

Almatis stucco products have the benefit of consistent distribution and minimal fines to prevent dusting during shell application.  Reduced dust improves stucco adherence to the dip coat and also provides a safer and cleaner operating environment.

Unground Calcined Aluminas

A 10

Primary Crystal Size = 4.8µm
Specific Surface Area = 0.20 m2/g
Na2O Content = 0.08%

Continuous Ground Calcined Aluminas

A 10-325

Ground Median Size = 8.0µm
Ground Surface Area = 0.50 m²/g
Na2O Content = 0.08%

A 14-325

Ground Median Size = 3.2µm
Ground Surface Area = 0.80 m²/g
Na2O Content = 0.03%

Batch Ground Reactive Aluminas

CT 1200 SG

Ground Median Size = 1.4µm
Ground Surface Area = 3.1 m²/g
Na2O Content = 0.06%

A 3000 FL

Ground Median Size = 2.7µm
Ground Surface Area = 2.5 m²/g
Na2O Content = 0.07%

Selected Tabular Aluminas

T60/T64 -325 LI CR

Ground Median Size = 9.5µm
Ground Surface Area = 0.90 m²/g
Na2O Content = 0.30%

T60/T64 -325 XLS

Ground Median Size = 9.0µm
Ground Surface Area = 1.0 m²/g
Na2O Content = 0.03%

T60/T64 XLS Stucco