KT Metal Castings Blogs

A cold shut is one of the most common defects in die casting that can ruin your parts. It happens when two streams of molten metal meet but don’t fuse together properly, creating a visible line or gap on the surface. This defect weakens the part and often leads to…

The cooling system in die casting is the temperature control mechanism that removes heat from molten metal as it solidifies in the die. This system prevents die overheating, ensures proper part solidification, and maintains production cycle times. Without effective cooling, dies would overheat, parts would have defects, and production would…

The main difference between expendable mold casting and permanent mold casting is reusability. Expendable mold casting uses single-use molds that break apart to remove the finished part. Permanent mold casting uses metal molds that produce thousands of parts before replacement. This fundamental difference affects cost, production speed, part quality, and…

Investment casting requires thorough cleaning at every stage to produce high-quality parts. The cleaning process removes contaminants, excess material, and surface defects that can compromise the final product. Most importantly, proper cleaning ensures dimensional accuracy and surface finish meet specifications. The three critical cleaning phases are wax pattern cleaning, ceramic…

Investment casting powder creates precise metal parts through a lost-wax process. The key is mixing refractory materials at the right ratios with water to form a ceramic shell around wax patterns. This shell withstands molten metal temperatures up to 3,000°F while capturing fine details down to 0.003 inches.  The most…

Cracks in casting are the most costly defects in metal production. They ruin parts, waste materials, and delay production schedules. The key to preventing cracks is understanding their three main types: hot tears form during solidification, cold cracks appear after cooling, and shrinkage cracks develop from uneven contraction. Each type…

Titanium investment casting uses seven main alloy types, each designed for specific applications. The most common is Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5), which accounts for over 50% of all titanium casting applications. These alloys range from commercially pure titanium for corrosion resistance to complex beta alloys for extreme strength requirements. Investment casting…

Titanium investment casting is a precision manufacturing process that creates complex metal parts by pouring molten titanium into ceramic molds. This method produces high-quality components with excellent dimensional accuracy and superior surface finishes. The process combines the exceptional properties of titanium—including high strength, corrosion resistance, and low weight—with the design…

The burnout cycle is the heating process that transforms a wax-filled ceramic shell into a hollow mold ready for metal casting. During this stage of the investment casting process, manufacturers carefully remove wax from ceramic shells through controlled heating. The success of your final casting depends entirely on executing this…

The investment casting process relies on removing wax pattern completely from ceramic shells. Getting the wax out is critical—any residue ruins the final metal part. Three main methods dominate the industry: steam autoclave, flash-fire, and dry oven dewaxing. Each method suits different production needs and types of wax. Steam Autoclave…