Rapid casting and new technologies in investment casting

Abstract

Rapid prototyping is a manufacturing process which is different to traditional methods as material is not removed or formed but added to obtain the designed pieces. It is not just used for manufacturing finished products but in manufacturing tooling for speeding up other manufacturing processes. This paper introduces rapid prototyping as a support technique for the lost wax process (investment casting). It gives a brief description of the different techniques implemented to date and materials used for making articles as part of the lost wax process.