Ceramic mold casting is a manufacturing process for creating tools
and parts, such as impellers. The ceramic mold process can use
materials such as bronze or stainless steel. Ceramic mold casting is
a process that is similar to plaster mold casting. Permanent mold
plasters that are made of plastic, wood, plaster, rubber or metal
are used as part of the ceramic mold casting process. Ceramic molds
tend to be expendable.

The first step of the ceramic mold casting process is to pour the
ceramic slurry over the mold pattern. The ceramic slurry hardens
over the top of the mold. The hardening process is relatively quick.
When the slurry is dry, it is the consistency of rubber. When it is
removed from the pattern, it is now a mold for the tool or item that
is being created.
The mold must then be placed in an oven set at a low temperature in
order to remove volatiles from the mold. A flame torch may also be
used, rolling the flame of the torch over each area of the mold.
Once the volatiles have been removed, the mold should be baked in a
furnace. The furnace should be set at 1,832° F (1,000° C),
which hardens the mold, truly making it a ceramic mold.
At
this point, the steel or other element for creating tools or items
can be poured into the mold which can sustain high temperature
pours. The mold can be used while it is hot or the person using the
mold can wait for it to cool first.
Ceramic mold casting has advantages and disadvantages. One of the
primary disadvantages is that it is a very expensive process. On the
flip side of the cost, however, the process can eliminate the need
for secondary processes that require machines to finish or refine
the process. Even though it is a very expensive process, ceramic
mold casting offers several benefits, which include creating
castings with fine detail. This type of casting can also create very
smooth surfaces. The dimension of the tools or items created from
the casting are also very accurate when it comes to the size, shape
and dimensions.
The primary materials that are used in ceramic mold casting include
steel, stainless steel and bronze. The most common types of parts
that are created from this process include complex cutting tools,
impellers, precision parts, complex cutting tools, and plastic mold
tooling.
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