subject: Investment Casting Processes: Its History And Legacy [print this page] Casting has always played an important role in the development of industrial nations. Developments in feeding, fighting, building, and transporting have been facilitated by advancements in casting. Casters are also often highly regarded members of their communities whose hard work often extends far beyond the walls of the foundry they work inside.
The history of the casting process is long and storied. In its earliest forms, investment casting - or lost wax casting, as it is commonly referred to - was made using bees wax. The wax was formed into a shape and covered in clay, and the metal was melted using fire. Precious items like jewelry and art were commonly made in the early years (as early as 3000 BC) and still are made using these processes today.
Casting processes were used for cannons and bells in medieval times - depending on whether or not it was wartime or peacetime. Churches created their own bells using casting processes during the Middle Ages and the church leaders were trained foreman. After the bell was created, it was often named after a saint and blessed while the metal was melted.
Vannoccio Biringuccio is commonly referred to as the "Father of Foundry." A foundry worker in the 16th century, Biringuccio developed using dregs of alcohol and urine for molding sand - today, wax is more commonly used. However, this process ended up being used well into the 1900s. Following World War II, however, process and material refinement eliminated the need for these processes.
Major improvements in the casting industry have been made since World War II. New processes and improvements in science and technology have allowed foundries to develop at fantastic rates. Investment, lost wax, and metal casting processes remain especially necessary today thanks to the booming OEM parts industry for autos and tools.
The casting industry and foundry work continue to play a pivotal role in the industrialization of multiple countries. Casting plays a pivotal role in the development of raw materials to benefit both art and science. Products created from casting processes add value to society and directly benefit quality of life.
The next time you're sitting around the house, take a look around... you'd be amazed how much of your everyday life is dependent on casting processes. Plus, casting is a green industrial process. In fact, casting foundries put over 15 million tons of scrap metal each year back into use worldwide.
The casting process has provided jobs, life skills, and metal products to people worldwide for thousands of years. The world can't continue to evolve without increased casting development, and our world would not be as developed without it. Improved equipment to produce castings on a worldwide scale guarantee that these processes will continue to be used for a long time.
