Stainless Steel Investment Castings
Wisconsin-Made Precision Parts
Stainless steel investment casting is a process used to create precise, complex metal parts with excellent corrosion resistance.
We produce strong, reliable stainless steel investment cast parts for all industries. Stainless steel offers impressive strength and heat resistance. Its corrosion-resistant properties make it the best choice for long-lasting, dependable performance. R2 Quality Castings is your trusted manufacturer for parts ranging from small components to large, complex pieces.
Key Benefits of Stainless Steel Castings
The top advantages of selecting stainless steel castings include:
- Heat and corrosion resistance
- Balanced strength and weight with extraordinary durability
- High design flexibility for complex parts
- Cost-effective, recyclable material
- Excellent, aesthetically pleasing surface finishes
- Tight tolerances and high dimensional accuracy
Our Stainless Steel Investment Casting Process
Our process delivers net-shape or near-net-shape parts. This reduces machining time and material waste. We find this method is ideal for creating complex geometries.
Our process includes:
- Pattern Creation: We inject wax into a die to create a precise wax pattern of the final part.
- Slurry Coating: We dip the wax pattern into a ceramic slurry. We coat it multiple times to build a strong, stable shell.
- Dewaxing: The ceramic shell is heated in an autoclave. This melts and removes the wax, leaving a hollow mold.
- Pouring: We pour molten stainless steel into the hot ceramic mold.
- Finishing: After the metal cools, we break away the shell. We then cut, blast and finish the part to your specifications.
Stainless Steel Grades We Cast
Choosing the correct alloy is critical for performance. We pour many grades of stainless steel. Our team helps you select the right grade based on your needs for corrosion resistance, strength and cost.
304 Stainless Steel
Also known as 18-8 steel. This is the most common stainless steel. It offers excellent corrosion resistance and formability. We use it for food processing equipment, culinary parts and general applications.
316 Stainless Steel
This grade includes molybdenum. This addition provides superior resistance to chemical corrosion, acids and saltwater. It is the top choice for marine, medical and chemical processing parts.
17-4 PH Stainless Steel
17-4 is a precipitation-hardening steel. It provides very high strength and hardness. We use it for military, aerospace and high-stress applications.
Other Grades
We also have experience pouring other common grades, including 316L, 410, 420 and Duplex, based on your project's unique requirements.
Industries and Applications
We create stainless steel investment castings for a huge range of essential industries, including:
- Food Prep and Culinary: Pump bodies, valves, processing parts
- Medical Equipment: Surgical tools, implant components
- Marine: Propellers, hardware, pump components
- Military and Firearms: Triggers, sights, equipment components
- Wastewater Management: Valve bodies, pump impellers
- Agriculture: Tractor components, harvester parts
- Aeration: Propellers and mixers
- Plumbing: Fixtures and valve parts
- Construction and Mining: Tooling, heavy equipment parts
Stainless Steel Casting FAQ
What are the advantages of investment casting for stainless steel?
Investment casting creates complex stainless steel parts with high precision. This process is ideal for intricate designs, provides an excellent surface finish and reduces the need for secondary machining.
What tolerances can R2 Quality Castings hold?
Our standard tolerance is +/- .005 per inch. We can discuss tighter tolerances based on the part design and geometry.
What is the difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel?
Grade 304 is a general-purpose stainless steel. Grade 316 contains molybdenum, which gives it much better resistance to chlorides, like saltwater. We recommend 316 for marine or high-corrosion environments.
Your Wisconsin Stainless Steel Casting Partner
R2 Quality Castings offers custom solutions for all your stainless steel cast needs. We are an ISO 9001:2015 certified foundry in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
