CASTING PROCEDURE

Casting procedure

The lost wax

casting technique
was introduced by
TAGGART in 1907

Steps in casting

Preparing the wax pattern

Spruing the wax pattern
Attaching the sprue to crucible former
Investing the pattern in the casting ring
Burnout of the wax
Casting
Recovery
Finishing and polishing

Preparing the wax pattern

Prior to casting
margin of the wax pattern should be
readapted
pattern checked for smoothness, finish and
contour
Sprue should be attached to the thickest
portion of the wax pattern
wax pattern can be removed from the die
using sprue
surfactant should be applied on the wax to
obtain wetting of the investment
invested immediately to prevent distortion

spruing of wax pattern

Sprue is defined as
the channel or hole
through which plastic
or metal poured or
cast into gate or
reservoir and then into
mold

sprue design

it must allow the molten wax to

escape from the mold
enable molten metal to flow into the
mold with minimal turbulence
metal within the sprue must remain
molten slightly longer than the alloy
that has filled the mold this will act as
a reservoir to compensate the
shrinkage

material used for sprue

Wax
plastic
Metal

sprue

Wax: preferred for most casting because they

melt at the same rate as the pattern and
allow for easy escape for molten wax
Plastic: resist distortion rigid,
may block the escape of wax,
hollow plastics are available
Metal: non rusting metal should be used,
removed before casting

diameter

should be larger than the thickest portion

of the wax pattern
2.6 mm can be used for most patterns
2.0mm for premolar partial veneer
restoration
narrow sprue are sufficient for casting to be
done on centrifugal machine

Positioning of the sprue

Sprue should be attached to the point of

greatest bulk
45 angulation near the bulk of the
pattern
axial wall should have obtuse angle 135
This prevents air entrapment during
investing and suck back porosity after
casting
attachment should be flared to prevent
turbulence during metal flow

venting

Small auxiliary sprues or vent should

be placed to improve the casting
By allowing the gases to escape

Attaching the sprue to crucible

former

Crucible former is conical structure with a

base placed at one end of the ring ,free end
of the sprue attached to tip of crucible
former
The sprue should be adjusted such that
terminal end of wax pattern is six mm away
from free end of the investment

Investing the pattern in the casting

ring
Ideal properties of investment material

controllable expansion to compensate for shrinkage

of cast alloy during cooling

Produce smooth castings without nodules

Chemical stability at high casting temp

Adequate strength to resist casting forces

Sufficient porosity to allow gas escape

Easy recovery of casting

Investment material
Gypsm bonded and phosphate bonded

Gypsum bonded
Alfa hemi hydrate of Gypsum used as binder with crystobalite or
quartz as refracting material and modifiers (coloring matter and
reducing agents)

satisfy most of the requirement for an ideal investment material

Not suitable for casting metal ceramic alloys as it is unstable at

high temperature
Three types of expansion

Setting expansion

Hygroscopic expansion

Thermal expansion

Used for alloys that fuses below 1,975F

Mainly used with type I, II, III, gold alloys

Factors increasing the expansion

Use of full width ring liner

Prolonged spatulation
Storage at 100% humidity
Lower water powder ratio
use of dry liner
Use of two ring liners

Phosphate bonded investment

Composition: binder megnesium oxide

mono ammonium phosphate
filler silica ( quartz or crystabolite form)
They are stable at high temp
Material of choice for metal ceramic
They expand rapidly
Due to
heat from the setting reaction softens the wax and allow
freer setting expansion
The increase strength of the material at high temp restrict
the shrinkage of the alloy as it cools
The powder mixed with colloidal silica reduces the surface
roughness of casting and it also increases expansion thus
expansion can be conveniently controlled by diluting the
colloidal silica slightly with distilled water

High noble alloy -gypsum bonded

investment (shows hygroscopic
expansion)
Base metal alloy phosphate bonded
investment (shows thermal
expansion)

Ring and ring liners

Ring liners
Asbestos (due to health hazard )
Cellulose Used to aid in uniform expansion
of the mold
Wetting the liner increases the hygroscopic
expansion
It is coated on the casting ring

Bench set : min for one hour

Wax burnout

The removal of wax from the mould usually by heat

Melted 200c for 30 min
It does not melt but sublimes directly to gases and
escapes through the pores of investment
To burnout remaining traces of wax final burnout
650c for 45 min
Gypsum beyond 650c disintegrate investment and
form sulfur dioxide and dis colour the casting

CASTING TECHNIQUE

FAZNA M. ALI
1st Batch

Casting technique
Setting up the casting
machine
Pre heating the
crucible
Weighing the alloy
Casting the alloy

Casting machine

Setting up the casting machine

Three clock wise turns and locked in
position using a pin
Oxy-acetylene gas is used ordinary alloys
Oxygen gas is used for metal ceramic
alloys

Pre heating the crucible

Freezing of the alloy incomplete casting

Weighing the alloy

6 grams for pre-molar retainer castings

9 grams for molar retainer castings
12 grams pontic castings

Casting the alloy

Heated using open flame from torch

Reducing part of flame is used to prevent
oxidation
Flux should be added
Melts
If the alloy is ready to cast locking pin is released
and casting is completed

recovery

Removal of residual investment

Quenching with water gypsum
bonded disintegrates
Using tooth brushes or
ultrasonic cleaners
Phosphate bonded should be
removed using sand blasting
(aluminium oxide)

Casting deffects

Distortion
Surface roughness and irregularities
Discoloration
Porosity
Incomplete casting

Distortion

Distortion of wax pattern during

fabrication
Increased with increase in ambient
temperature and time lag between
fabrication and investing

Prevention
Proper manipulation of wax
Avoid stress on pattern during removal
Immediate investment after removal from
die

Porosity
Can

occur on internal or external surface

Weakens the casting
Types :A Solidification defects

B Trapped gases

C Residual air

Solidification deffects
Localised shrinkage porosity molten alloy
prematurely solidifies in sprue before solidifying in
mold space
Cause:diameter of sprue is small ,lack of reservoir
,improper sprue attachment-suck back porosity
Microporosity:too rapid solidification seen as small
irregular voids
Avoided by increasing casting temperature,melting
temperature

TRAPPED GASES
Pin hole porosity-tiny spherical voids

Cause: release of entrapped gases while

solidification
Gas inclusion porosity-larger spherical
voids
Cause :gas inclusion during casting
procedure

Subsurface porosity due to entrapped gases in

molten alloy
Prevention : controlling the rate of molten alloy
entering the mold

Residual air
Back pressure porosity
Cause:inability of air to escape
through pores in the investment
,improper wax elimination ,low
casting temperature &pressure
Prevention :use of porous
investment,proper wax burn out
,enough casting pressure&
temperature

Surface roughness and irregularites

Surface roughness
Cause :silica particle in investment
Inaccurate powder liquid ratio ,too rapid
heating
Surface irregularities nodules or fins
Cause :air bubble attached to pattern ,water
film on pattern ,careless removal of pattern
Prevention: correct powder liquid ratio,use of
mechanical mixer , use of wetting agent

Discoloration of casting
Appears

dark due to coating of oxides

Cause : under heating ,prolonged heating
carbon inclusion, high sulfur content of
torch flame
Removed by pickling

Incomplete casting
Due to prevention of molten alloy from

filling the mold space completely

Cause :improper vending of air due to
reduced casting pressure ,
Prevention:adequate casting pressure
,adequate alloy

Thank You