Lost Wax
Investment Castings.
Cast with precision. Sourced with confidence.
Precision investment castings in the metals die casting can’t touch — steel, stainless, and beyond — globally sourced and program-managed. MES doesn’t just source the part. We manage the quality, tooling, and supply chain that deliver it.
What is investment casting?
Investment casting — also called lost wax casting — is a precision metal-forming process that produces complex, near-net-shape components from ferrous and non-ferrous metals including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and bronze. A wax pattern is coated in ceramic slurry to build a mold shell, the wax is melted out, and molten metal is poured into the cavity.
Because the mold is formed around a precise wax replica, investment casting delivers superior dimensional accuracy, intricate detail, and thin walls — often eliminating the extensive machining a part would otherwise need if cut from bar stock.
The parts die casting can’t make
Die casting is limited to low-melting-point metals — aluminum, zinc, magnesium. Investment casting isn’t. That’s why it’s the right process when your part demands steel or stainless steel, intricate geometry, or a near-net shape that saves machining.
High-melting-point metals
Carbon steel, alloy steel, and stainless (304, 316, 17-4 PH) die casting can’t process.
Complex geometry
Thin walls, internal passages, and undercuts in a single casting.
Near-net-shape
Less material removed, less waste, less secondary machining.
Verified at the source
MES quality engineers confirm every casting before it ships.
Investment casting capabilities at MES
MES sources and manages precision investment castings through a vetted global supplier network — supporting a full range of materials, part sizes, and production volumes.
Materials We Cast
Part Complexity
Production Volumes
Secondary Operations
More than a casting supplier — a supply chain partner
Most investment casting companies hand you a part and a tracking number. MES owns your supply chain instead.
Dedicated Supply Chain Specialist
A single point of contact focused on your account, tracking your castings from the factory floor in real time with proactive lead-time updates.
Demand Planners on Your Account
MES planners work with your team on forecasting and inventory — managing seasonal swings, launches, and disruptions to keep production running.
In-Factory Quality Teams
MES quality engineers are stationed inside partner foundries, verifying dimensions, surface finish, and material certifications before parts ship — not at your receiving dock.
Global Warehousing Network
Strategically located warehouses in Ohio, Poland, and Mexico for domestic buffer stock, JIT delivery, and nearshore inventory support.
The MES difference
Precision castings across industries
MES provides custom investment casting solutions where complex geometry and material strength matter. Hover an industry to explore.
Trusted by leading manufacturers
MES supplies investment castings and managed supply chain services to some of the most demanding manufacturers in the world — built on the confidence that MES manages the entire supply chain, factory door to customer door, with zero gaps in visibility or accountability.
Frequently asked questions about investment casting
Investment casting (lost wax) uses a ceramic mold built around a wax pattern that is melted away before metal is poured. It excels at complex geometries, thin walls, and intricate details across a wide range of metals — including steel and stainless steel. Die casting forces molten metal under high pressure into a reusable steel die and suits high-volume, simpler aluminum or zinc parts. Investment casting offers superior dimensional accuracy and design flexibility; die casting offers speed at scale for lower-melting-point alloys.
Carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel (304, 316, 17-4 PH, and others), aluminum alloys, brass, bronze, and ductile iron. The process is especially valued for casting high-melting-point alloys like stainless steel that can’t be die cast.
Investment casting typically achieves linear tolerances of ±0.005 inches per inch (±0.13 mm/mm) with surface finishes around 125 RMS. Tighter tolerances on specific dimensions are achievable through secondary CNC machining — making it ideal for precision parts that would otherwise require extensive machining from bar stock.
Standard lead times run 6 to 12 weeks for production tooling and initial samples, depending on part complexity and material. Repeat orders can run faster with inventory programs. MES supply chain specialists proactively manage lead times, and warehousing positions buffer inventory close to your facility for JIT delivery.
Lost wax casting is another term for investment casting. A wax replica of the part is coated in ceramic slurry to form a mold shell, then the wax is “lost” — melted out — before molten metal is poured in. The two terms are used interchangeably.
MES assigns quality engineers inside partner foundries. Rather than inspecting after parts arrive, teams verify dimensional accuracy, material compliance, and surface quality at the source — including first-article inspection (FAI), in-process checks, and review of material test reports (MTRs). Parts are verified before they ship.
Yes. MES provides investment castings with integrated CNC machining, delivering finished or semi-finished components ready for assembly — reducing your supplier count and keeping the supply chain consolidated under one point of accountability.
MES supports both prototype/development quantities and full production volumes. MOQs vary by part complexity and supplier, and our team works with you to find a cost-effective solution wherever you are in your product development cycle.
Ready to source precision investment castings?
Send us your CAD files. Our engineers review your requirements, recommend the right material and process, and return a global sourcing quote.