★ Capability 01 / 08

Investment
Casting in India.

Precision lost-wax casting from 10g to 50kg in stainless, carbon, and alloy steels. ±0.1mm tolerance, near-net shape, ISO 9001:2015 certified suppliers. Trusted by automotive Tier-1s, aerospace, medical device, and industrial machinery OEMs across 30+ countries.

★ Lost-Wax Precision
±0.1mm
Tolerance
50kg
Max Wt
60+
Foundries
★ Process Overview

Why investment casting
changes the math.

Investment casting — also called lost-wax casting or precision casting — is the manufacturing process of choice when your part demands intricate geometry, tight tolerances, or premium surface finish that machining alone can't deliver economically.

Magnus partners with 60+ ISO 9001:2015 certified Indian foundries specialising in investment casting. We've shipped over 8 million precision-cast components to global OEMs in automotive, aerospace, medical, and industrial machinery — from 10-gram surgical instrument parts to 50-kilogram pump bodies.

For complex shapes that would require multiple machining setups, investment casting delivers near-net-shape parts with 60-80% less machining. That translates to lower labour costs, faster lead times, and material savings that compound across your annual run.

At a Glance

Weight range10g – 50 kg
Tolerance±0.1mm / 25mm
Surface finish1.6 – 3.2 Ra
Annual volume100 – 1M+ units
Lead time (samples)3-5 weeks
Production lead time4-8 weeks
Magnus suppliers60+ vetted foundries
★ Technical Specifications

Full process
capability matrix.

What our investment casting supplier network can produce — at scale, to international quality standards.

ParameterSpecification
Casting weight range10 grams to 50 kilograms (single piece)
Dimensional tolerance±0.1mm per 25mm length (ISO 8062-DCTG 5 grade)
Surface finish (as-cast)1.6–3.2 μm Ra (smoother than sand casting)
Minimum wall thickness1.5mm (down to 0.6mm for select alloys)
Materials supported
SS 304SS 316SS 410SS 17-4 PHCarbon SteelAlloy SteelTool SteelAluminum AlloysCopper AlloysCobalt-Chrome
Annual production capacity100 units (prototype) to 1,000,000+ units (mass production)
Secondary operationsCNC machining, heat treatment, surface finishing, plating, assembly
Quality standardsISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949, AS 9100D (aerospace suppliers), ISO 13485 (medical suppliers)
Testing & inspectionCMM dimensional, X-ray, dye penetrant, magnetic particle, ultrasonic, spectrometer, hardness
Surface treatmentsPassivation, electropolishing, powder coating, e-coating, painting, plating
★ Applications

Where investment casting
earns its place.

Industries and component types where Magnus ships investment-cast parts every week. If your application isn't listed here, we likely still have a supplier for it — ask us.

Automotive

Engine, transmission, and suspension components for global Tier-1 OEMs.

  • Turbocharger housings
  • Differential gears
  • Rocker arms
  • Exhaust manifolds

Medical & Surgical

ISO 13485 medical-grade investment castings for instruments and implants.

  • Orthopaedic implant blanks
  • Surgical instrument bodies
  • Dental tool castings
  • Lab equipment fittings

Industrial Machinery

Pump bodies, valve components, and precision sub-assemblies.

  • Pump impellers & housings
  • Valve bodies & seats
  • Hydraulic manifolds
  • Compressor parts

Aerospace

AS 9100D certified suppliers for non-critical aerospace components.

  • Bracket assemblies
  • Cabin fittings
  • Engine accessories
  • Auxiliary parts

Energy & Power

Turbine, generator, and oil & gas precision components.

  • Turbine blades (small)
  • Generator components
  • Oil & gas valve trims
  • Wind energy fittings

Food & Beverage

Food-grade stainless steel castings with sanitary surface finish.

  • Sanitary valve bodies
  • Pump components
  • Dairy equipment parts
  • Pharmaceutical fittings
★ The Investment Casting Process

Six steps from
wax to shipment.

An overview of how investment castings are produced at our partner foundries. Each step is monitored and documented for traceability.

1
Tooling

Aluminum or steel die designed and CNC-machined to produce wax patterns.

2
Wax Pattern

Wax injected into die, assembled into a tree along a central runner.

3
Shell Building

Wax tree dipped repeatedly in ceramic slurry to build a hard shell.

4
Dewax & Fire

Shell heated to melt out wax, then fired to 950°C for strength.

5
Pour & Cool

Molten metal poured into shell. Cooled, shell broken, parts cut from tree.

6
Finish & QC

Grinding, heat treatment, machining, inspection, packaging, shipment.

★ Materials We Cast

Steel, alloys,
and specialty grades.

If your specs need certified material with mill test certificates, we have the supplier. Material traceability is documented from raw bar to finished part.

Stainless Steel

  • SS 304 / 304L
  • SS 316 / 316L
  • SS 410 / 420
  • SS 17-4 PH
  • Duplex 2205
  • Super Duplex 2507
  • CF8 / CF8M
  • CA40 / CA15

Carbon & Alloy Steel

  • AISI 1020 / 1045
  • AISI 4140 / 4340
  • AISI 8620
  • WCB / WCC
  • LCB / LCC (low temp)
  • Tool Steel D2 / H13
  • Manganese Steel
  • Cast Iron (Grey / SG)

Non-Ferrous Alloys

  • Aluminum A356 / A357
  • Brass C84400 / C85700
  • Bronze C90300 / C90700
  • Copper Alloys
  • Monel 400 / 500
  • Inconel 625 / 718
  • Hastelloy C-276
  • Cobalt-Chrome (CoCr)

Medical & Specialty

  • Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5)
  • Ti CP Grade 2
  • ASTM F75 (CoCrMo)
  • SS 316LVM (medical)
  • Implant-grade alloys
  • FDA-compliant grades
  • NACE MR0175 (sour service)
  • Custom alloys on request
★ Quality Assurance

Four-stage
quality protocol.

Every investment casting shipment goes through Magnus's independent QC at four checkpoints — pre-production, in-process, pre-shipment, and post-shipment audit.

01

Pre-Production

Tooling FAI (First Article Inspection), pattern verification, ceramic shell process sign-off, material certification review.

02

In-Process

Real-time monitoring of pour temperature, cooling rates, dimensional checks at 25/50/75% production milestones.

03

Pre-Shipment

AQL-based final inspection per ISO 2859-1: CMM dimensional, surface finish, X-ray for critical parts, packaging verification.

04

Post-Shipment

Documentation pack: CoC, mill certificates, dimensional reports, NDT certificates, traceability records, all delivered before container leaves port.

★ Case Study

Real numbers,
real outcomes.

⚙️
★ Automotive · Germany · 2024

How a German Tier-1 cut transmission housing costs 38%.

A €600M German automotive supplier replaced their China-based investment casting source for 50,000 transmission housings per year with a Magnus-vetted Indian foundry. Magnus managed tooling transfer, 6-month parallel production, and supplier qualification across two production lines.

$2.4M
Saved · 3 years
38%
Cost reduction
99.7%
First-pass quality
★ Frequently Asked

Investment casting
questions, answered.

What's the difference between investment casting and sand casting?
Investment casting uses a one-time ceramic shell built around a wax pattern, producing parts with much tighter tolerances (±0.1mm vs ±1mm for sand) and smoother surface finish (1.6 Ra vs 12 Ra). It's typically more expensive per part but eliminates significant machining costs. Sand casting is preferred for very large parts or low volumes where finish doesn't matter; investment casting wins on geometric complexity and precision.
What are typical lead times for investment casting from India?
Tooling typically takes 4-8 weeks depending on complexity. First samples in 3-5 weeks after tooling completion. Mass production lead times vary by quantity: 1k-5k units in 4-6 weeks; 10k+ units in 6-10 weeks. Magnus locks in production calendar slots at supplier site to avoid scheduling delays.
What minimum order quantity (MOQ) makes sense for investment casting?
There's no hard MOQ on the foundry side — we've shipped 50-piece prototype runs. But the economics typically work best above 200-500 pieces per year per part, as you amortise the one-time tooling cost (typically $1,500-$8,000 per cavity depending on complexity). For ultra-low volumes, 3D-printed wax patterns can replace the metal die — no tooling cost but higher per-part cost.
How does Magnus protect my IP and drawings?
Every drawing you upload is NDA-protected from the moment of upload — only the assigned Magnus sourcing manager sees it. Suppliers sign Magnus-issued NDAs before any drawing is shared with them. Tooling ownership is contractually with you (or Magnus, if you prefer); patterns and tooling remain physically at the supplier but are your property and can be transferred any time.
Do you handle secondary machining and assembly?
Yes. Magnus offers a fully turnkey solution: investment casting + CNC machining + heat treatment + surface treatment + sub-assembly + packaging — all coordinated through a single Magnus PO with a single shipment. About 70% of our investment casting clients use the turnkey option vs. raw castings.
What certifications do your investment casting suppliers hold?
All Magnus-vetted foundries hold ISO 9001:2015 as a baseline. For specific industries: IATF 16949 (automotive Tier-1), AS 9100D (aerospace), ISO 13485 (medical devices), NACE MR0175 (oil & gas sour service), API 6A/6D (oil & gas valves), PED 2014/68/EU (European pressure equipment). Magnus matches your project to suppliers carrying the relevant certifications.
How do landed costs from India compare to China for investment casting?
For most stainless steel investment castings, India is 8-15% cheaper on landed cost than China as of 2026, primarily due to wage differentials, energy costs, and tariff structures. The exact spread depends on alloy, complexity, and destination. Magnus's free landed-cost calculator gives you a precise quote for your specs.
★ Related Capabilities

Pair investment casting
with these processes.

Most investment castings benefit from secondary operations. Magnus coordinates all of these in a single PO.

★ Ready to Source?

Get an investment casting
quote in 48 hours.

Share your drawings and target volume. We'll match you with 3-5 vetted foundries, factory-direct pricing, and sample timeline — at no cost, no obligation.