Investment casting by PMI offers a combination of features which can translate to cost-saving benefits for you. The piece price for investment castings 
is not always the lowest, but the savings in reduced machining, material costs, and tooling start-up costs make the lost wax process very competitive when you consider overall cost.
Near Net Shape On average, investment castings offer 90% or more of the requirements of the finished part in an as-cast state. Investment casting can incorporate complex undercuts, slots, holes, lettering, and bevels into the design. By working closely with PMI engineers, you can determine whether it is more cost effective for you to build desired features into the die.
Design Freedom Since virtually any shape or configuration can be investment cast, PMI investment casting affords your engineers considerable freedom to design the part for maximum function. Because of the various coring systems that can be incorporated into the pattern, investment casting can even produce internally complex parts.
Weight Reduction We can work with you to eliminate unnecessary metal and weight from non-functional areas of the part.
Tooling Economy Our tooling is usually much less expensive than tooling for other "hot" casting methods, since dies are built to withstand wax injection rather than metal injection.
Close Tolerances Investment casting promises tight linear tolerances of an average ±.005 in/in, with even more exact tolerances depending on the part size and complexity.
Surface Finish Depending on the alloy chosen, the as-cast product of the mold is relatively smooth and free of surface defects. The average microfinish is 125 RMS, with the range for the process being between 60 and 200, depending upon the limitations of the metal.
Wide Alloy Choice Even alloys that cannot be cast by other methods or which are difficult to machine can be investment cast at PMI. The induction air melting process used at PMI can accommodate most steel, aluminum, ductile iron, and copper-based alloys.
