The ceramic shell casting process starts with wax injection. A die or tool is filled with wax that is injected
in a liquid or a paste form so it flows into the detail of the mold. Once cooled, the wax piece - a pattern -
is removed from the die. 

Several wax patterns are attached to a wax pole - commonly called a “sprue”. Each pattern is attached to
the sprue by smaller pieces of wax runners which are typically referred to as “gates”. Gates allow for the
eventual creation of a space where molten metal can flow into the hollow pattern cavity. The complete
assembly is referred to as a “tree”.

The next step involves coating the wax tree in a slurry. Slurry is a mixture of liquid binder and flour
refractory materials. Depending on the alloy being cast, drying time requirements, and number of coats
desired, the binder and flour materials used may vary.

Once the tree is dipped in the slurry material, and excess material is drained from the tree, it is then
coated with sand - commonly referred to as “stucco”. This can be done in a variety of ways including:
rainfall sanding, use of a fluidized bed, or by hand covering (the “cat box” method).

After each layer dries, the dipping and stuccoing steps take place again. This continues until the shell
is completed. The number of coats will vary depending in part on the pattern configuration and the
binder used in the slurry.

Once the dipping sequence is completed and each coat has air dried sufficiently, it is time to remove the
wax from the mold. This is accomplished by use of an autoclave or a FlashFire dewax oven. The wax will
melt out of the shell leaving a hollow cavity.

The shell is then placed into an oven where it is fired for a given period of time. This assists in
strengthening the shell and removing any remaining wax residue from the shell. 

Finally, the fired shell is placed in a bed of sand with the pour cup opening facing up. Molten metal is
poured into the shell. The shell takes on the orange glow of the metal and eventually turns white as the
metal cools. The shell is then removed, the parts are cut off of the tree and the finishing area takes care
of grinding away any sign of metal from the gating.