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How does lost-wax casting work for metal objects?
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metalwork
Warrior and attendants plaque, brass relief sculpture by Edo artists in the court of the kingdom of Benin (now Nigeria), 16th–17th century; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
The lost-wax process, also known as investment casting, is a precise metal casting technique used for centuries to create intricate objects.12
The process generally follows these steps:
- Model Creation: A model is created, often by coating a form with a layer of wax to the desired thickness of the final piece.12
- Mold Preparation: The wax model is encased in a heat-resistant material, such as clay or refractory cement, often with a heat-proof core inside to create a hollow object.12
- Wax Removal: The assembly is heated in an oven. The wax melts and drains out through pre-made ducts, leaving a vacant cavity in the shape of the original model.132
- Casting: Molten metal is poured into the mold, filling the space previously occupied by the wax.12
- Finishing: Once the metal cools and hardens, the outer mold is broken away, and the resulting metal object is cleaned and finished.12
This method is widely used for sculpture, jewelry, and industrial parts requiring high precision.2