US005518537A

United States Patent (19) 11) Patent Number: 5,518,537

Muschio, III (45) Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
54 FILLER AND WAX COMPOSITION FOR 4,396,731 8/1983 Dawans et al. ......................... 106/191
INVESTMENT CASTING 5,006,583 4/1991 Argueso .................................. 524/277
5,372,768 12/1994 Solomon ................................. 264/221
(75) Inventor: spry M. Muschio, III, Wingdale, Primary Examiner-David Brunsman
R. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Parmelee, Bollinger & Bramblett;
(73) Assignee: M. Argüeso & Co., Inc., Mamaroneck, George W. Rauchfuss,
N.Y. (57) ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 404,305 Thermoplastic resin powders of cellulose acetate esters in
which essentially 80% or more of the particles pass through
(22 Filed: Mar. 14, 1995 a 100 mesh screen (U.S. Sieve Series) and essentially 50%
6 s pass through a 200 mesh screen (U.S. Sieve Series) are
51) Int. Cl. ...................... C2'22.996, desirable and useful as a filler material for investment
C 1 h91: 264/22 casting waxes. The cellulosic thermoplastics resin powders
52) U.S. l, .................. 06/191; 7 are environmentally safe when used as filler material for
58 Field of Search .............................. 264/227; 106/191 investment casting wax compositions since the powders
56) References Cited produce essentially no carcinogenic materials on combus
tion. The powders are as effective as acid fillers and set
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS relatively fast thus improving cycle time in the die but do not
produce an adverse effect of shell cracking nor react with the
3,183,197 5/1965 Richardson et al..................... 106/91 slurry.
3,414,421 12/1968 Robinson ............. ... 106/91
4,046,579 9/1977 Martin ...... ... 106/38.8
4,094,695 6/1978 Sanders ................................... 106/191 20 Claims, No Drawings
 5,518,537
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FLLER AND WAX COMPOSITION FOR various filler materials in the investment casting wax com
INVESTMENT CASTING position. While this feature has met with some degree of
success, it has also introduced some new problems as well
FIELD OF THE INVENTION as leaving other problems unsolved.
For one thing, the wax composition must be safe to handle
This invention relates to wax compositions for investment as a solid and must be capable of convenient melting or
casting and to the use of such compositions for investment burning out of a mold. It is also essential that the wax
casting. More particularly, this invention relates to a filler for composition have a low ash content; that is, less than about
wax compositions for investment casting and to wax com 0.1%, preferably about 0.02% by weight or less when
positions containing such filler. 10 burned. It is also necessary that such wax compositions be
of sufficient strength and be hard enough at room tempera
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ture, so that the patterns be self-supporting and can be
handled without damage.
Since very ancient times, going back at least to the Shang Among the various materials that have been suggested as
Dynasty in China, the so-called "lost-wax' process has been 15
useful filler for such investment casting wax compositions
employed for the manufacture of castings. Essentially, this but which have not met all the desirable physical properties
process comprises forming a pattern of wax or blends of for pattern making or have resulted in new problems there
various suitable waxes and resins. This finished pattern is may be mentioned that polystyrene beads can be used as
then invested with a suitable medium, such as a ceramic or suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,808, or polystyrene cross
refractory slurry, which is then solidified and becomes a 20
linked with divinyl-benzene, or urea powder. However,
mold around the wax pattern. The pattern material or more during autoclave removal of the wax, the wax melts out first
commonly the wax is then removed from the mold by leaving a polystyrene residue that tends to tear the ceramic
melting it and/or by burning, and a molten metal is poured mold wall.
into the now empty mold to produce the finished part. Moreover, there is an excessive breakage of these ceramic
Further descriptions of investment casting are found in U.S. 25
shells, such that they become unsuitable for use as molds for
Pat. Nos. 3,263,286 and 3,667,979, as well as in the Invest receiving molten metal. This recent occurrence of excessive
ment Casting Handbook of the Investment Casting Institute, shell mold breakage occurs during the dewaxing of ceramic
1968.
shells.
Such a process has many obvious advantages for making Also, it has been further suggested that organic acids, such
parts, especially intricate parts, which cannot be made, for 30
example, by machining. However, the properties of the as fumaric acid, adipic acid or isophthalic or terephthalic
casting waxes are extremely important for the production of acid be employed as fillers. However, said acid fillers
Such parts in modern day usage of this process. undesirably attack acid sensitive ceramic materials in shells
used for high quality metal castings.
A summary of some of the requisite physical properties of 35 Moreover, such fillers suffer additional drawbacks. For
such pattern materials is found in the British publication example, urea tends to decompose when the wax is melted
entitled "PATTERN MATERIALS AND THEIR USE IN
INVESTMENT CASTING” of the Pattern-Making Com and organic acids have high specific gravities and thus tend
mittee of the B.I.C.T.A. to settle quickly when not sufficiently agitated. Many fillers
have a relatively high thermal conductivity which can lead
One of the major drawbacks in the use of investment 40 to premature expansion of the investment casting wax
casting wax compositions is that conventionally the wax composition upon autoclaving and thereby causing shell
must be injected at temperatures somewhat above room cracking. Additionally, many such fillers can produce envi
temperature, i.e. 105° F to 190° F. Waxes are non-Newto ronmentally hazardous or carcinogenic materials upon com
nian fluids so that when injected under pressure, they are bustion.
subjected to shearing forces causing them to become some 45 It would therefore be desirable to provide material useful
what more fluid. It is not necessary to heat waxes until they as a filler in investment casting wax compositions which
are completely liquid in order to completely fill the inter upon combustion does not produce environmentally hazard
stices of a die; nevertheless, they must be heated to some ous or carcinogenic materials yet has the desirable charac
extent. Thus, when injected into a complicated die, thin wax teristics and properties of previously used filler materials.
sections cool relatively quickly, reproducing that particular 50
section with a high degree of dimensional accuracy, but the
wax in heavier sections will shrink considerably more. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Additionally, because of these different rates of cooling and Thermoplastic cellulosic acetate resin powders in which
shrinkage, considerable stress can be imposed on the wax essentially 80% or more of the particles pass through a 100
pattern, and when removed from the die, the pattern may 55 mesh screen (U.S. Sieve Series) and essentially 50% pass
readily distort in order to relieve the strain. through a 200 mesh screen (U.S. Sieve Series) have been
To a limited extent, such dimensional problems can be found to be especially useful as a filler material for invest
compensated for by retooling of the master die. Such retool ment casting waxes.
ing is a complicated procedure at best, and in addition, such
a tailoring of a die is costly and is not completely reliable. 60 DETALS OF THE INVENTION
Moreover, heating up of the die with repeated injections,
large ambient temperature variations and the like, all further It has been discovered that highly useful and desirably
combine to produce a considerable loss of precision in the relatively low cost particles of cellulosic resins powder
mass reproduction of pattern dimensions. particles in which at least about 80% of the powderparticles
This problem in investment casting caused by distortion 65 pass through a 100 mesh screen and at least about 50% pass
of the patterns due to shrinkage has long troubled the art. through a 200 mesh screen are especially suitable for use as
Solution of this problem has been attempted by inclusion of fillers in investment casting of wax compositions. The
 5,518,537
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cellulosic resin powder is a cellulose acetate ester or mixed age. Such particle containing investment casting waxes have
ester resin such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate pro a hardness based on the ASTM D-5 needle penetration test
pionate, cellulose acetate butyrate and cellulose acetate using the investment Casting Institute modification of a 450
phthalate and the like. Preferred are cellulose acetate resin gm total weight on the needle-point, of between 5 to 15 and
containing up to 45 wt.% acetyl, cellulose acetate propi possibly from 2 to 25 or 30 tenths of millimeters (dmm).
onate containing up to 45 wt.% acetyl and up to 52 wt.% This Investment casting Institute needle penetrometer test
propionyl, cellulose acetate butyrate containing up to 45 wt. ing procedure is described in the publication dated Novem
% acetyl and up to 58 wt.% butyryl and cellulose acetate ber 1971, entitled: Standard Material Specification for Pat
phthalate containing up to 40 wt.% combined phthalyl and tern Materials by the Investment Casting Institute, in the
up to 30 wt.% combined acetyl. Especially preferred is a 10 section entitled: "Determination of Consistency-Needle
cellulose acetate resin powder having a specific gravity of Penetration Method'.
about 1.31-1.32. The cellulose acetate resin filler can be The following specific examples are illustrative of the
utilized in the investment casting wax compositions as the improved investment casting wax compositions of the
sole filler or can, if desired, be combined with other invest present invention and their use.
ment casting wax fillers. That is, the cellulose acetate filler 15
may comprise from about 5 to 100% by weight of the total EXAMPLE I
filler employed in the composition.
In accordance with this invention, the cellulose thermo
plastic resin powder particles of this invention in which 8.4 weight percent Carnauba wax
42.0 r Aliphatic C. hydrocarbon resin, mp
about 80% by weight pass through a 100 mesh screen and 20
115° C. (ASTM E-28)
about 50% by weight pass through a 200 mesh screen are 15.1 Microcrystalline wax, mp 178° F (ASTM
especially suitable for use as a filler for investment casting 4.3
D-127)
Paraffin wax, mp 145° F (AMP)
wax composition. The particles are incorporated in an 4.2 Polyethylene, mp. 222° F (ASTM E-28)
amount of from about 5 to about 75%, preferably from about 16.0 Cellulose acetate particles.
10 to about 55%, and more preferably from about 15 to 25 40.0 weight percent Polyterpene resin, mp. 135° C. (ASTM
about 45% and most preferably from about 15 to about 25%, E-28)
by weight into a base wax composition suitable for use in 21.6 Paraffin wax, mp 155° F (AMP)
14.4 Microcrystalline wax, mp 178° F (ASTM
investment casting and particularly for use as a pattern wax. D-127)
The wax composition of the present invention thus con 30
40 t Polyethylene, mp 244-262° F (ASTM
D-566)
tains the cellulosic resin particles in any suitable base wax 20.0 r Cellulose acetate particles.
composition. The wax generally constitutes from about 25 to
95% by weight, more generally from about 45 to 90%, more
preferably from about 55 to 85%, and most preferably from The polyterpene resin has a specific gravity of 0.995
about 75 to 85% by weight of the final composition. 35 (25/25 C.) and a ball and ring softening point of about
Suitable base wax compositions can include petroleum 135° C.
waxes, natural vegetable or mineral waxes, synthetic waxes
and various resinous materials derived from the refining of EXAMPLE III
petroleum and wood resins, terpene-type resins or mixtures
of these materials or any of those waxes disclosed in the 40 37.50 weight percent Polyterpene resin, mp 135° C. (ASTM
prior art patents mentioned previously. The base wax com E-28)
positions can thus contain one or more hydrocarbon mate 20.25 Paraffin wax, mp 155° F (AMP)
rials or other organic materials having for instance, oxygen 13.50 t Microcrystalline wax, mp 178° F (ASTM
containing groups, as in the case of stearic acid or abietic 3.75
D-127)
Polyethylene, mp 244-262°F. (ASTM
acid, or nitrogen-containing groups such as in the case of 45 D-566)
amides. The base wax compositions usually melt at tem 25.00 Cellulose acetate particles.
perature in the range of about 120° to about 200 F.
A suitable base wax consists essentially of 0 to 15%
vegetable wax, 20 to 60% of petroleum wax consisting of EXAMPLE IV
mixtures of paraffin waxes having a melting point of from 50
120° to 160°F, and microcrystalline waxes having a melting
point of from 135° to 205 F., 1 to 12% of synthetic waxes 30.94 weight percent Premium hydrogenated C, C resin,
such as Fisher-Tropsch waxes, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl mp 125° C. (ASTM E-28)
22.75 Paraffin wax, mp 145° F (AMP)
acetate, or amides, and about 13 to 70% of various resins, 22.75 Microcrystalline wax, mp 178° F (ASTM
Such as hydrocarbon resins, or resins derived from the 55 D-127)
refining of petroleum or of wood products, particularly those 9.10
4.55
Candclilla wax
Montan wax
known as polyterpene resins. The preferred vegetable waxes 0.91 Paraflint H-1 (Synthetic paraffin wax)
are candelilla and carnauba waxes. These base waxes are 9.00 Cellulose acetate particles.
well known in the art and, therefore, they need not be
described further, 60
The final form of the wax composition containing the Completely acceptable patterns are made with the afore
cellulosic resin powder particle filler can be in flake, slab or mentioned wax compositions containing cellulose acetate
billet form or other suitable forms. Such compositions are of resin powder particles as a filler according to known invest
low ash content, generally below about 0.1%, preferably ment casting techniques.
below about 0.02% by weight. Additionally, to be suitable as 65 In another aspect of this invention, a method of invest
a wax for investment casting, the wax must be of sufficient ment casting is provided wherein the cellulose acetate resin
hardness to form acceptable patterns with minimal shrink powder particle-containing wax compositions are utilized.
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In such a process a low shrinkage, dimensionally stable, fast 9. An investment casting wax composition according to
setting casting wax having cellulose acetate resin powder claim 2 wherein the cellulose acetate resin particles com
particles as a filler, such as those described in Examples I prise from about 5 to about 100% by weight of the total filler
and III, is injected into a suitable die for making a wax in the investment casting wax composition.
pattern. The hardened wax pattern is removed from the die. 10. An investment casting wax composition according to
The pattern or a cluster of such patterns islare gated to a wax claim 1 wherein the cellulose acetate resin particles com
sprue. Then, the sprued pattern or patterns are utilized in prise from about 5 to about 100% by weight of the total filler
either the solid mold investment casting process or the in the investment casting wax composition.
investment shell casting process. 11. An investment casting wax composition for use in the
In the solid mold investment casting process, the sprued 10 investment casting wax process which consists essentially of
pattern is invested in a mold slurry which is allowed to a base wax composition melting in the range of 120° to 200
harden. F. and, as a filler, about 10 to 55% by weight of the final
In the investment shell casting process, the sprued pattern composition of cellulose acetate resin powder particles
is dipped in a slurry of finely divided ceramic material, and wherein at least about 80% by weight of said particles pass
a refractory grain is then sifted onto the coating. After 15 through a 100 mesh screen and at least about 50% by weight
suitable drying time, this process of dipping and sifting is passes through a 200 mesh screen, said wax composition
repeated several times to build up a desired shell thickness. having sufficient hardness to form acceptable patterns and
In any of the above processes, the cellulose acetate resin said wax composition being dimensionally stable.
powder particle-containing wax composition is removed 12. A composition of claim 11 wherein the base wax
from the ceramic mold by melting in an oven, over a steam 20 comprises about 0 to 15 wt.% vegetable wax, about 20 to
bath, or in an autoclave. The ceramic mold is then fired at 60 wt.% petroleum wax consisting of a mixture of paraffins
high temperature to remove the last traces of the wax having a melting point of from 120° to 160° F and micro
composition and to cure the ceramic mold itself. Molten crystalline waxes having a melting point of from about 135°
metal is then poured into the ceramic mold and allowed to to 205 F., about 1 to 12 wt.% synthetic waxes and about
harden. The mold material is then broken away from the 25 13 to 79 wt.% of resins selected from hydrocarbon resins
castings, the castings removed from the resultant metal
sprue, and suitably finished. A more detailed description of and resins derived from the refining of petroleum or of wood
these investment casting processes can be found in the products.
Investment Casting Handbook referred to above. 13. A composition of claim 12 wherein the vegetable wax
With the foregoing description of the invention, those is carnauba wax.
skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be 30 14. A composition of claim 12 wherein the vegetable wax
made to the invention without departing from the spirit is candelilla wax.
thereof. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the 15. A low shrinkage, dimensionally stable investment
invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated casting wax composition having sufficient hardness to form
and described. acceptable patterns for use in the investment casting wax
I claim: 35 process which consists essentially of a base wax melting in
1. In an investment casting wax composition for use in an the range of 120° to 200 F and, as a filler, from about 5 to
investment casting wax process, the improvement wherein about 75% by weight of particles of a cellulose acetate resin
particles of a cellulose acetate resin are present in the powder particles wherein at least about 80% by weight of
composition as a filler. said particles pass through a 100 mesh screen and at least
2. An investment casting wax composition according to 40 about 50% by weight passes through a 200 mesh screen.
claim 1 wherein at least about 80% by weight of the 16. An investment casting wax composition of claim 15 of
cellulose acetate resin particles pass through a 100 mesh the following composition: 37.50 weight percent of poly
screen and at least about 50% by weight of the particles pass terpene resin having a specific gravity of 0.995 (25/25° C)
through a 200 mesh screen. and a ball and ring softening point of about 135° C.; 20.25
3. An investment casting wax composition according to 45 weight percent of paraffin wax having a softening point at
claim 2 wherein the cellulose acetate resin is cellulose about 155°F; 13.50 weight percent of microcrystalline wax
acetate having a specific gravity of about 1.31 to 1.32. having a softening point at about 178° F.; 3.75 weight
4. An investment casting wax composition according to percent of polyethylene softening in the range of 244 to
claim 3 wherein the cellulose acetate resin particles com 262 F. and 25.00 weight percent of said cellulose acetate
prise from about 15 to about 25% by weight of the invest 50 particle filler.
ment casting wax composition. 17. An investment casting wax composition of claim 15 of
5. An investment casting wax composition according to the following composition: 40 weight percent of polyterpene
claim 3 wherein the cellulose acetate resin particles com resin having a specific gravity of 0.995 (25/25° C) and a
prise from about 5 to about 100% by weight of the total filler ball and ring softening point of about 135 C.; 21.6 weight
in the investment casting wax composition. 55 percent of paraffin wax having a softening point at about
6. An investment casting wax composition according to 155° F.; 14.4 weight percent of microcrystalline wax having
claim 2 wherein the cellulose acetate resin powder particles a softening point at about 178 F.; 4.0 weight percent of
comprise from about 5 to about 75% by weight of the polyethylene softening in the range of 244 to 262 F. and
investment casting wax composition. 20.0 weight percent of said cellulose acetate particle filler.
7. An investment casting wax composition according to 60 18. An investment casting wax composition of claim 15 of
claim 2 wherein the cellulose acetate resin particles com the following composition: 30.95 weight percent of a hydro
prise from about 15 to about 25% by weight of the invest genated Cs, Co resin; 22.75 weight percent of paraffin wax
ment casting wax composition. having a softening point of about 145 °F; 22.75 weight
8. An investment casting wax composition according to percent of microcrystalline wax having a softening point of
claim 5 wherein the cellulose acetate resin particles com 65 about 178°F; 9.10 weight percent of candelilla wax; 4.55
prise from about 5 to about 100% by weight of the total filler weight percent montan wax; 0.91 weight percent synthetic
in the investment casting wax composition. paraffin wax, and 9.0 weight percent of said particle filler.
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19. An investment casting wax composition of claim 15 of (a) forming in a mold a thermoplastic pattern of an
the following composition: 8.4 weight percent carnauba investment casting wax composition, said investment
wax, 15.1 weight percent microcrystalline wax having a casting composition comprising a base wax composi
softening point of about 178 F.; 14.3 weight percent paraffin tion and from about 5 to about 75% by weight, based
wax having a softening point of about 145 F.; 4.2 weight 5 on the weight of the base wax composition, of particles
percent of polyethylene having a softening point of about of a cellulose acetate resin powder particles as a filler;
222 F.; 42.0 weight percent of an aliphatic hydrocarbon and
resin having a softening point of about 15° C.; and 16.0 (b) investing said pattern to form a east.
weight percent of said cellulose acetate particle filler.
20. A method for investment casting comprising: ck 3 k