Materials and alloys for investment casting

Alloy families

Material database

Search by grade, UNS number, EN material number or standard, or filter by family. Each grade has its own data page.

How to read the data

• Cast grades are not wrought grades. A casting ordered as "316" is produced to a cast specification such as CF8M or 1.4408, whose composition limits and properties differ from wrought 316 bar. Drawings should name the cast grade and its standard.
• Mechanical properties are minimum values required by the cited standard for separately cast test bars in the stated heat-treatment condition. Properties in a casting section depend on thickness and soundness.
• Density values are approximate and intended for mass estimation.
• Cross-references are classified by how closely the designations correspond. The principles are explained under international equivalents.

For choosing between grades, the material comparison tool displays two or three alloys side by side.

Material selection in practice

Selection normally starts from the service conditions rather than from a grade name: the corrosive medium and temperature, mechanical loading, required certification, weldability and machinability, and the standards regime of the end user (EN or ASTM/ASME). Where a drawing names a wrought grade or a grade from another product form, the corresponding cast grade has to be agreed. LOSTWAX supports this clarification as part of the engineering review.