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Overview of all types of investment used in the jewelry industry
Are you wondering which type of plaster to use when casting jewelry? Not all types of plaster can be used in the jewelry industry, as the technical requirements for casting jewelry necessitate that we choose the appropriate plaster. Let's explore everything about the types of plaster commonly used for jewelry casting in today's article.
Investment powder is a natural mineral with soft properties that has been used by humans since ancient Egyptian times. Today, investment powder is favored for its safety for human health; even in the event of a fire, investment powder does not release toxic gases.
The applications of investment powder are diverse across many different industries such as medicine, agriculture, industry, and fine arts. In jewelry manufacturing, investment powder is used to create molds for casting jewelry. Regarding the applications of plaster, DC has a detailed article on its use in various industries; you can learn more in this article.
Why is it necessary to choose high-quality investment in jewelry production?
The investment powder used in jewelry casting directly affects the quality of the finished product because the investment powder needs to withstand the high temperatures of the kiln, and the surface of the jewelry must achieve a very smooth finish, without pitting after casting, to minimize the subsequent cold processing stage.
The benefits of using quality investment powder in the casting process:
- Smooth Jewelry Surface:
The jewelry casting principle relies on using a wax or resin model placed inside the plaster mixture. After burning out the internal model, we are left with a hollow plaster mold to pour molten metal into, creating the jewelry piece. Therefore, the surface of the plaster mold must be extremely smooth for the cast jewelry to also be smooth and have fewer defects.
- Cost Savings in Cold Processing:
If the surface of the jewelry exhibits pitting or is not smooth after casting, we will need to add an extra step for cold processing to achieve the best possible surface. Cold processing involves addressing any defects on the surface of the product after casting, such as welding to fix dents, missing details, or grinding down rough areas. However, by choosing quality plaster, you can minimize this processing step, thereby saving on costs and time for completing the product.
Summary table of investment powder types available in the market.
| Name | Origin | Characteristics | Price range |
- Plasticast Investment Powder - Ultravest Investment Powder | America | - Recommended for casting all types of jewelry, especially capable of casting all metals from high-end yellow gold, white gold to bronze and silver casting. - Only platinum cannot be cast. - It has diverse applications due to the ability to cast resin, which is one of the most challenging forms of casting. - It can cast both stone-set and non-stone-set models, achieving intricate designs with detailed patterns. - This type of investment is the finest among all casting gypsums, producing perfect products. | High |
- Oro Investment Powder - Unicast Investment Powder - Optima Investment Powder | Turkey | - This line of investment powder encompasses all the advantages of Ransom investment powder from the United States, such as the ability to cast all metals except platinum, as well as resin wax, but at a more affordable price - Three types of investment powder from Turkey are suitable options for customers producing quality jewelry products that align with their financial capabilities. | Average |
| - Sigma Investment Powder | Turkey | - Specializes in casting brass and cannot be used for other casting forms such as gold or white gold | Low |