Casting Grade Alloys |
Compatible Materials
Our Digital Foundry™ produces precision metal castings across hundreds of standard casting grade alloys — from air-melt aluminum, steel and nickel alloys to vacuum-melt nickel superalloys and medical-grade cobalt chrome — all without a single tool or die. Using our patented LAMP™ ceramic 3D printing technology and DirectPour™ process, we deliver production-grade cast parts directly from your CAD file in as little as 10 days. Every casting material we pour meets ASTM standards and Investment Casting Institute stated ranges, ensuring repeatable dimensional accuracy, surface finish and mechanical integrity across every project.
Benefits of DirectPour™ Process with Casting Grade Alloys
Accelerated Production Timelines
Traditional investment casting consumes multiple weeks to months in tooling alone. Our DirectPour™ process eliminates that bottleneck, delivering first castings in as little as 10 days:
Zero Tooling Investment
Traditional casting demands $50K–$200K+ in upfront tooling before a single part is produced. Unlike traditional lost-wax casting, DirectPour™ goes straight from CAD to a ready-to-pour ceramic shell — no wax injection, no die fabrication, no wax patterns:
Superior Quality and Precision
Our LAMP™ technology delivers precision specs that reduce defects before a single drop of metal is poured. Every casting is third-party qualified to ASTM standards and Investment Casting Institute stated ranges:
Signs Your Project Needs Advanced Casting Alloys
Some casting requirements outgrow what conventional foundries can support. If any of the following describe your project, our ceramic 3D printing platform was built for it:
Our engineering team provides direct technical consultation — reach out today to assess your alloy requirements.
Alloy Capabilities
Our investment casting services support alloys spanning both ferrous and non-ferrous families, compatible with air-melt and vacuum-melt foundry processes. The core material categories below represent our most frequently specified casting grade alloys across aerospace, defense, space, medical, and industrial applications.
Stainless Steel Alloys (304, 316, 17-4 PH, 15-5 PH)
We cast the full spectrum of corrosion-resistant stainless grades — from standard 304 and 316 to precipitation-hardening 17-4 PH and 15-5 PH. Alloys such as 316 stainless steel are widely used in castings for the industrial and medical sectors due to their durability and biocompatibility. Each grade is available through our DirectPour™ process with no tooling required:
- 304 and 316 for general corrosion resistance and fluid handling.
- 17-4 PH and 15-5 PH for high tensile strength after heat treatment.
- CF3M (cast SS316 equivalent) for maximum corrosion integrity.
All grades meet ASTM standards and are suited for aerospace brackets, medical hardware, and industrial structural components.
Aluminum Alloys (A356, A357)
For aerospace and defense aluminum castings, A356 and A357 are the benchmark alloys — lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and favored for structural flight hardware. We produce castings in both grades using our DirectPour™ process with no tooling required:
- A356 for various aerospace components with proven AMS 2175 Class 1 Grade A radiographic results.
- A357 for higher ultimate tensile strength and heat-treatable structural applications.
- Both grades available in air-melt configurations.
Nickel Superalloys (Inconel 625)
Our castings in high-strength nickel superalloys cover the full spectrum of high-temperature requirements. We cast a broad superalloy library in both air-melt and vacuum-melt configurations:
- Air-melt IN 625.
- Vacuum-melt Equiaxed (EQ) superalloys including IN 625, IN 718, IN 713LC, MAR-M247, and IN100.
- Vacuum-melt Directionally-solidified (DS) superalloys including René 80, René 141, René 142.
- Vacuum-melt Single-crystal superalloys including CMSX-4 and René N5.
Cobalt Alloys (ASTM F75)
Cobalt alloys are an indispensable choice for applications demanding durability under extreme conditions, such as gas turbines, medical implants, and aerospace components. We cast Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum to ASTM F75 equivalent specifications using our DirectPour™ process with no tooling required:
- Orthopedic implants and surgical instruments in production-equivalent ASTM F75 alloy.
- Medical device prototypes with high-resolution as-cast features — no wax pattern or cores required.
- Same alloy used in production implants, enabling true design validation before tooling.
Tool Steel (S7)
S7 is an air-hardening, shock-resistant tool steel well suited for industrial tooling, dies, and structural components demanding high impact toughness. DirectPour™ delivers cast-near-net-shape S7 components with no tooling lead time required:
- S7 for industrial dies and fixtures requiring hardness and impact toughness.
- Post-cast heat treatment to achieve wear-grade hardness for demanding applications.
- 4140 steel for applications requiring toughness, fatigue resistance, and moderate hardness.
Our Casting Process
CAD Model Analysis, Casting Simulation and Shell Mold Optimization
Every project begins with a detailed engineering review of your CAD model — where most casting quality decisions are made before a single layer is printed:
LAMP™ Technology Ceramic Shell Production
Our LAMP™ (Large Area Maskless Photopolymerization) process cures our proprietary ceramic slurry layer-by-layer using 4.1 million UV beams — producing a ready-to-pour shell with all internal cores integrated in a single printed structure:
The result is a dimensionally precise, pour-ready ceramic shell mold — no wax patterns required.
Metal Pouring and Finishing
The completed ceramic shell is poured with metal at our Atlanta facility or shipped as a ready-to-pour shell to your foundry or a qualified partner:
Casting Grade Alloy Investment and Pricing
No upfront tooling charges — pricing reflects engineering, materials, and part production only. Key cost factors include:
Zero tooling investment eliminates $50K–$200K+ in traditional upfront costs.
Per-part pricing scales with alloy type, volume, and complexity.
Contact us for a project-specific quote with a detailed cost breakdown.
Why Choose Rapid Precision Castings for Casting Grade Alloys?
Proven Aerospace and Defense Experience
Our LAMP™ technology originated from a 2006 DARPA call for Disruptive Manufacturing Technologies. Aerospace and Defense programs define our process:
Advanced Technology Leadership
Our IP portfolio and validated program results set a standard conventional foundries cannot match:
Strategic Partnership Network
Our partnerships extend reach across the full supply chain — from prototype to high-volume production:
Service Areas Across the United States
We ship nationwide from Atlanta, Georgia, with full ITAR compliance for defense programs:
Aerospace clusters: Seattle, Florida, Southern California, Colorado and Texas
Medical device corridors: Minneapolis, Boston, and California
Automotive centers: Detroit, South Carolina, and Alabama
Direct technical consultation is available across all U.S. time zones.
Get Started with Casting Grade Alloys Today
Starting a project is straightforward. Submit your CAD file, specify your alloy and quantity, and our engineering team takes it from there — through shell design, ceramic printing, thermal processing, and metal pour. Reach us through any of the following:
Get in Touch
Visit our contact us page
Our team is available Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm ET.
Frequently Asked Questions About Casting Grade Alloys
A casting alloy is a metal formulation specifically engineered to perform well in the casting process — meaning it flows properly when molten, fills complex mold geometries without defects, and solidifies with the desired mechanical properties. Casting alloys are designed with controlled compositions of base metals and alloying elements.
Common casting grade alloys include nickel-based superalloys (Inconel 625, 718, IN100, MAR-M247, CMSX-4), cobalt-chrome alloys, stainless steels (304, 316, 17-4 PH, 15-5 PH, CF3M), aluminum alloys (A356, A357), tool steels (H13, A2), and copper-based alloys. Each family serves different temperature, strength, and corrosion resistance requirements.
Rapid Precision Castings offers casting capabilities across hundreds of standard alloys, from common stainless steels and aluminum to the most advanced single-crystal nickel superalloys. Operating from Atlanta, GA, RPC serves customers nationwide with both standard and specialty alloy casting.
Alloy selection depends on the operating environment — temperature, stress loads, corrosion exposure, and regulatory requirements. RPC's engineering team works with customers to evaluate application conditions and recommend the optimal alloy. For aerospace hot-section parts, nickel superalloys are standard. For medical devices, biocompatible alloys like CoCrMo or 316L are required. For lightweight structural components, aluminum A356/A357 is preferred.
RPC casts a comprehensive range of nickel superalloys including equiaxed alloys (IN 625, IN 718, IN 713LC, MAR-M247, IN100, Waspaloy), directionally solidified alloys (René 141, René 80, René 142), and single-crystal alloys (CMSX-4, René N5). These alloys serve the most demanding aerospace and turbine applications.
Yes. RPC supports both air-melt and vacuum-melt casting processes. Vacuum-melt capability is essential for advanced nickel superalloys used in turbine engines and aerospace applications, where atmospheric contamination during melting would degrade alloy properties. RPC operates in-house vacuum capability and partners with established foundries for specialized requirements.
RPC produces castings in aluminum A356 and A357 alloys, which are the industry standards for lightweight, high-strength structural components. These alloys are commonly used in drone components, robotics, eVTOL propulsion parts, and automotive applications where weight reduction is critical. A357 offers higher strength than A356 due to its higher magnesium content.
RPC casts biocompatible alloys including Cobalt Chromium Moly (ASTM F75 equivalent) for orthopedic implants, Stainless Steel 316L for surgical instruments, and 17-4 PH stainless steel for structural medical components. These alloys meet ASTM standards for medical device manufacturing.
Air-melt casting melts and pours metal in an open atmospheric environment, suitable for alloys like stainless steels, aluminum, and carbon steels. Vacuum-melt casting melts and pours metal under vacuum or inert atmosphere, preventing oxidation of reactive elements in advanced superalloys. Vacuum processing is required for nickel and cobalt-based superalloys used in turbine and aerospace applications.
Yes. While RPC maintains qualified capabilities across hundreds of standard alloys, new alloys can be qualified through standard foundry qualification processes. RPC's engineering team collaborates with customers and alloy suppliers to establish process parameters, conduct test castings, and perform material testing per applicable specifications.
Alloy selection
Casting alloy capability and review matrix
These alloy groups identify candidate manufacturing pathways, not automatic material substitutions. DDM Systems reviews the controlling alloy specification, heat treatment, geometry, inspection, and acceptance requirements for each project.
| Program need | Candidate alloy family | Environment or property focus | Casting path | Confirm during engineering review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosion-resistant hardware and fluid-handling components | 304, 316, 17-4 PH, or 15-5 PH stainless | Corrosion, strength, heat-treatment condition, and fluid compatibility | Air-melt pathway | Exact grade, condition, corrosion exposure, machining, passivation, NDT, and documentation |
| Lightweight structural castings | A356 or A357 aluminum | Mass, strength, fatigue, thermal exposure, and corrosion protection | Air-melt pathway | Temper and heat treatment, radiographic class, mechanical properties, dimensional requirements, and finish |
| Hot-section and propulsion hardware | IN625, IN718, IN713LC, MAR-M247, IN100, or another specified nickel alloy | Temperature, oxidation, thermal cycling, creep, and pressure | Air-melt or vacuum-melt route as required | Chemistry, microstructure, heat treatment, mechanical testing, NDT, and qualification plan |
| Directionally solidified or single-crystal blade and vane programs | René 80, René 141, René 142, CMSX-4, René N5, or another approved superalloy | Creep, thermal fatigue, oxidation, and grain orientation | Vacuum-melt DS or SX route | Approved alloy, orientation and grain acceptance, casting specification, inspection, and source qualification |
| Wear-resistant or medical-component programs | ASTM F75-equivalent cobalt-chromium pathway | Wear, corrosion, biocompatibility, and surface condition | Project-specific melt and finishing route | Approved grade, regulatory and validation requirements, mechanical testing, surface finish, and traceability |
| Impact, wear, or tooling applications | S7, 4140, or another specified steel | Impact toughness, hardness, wear, and fatigue | Air-melt pathway | Heat treatment, target hardness, machining stock, mechanical properties, NDT, and final condition |