Skip to main content

EMKA investment casting spells precision


EMKA is known as the world market leader for closures, hinges, and seals. We are also one of the leading manufacturers of closure technology in the air-conditioning and transport sectors. However, similar to our mould-making facility – now one of the largest in Europe– our production area has flown under the radar for a long time. Yet, the signs here have been clearly pointing to growth since 2015. What are talking about? EMKA investment casting.

Since 2015 an important part of the EMKA Group – 4,000,000 parts produced per year

It was only in 2015 that EMKA Feinguss became part of the EMKA Group. Today, 192 employees are responsible for producing investment castings from steel and stainless steel in all qualities and alloys. With modern technology, it is possible to produce castings between 0.5 g and 10 kg and up to 250 mm long.

The parts are finished mechanically in modern machining centres or electrochemically by electroplating. On about 10,500 m2, 4 million parts and 400 tons of material are processed annually. EMKA Feinguss is also highly certified: according to ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949:2016.

Fine parts for the industry

Whether mechanical engineering, automotive or electrical industry: EMKA Feinguss manufactures essential parts for many different industries. In addition to the part’s geometry, the surface condition of the investment castings is particularly important for the different fields of application.

In addition to brushed, rough and galvanised surfaces, EMKA Feinguss also uses electrolytic polishing and passivation in order to ensure the desired and appropriate condition.

The investment casting production services range from application consulting to project planning, series production and finishing to certification in the EMKA test laboratory and the subsequent logistics controlled by EMKA.

A brief insight into the production process: Here, the wax injection process first takes effect. The wax patterns (replicas) are produced using aluminium, brass or steel tools and form a positive model of the casting to be produced. The actual casting mould is created by alternately immersing the casting cluster in a ceramic slurry and fine sand. With this process, up to nine layers are built up, which in the end represent the actual casting mould.

The actual casting process takes place directly in the still-hot mould, where the liquid metal can flow into the cavities created by the wax model. Depending on the customer’s requirements, further work steps such as heat treatment, surface finishing and mechanical finishing (such as inserting threads and much more can follow. With this production line, EMKA Feinguss can reproduce even complex, demanding geometries.

Certification in the EMKALab

Before EMKA delivers the finished investment castings to the customer, the castings are put through their paces in the accredited EMKA testing laboratory (EMKALab). Thirty employees work in the laboratory, accredited by the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS), the German National Accreditation Body. The task is the creation of new designs as well as prototypes but above all, the quality management of the products.

Quality, robustness and performance are the desired results, for which the test laboratory constantly tests with new procedures. That’s why we place a high value on professionally trained laboratory staff, as the DAkkS confirms with its accreditation. EMKALab demonstrably offers a high level of technical competence to carry out independent tests according to current standards.

 

Facts and figures on EMKA investment casting at a glance

  • Certified according to ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949:2016.
  • In-house specialised design centre
  • Mechanical finishing on modern machining centres
  • Electrochemical finishing (electroplating)
  • 10,479 m² of space under one roof
  • 4,000,000 parts per year
  • 400 t of material per year