DGI have made significant advances in the processing of aluminium investment castings which have resulted in a marked improvement in quality and repeatability.The key areas of development are in the shell type and construction with much tighter control of melting temperatures and use of de oxidants.We have always been able to produce good quality investment cast aluminium parts but we have now taken this to a new level, enabling us to produce more complex shapes with fine detail and thinner sections. Our post cast processing has also improved significantly which helps to protect the surface condition of the casting.

Manual handling is a major health and safety issue, not just for investment casting but for all areas of industry. With investment casting specifically, there is a need to keep mould sizes as big as possible in order to keep prices as keen as possible- and that means heavy moulds. DGI have invested heavily in manual handling aids including robotic mould transfer systems in the investment area and hydraulic handling equipment in other areas. The use of the robotic manipulator in the investment area also helps with lead times as the unit can run around the clock with minimal human input. It also ensures a high level of repeatability which adds to the over all quality of the components.

• There are countless stories of the nightmare episodes of parts sourced from the Far East; wrong material, wrong shape, wrong month…..and when it eventually does arrive it can’t be used and can’t be returned!! You’ve probably had to buy a container load as well to get their attention, which has already been paid for in full!!
  
  So how do you source a quality investment casting, commercial grade investment casting, sand casting or die casting supplier who is on the other side of the world and doesn’t speak much English? Try the web; but beware, all is not necessarily what it seems….and if you do find a decent foundry and actually go there and see it with your own eyes, how do you know for sure that your parts will be made there next time, or the time after?
  
  The tales continue with initial samples being spot on, on time but this quickly deteriorates. And lets not forget, the Chinese are extremely good at producing what you ask for, but unless your instructions are crystal clear and all subjectivity removed, you may still be sampling this time next year. If the design won’t cast properly it won’t be challenged, and at best you will have variable quality.
  
  And don’t forget the on costs; shipping, import duty, handling and storage fees, deferment, UK transport costs, inspection/ rework costs, scrap, storage, cash flow etc, etc.
  
  DGI offer a guaranteed sourcing route from an engineering team with a combined 100 years experience in investment casting. Our aim is to supply an engineered solution which optimizes the design of the part and offers the most commercially viable option.
  
  In short, this is risk management for processes that are technically demanding but if done correctly can offer huge rewards.
  Some of the benefits we offer:
  
  An impartial assessment of the project/ part- Right first time philosophy UK or China manufacturing options-Metallurgical advise- Lowest cost option- Delivered prices in Sterling- In house solid model design facility- FEA analysis- Bespoke casting simulation package -Quality assurance to ISO and TUV standards- PPAP and NDT- Dedicated quality, logistics and account managers -UK manufacturing facility backup -In house inspection and rework facility- Stocking facility- Credit facilities- Peace of mind; if it’s scrap, it’s our scrap and not yours!
  So go for the very cheapest option and buy direct from China; or allow us to manage the risk on your behalf- the choice is yours.
  
  
  

DGI continue to manufacture investment castings from their facility in Manchester and offer a number of post operations such as machining, polishing and plating; some in house, others via approved sub contractors. But the business growth comes from the long established supply partnerships with foundries in the Far East, with the low cost manufacturing that benefits the high labour content processes of investment casting, commercial grade investment casting and sand casting.
Other less labour intensive processes such as machining, painting and plating do not offer the same level of savings over the base casting process but are, nevertheless, less expensive in the Far East. For this reason, wherever possible, DGI encourage their customers to add as much value as possible to the parts with the target to supply as near to finished as possible.
Not only do you make direct savings from the added processes, indirect savings from extra handling and transportation at this end.Which all adds to the total savings and keeps the responsibility for supply of good product in one place, rather than the “not our fault” philosophy that so often causes disruption to supply and costly scrap or rework at the wrong end of the process.
DGI’s technical input and quality management procedures are crucial in the supply chain of sourced parts from overseas, something that they have been perfecting now for nearly 10 years.

Doom and gloom continues to make the headlines, costs escalating, companies losing turnover and profit, short time working and so on and so on. But at DGI we see a real opportunity to continue the ambitious growth that we have experienced over the last three years.
Our business model is simple but effective; low cost UK manufactured parts with a low controlled overhead for the “buy British” brigade, or where the numbers are low; lower cost sourcing from our supply partners in China with the proven quality management and procedures to guarantee a smooth transition for parts that are currently sourced from less commercially advantageous locations.
Investment castings, commercial grade investment castings and sand castings all benefit significantly from our proven supply routes in China; allied to the very best engineered solutions that we can offer to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks assosciated with low cost sourcing countries.
Commercial grade investment casting in particular offers huge benefits in designing or converting parts that were intended to be or already are fabricated parts.
So don’t withdraw and accept defeat; DGI can offer process solutions and cost reductions to enable you to get that competitive edge back and to regain that market share.

The Dean Group do not just offer investment castings or lost wax castings, the range encompasses commercial grade investment castings, sand castings and die castings.
As part of their pro active sourcing policy they are now able to source quality extruded parts in both aluminium and brass. Because extrusion has a relatively low labour content, savings over UK production are not as significant as with investment casting; however, if there are subsequent processes involved, drilling/ tapping of holes, cutting to length etc, significant savings are still possible.
This rule applies generally to all the process they source; the more added value that can be applied, the larger the savings. This is particularly true with investment castings where parts could be post machined, electo polished, mechanically hand polished, plated and assembled.

In today’s global market a large percentage of the UK’s manufactured goods come from the Far East, where labour is still relatively cheap.
This is still particularly true where products, such as investment castings, have a large labour content in the manufacturing process.
The Dean Group have invested heavily in the latest manufacturing techniques, in automation and robotics, to try and remain competitive and our UK prices are still the most competitive on a like for like basis. But for larger volume work, the Far East still offer significant benefits for the lost wax process.
The key to success in sourcing from this region is to retain total control of the process parameters and quality procedures and this is where the Dean Group offers the most significant benefits over less technically able sourcing companies. The very reason for choosing the lost wax process for your parts is usually to achieve the very best quality part from a dimensional and surface finish aspect. Investment casting is a highly technical and multi staged process; failure to control any one aspect of this process will have an impact on the subsequent investment casting.
There are a vast number of potential sources in the Far East for investment casting but only a few that can offer the quality and service that we demand in the UK. There are less still that are interested in the smaller accounts. This is where the Dean Group scores again; as we already source a huge range of parts from our supply partners we are able to add relatively small accounts, and offer exactly the same benefits to our range of customers. As one of our supply partner’s largest customers we are able to demand the very best levels of service for our lost wax/ investment castings.