---
title: "Investment Casting Cleaning"
url: "https://www.kolene.com/application/investment/"
description: "Kolene® Kastech® molten salts remove residual shell and silica-based core from ferrous and select non-ferrous castings, risers, and gating after knockout."
site: "Kolene Corporation"
updated: "2026-09-25T04:30:43+00:00"
breadcrumbs: "Home > Applications > Investment Casting Cleaning"
---

# Investment Casting Cleaning

## How do you clean residual shell and core from investment castings?

Kolene® Kastech® systems are used most efficiently after mechanical shell removal, such as water-blast or shot-blast, takes off the bulk of the shell and core. Immersion in the molten salt then removes residual shell and ceramic material, silica-based coring, and surface scales and oxides, including in intricate, deep internal passages. Treatment time depends on the residue amount and part geometry. This covers ferrous and select non-ferrous castings, with a separate process for aluminum. We also clean select investment castings at our Detroit plant.

## Remove Shell & Core Residue from Investment Castings

![Foundry worker in gloves pouring glowing molten metal from a ladle into a white ceramic investment casting mold](https://www.kolene.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-1.webp)

We supply molten salt processes for cleaning ferrous and select non-ferrous investment castings. For aluminum, see [Aluminum Investment Casting Cleaning](https://www.kolene.com/application/aluminum-investment/).

Kolene® Kastech® systems are used most efficiently with preliminary mechanical shell-removal processes such as water-blast or shot-blast, which eliminate the bulk of the shell and core. Subsequent immersion into the molten salt bath removes residual shell and ceramic material. Treatment time depends on the residue amount and part geometry. The processes also remove shell and core residues from risers and gating in preparation for remelt and alloy reclamation.

### Process benefits of Kastech salts

- removal of residual investment shell and silica-based coring
- cleaning of intricate, deep internal passages
- removal of surface scales and oxides

We also clean select investment castings at our Detroit plant. See [Commercial Processing](https://www.kolene.com/service/commercial-processing/).

Equipment

[Batch](https://www.kolene.com/equipment/cleaning-systems/#batch-systems)  
[Unitized™](https://www.kolene.com/equipment/cleaning-systems/#unitized-systems)  
[By-Product Management](https://www.kolene.com/equipment/cleaning-systems/#by-product-management-systems)

Literature

[Treatment of Salt Bath Sludge and Rinse Water from Casting Cleaning Operations](https://www.kolene.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11_Treatment_of_Salt_Bath_Sludge_and_Rinse_Water_from_Casting_Cleaning_Operations.pdf)

[Corporate Overview](https://www.kolene.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1_Corporate_overview-1.pdf)

[Process and Environmental Overview](https://www.kolene.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_Process_and_Environmental_Overview.pdf)

Products

[Kastech® Basic](https://www.kolene.com/product/cleaning-chemicals/#chemical-kastech-basic)

[Kastech® Ceram-X](https://www.kolene.com/product/cleaning-chemicals/#chemical-kastech-ceram-x)

[Kastech® Ultra](https://www.kolene.com/product/cleaning-chemicals/#chemical-kastech-ultra)

[Play video: Kolene General Cleaning Animation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEvNTHCotzo)

**Kolene General Cleaning Animation** A salt bath cleaning system cleans a load of parts and removes the process by-products.

Have parts like these? Tell us the alloy, the coating or residue, and your volume, and we will recommend a salt, a system, or processing at our Detroit plant.

[Contact us](https://www.kolene.com/contact/?interest=Unsure) [Request a processing quote](https://www.kolene.com/contact/?interest=Commercial%20Processing)

KOLENE® and KASTECH® are registered trademarks/service marks of Kolene Corporation. UNITIZED™ is also a trademark/service mark of Kolene Corporation.