OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of two different ring liner thickness on the deformation of resulted castings.

METHODSGC No.2 casting rings (50 mm in height and 39.5 mm in diameter) were lined with two dry ceramic fiber liners with thickness of 0.70 mm and 0.45 mm. Plate-like wax patterns with pre-marked points were invested with a gypsum-bonded investment and the rings were cast with a silver-based dental alloy. The difference between the castings and the wax patterns at corresponding points was calculated to represent the dimensional change of the investment in the rings at different directions.

RESULTSThe expansion of the investment in the ring was non-isotropic, with larger radial direction expansion than the axial direction expansion (P < 0.01). In the scope of this study, the effect of two different ring liner thickness on the casting precision was statistically non-significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe liners with two different thickness failed to eliminate non-isotropic deformation of the castings under the testing conditions of this study.