Producing precision cast parts utilizing the investment casting process requires specific tooling. It starts with a split aluminum tool or die that is used to create a wax pattern. The pattern is coated with layers of stucco and ceramic material to create a mold. Before the molten alloy is poured into the mold, the wax is melted away, which explains the term “lost wax casting.” The initial tooling can be more costly than some other process, however, investment casting produces near-net-shape parts that require little or no machining, which avoids significant finishing expense.