Some may think that the process is called “investment” casting because of the up-front investment in tooling that is required – a very good investment in many cases. But in actuality, the term comes from the processes itself. To create the molds that will receive molten alloy and form parts, wax patterns are dipped into a ceramic slurry, which adheres to the patterns in layers that form the molds. Dipping an object in a liquid, which then sticks to the surface of the object is referred to as “investing,” thus the name.