Getting Platinum Right the First Time

We supply casting equipment to jewellery manufacturers across India. So we hear things sometimes over chai at exhibitions, sometimes passed along through finishing departments.

Lately, a pattern has emerged. And it doesn't start on the casting floor. It starts in polishing.

"Porosity phir se. Isko theek karne mein do ghante lag gaye."

Mumbai mentioned surface pitting on delicate filigree work. Rajkot said they're spending more time finishing than casting. A production manager in Surat told us his QC rejection rate on platinum pieces was climbing "Casting theek hai, par finish pe dikkat aa rahi hai."

Different workshops, different cities, same frustration: platinum that looks good in the flask but needs hours of rework before it's showroom-ready.

Why platinum doesn't forgive shortcuts

Here's what we've learned from years of these conversations: platinum is unforgiving. It melts at 1,768°C nearly double gold's melting point. It's viscous. It oxidises if you give it the chance. And it reveals every flaw in your process.

Porosity happens when metal doesn't fill every detail of the mould. With gold, you might get away with it the metal flows easily, fills gaps. Platinum doesn't cooperate the same way. It needs pressure to push into fine details. It needs atmosphere control to prevent oxidation. And it needs precise temperature management because the margin for error is measured in seconds, not minutes.

By the time the piece reaches finishing, it's carrying the accumulated effect of every decision made earlier. And the finishing team can only polish what's there they can't add metal that never filled in the first place.

‍

Pressure, tilt, and vibration: addressing porosity at the source

The Indutherm MTC 100 V was designed specifically for this challenge. It combines three mechanisms that work together to get platinum into every detail of your mould:

Turbo Pressure PLUS: Up to 3 bar of overpressure pushes molten metal into the finest filigree work. This isn't gentle it's forceful enough to fill details that would otherwise trap air pockets.

Automatic tilting: Controlled tilt at adjustable speed ensures metal flows where it needs to go. The tilt speed can be fine-tuned for different piece geometries faster for simple shapes, slower for complex designs.

Vibration system: Indutherm's award-winning vibration technology shakes out air bubbles during the pour, resulting in denser castings with more uniform structure.

The result is platinum that comes off the tree with better surface quality less porosity, finer detail capture, reduced finishing time.

2,100°C in an enclosed chamber

Temperature control matters with platinum. Too low and you get incomplete fills. Too high and you risk metal degradation. The MTC 100 V reaches 2,100°C well above platinum's melting point, giving you the working range you need for different alloy compositions.

But temperature alone isn't enough. Platinum oxidises rapidly at high temperatures. That's why the MTC operates in an enclosed chamber under vacuum or inert gas. No atmospheric exposure during melting or casting. No oxide inclusions ending up in your finished pieces.

The optical pyrometer measures temperature up to 2,000°C with precision you know exactly when your metal is ready. No guessing, no visual estimation.

‍

One machine for platinum and gold

Here's something that surprises many manufacturers: the MTC 100 V isn't platinum-only.

It uses two crucible types ceramic for platinum (up to 600g Pt) and graphite for gold (up to 450g Au 18kt). Same induction system, same machine. You swap the crucible based on what you're casting that day.

For workshops running both metals, that's significant. Ek machine mein dono metals no separate floor space, no separate training, no separate service contracts. And when orders shift between platinum and gold, you shift with them.

The same machine can also pour ingots. Jewellery moulds one batch, ingots the next.

‍

Save it once, cast it the same way every time

Platinum casting has too many variables to rely on operator memory. Temperature, pressure build-up, tilt speed, vibration timing get one wrong and your rejection rate shows it.

The MTC 100 V stores all parameters digitally. Dial in your settings for a specific alloy or piece type, save them, and recall them next time. Same results, batch after batch. Your best operator's technique isn't lost when they're on leave.

The built-in diagnostic system and connectivity options (RS 232, Ethernet, USB) also mean remote troubleshooting is possible service support doesn't always require an on-site visit.

What this depends on

I should be clear about what the MTC 100 V can and can't do.

It won't fix problems upstream. If your investment isn't mixed properly, if your burnout cycle is inconsistent, if your wax patterns have defects no casting machine will save you. The MTC gives you precise control over the casting stage, but it assumes the stages before it are done right.

Capacity is 600g platinum per cast. If you're running larger trees 800g, 1kg batches look at the VTC 200 V instead.

And this is a professional floor-standing unit, not a compact tabletop. If space is tight and you need something smaller, the MC 100 V tabletop might be more appropriate.

Par agar aapka upstream process already solid hai, and you want casting equipment that matches that level of precision this delivers.

‍

Worth exploring?

If platinum finishing time is eating into your margins, or if batch-to-batch consistency is harder than it should be, let's talk. We can walk through your current process and see where the MTC 100 V might fit or whether a different solution makes more sense.

Reach out: info@preciousalloys.com | +91 22 6101 4444