Casting.  A tree is formed from the different wax patterns in a process known as sprueing.  The tree is then placed inside a cylindrical flask in preparation for casting.  The flask containing the tree is filled with investment plaster which begins the lost-wax casting process.  Once the investment has hardened, the trees are placed in ovens and the temperature is slowly raised to over 1,300 degrees which burns out all traces of the wax.  The flasks are removed from the ovens while still hot and placed in the casting machine where the trees are cast in a precious metal and set aside to cool.  After the trees have cooled to the desired temperature, the investment is removed from the flask and broken from around the tree.  The trees are then sent to Quality Assurance for clipping and separation into batches.