Make a batch of parts once within 7 days
X Rapid Technologies, an expert silicone prototyping company, offers a vacuum casting service that is high in efficiency, accuracy, and consistency.
X Rapid Technologies is the best silicone molding company that develops high-quality silicone prototyping parts out of vacuum casting to provide accurate part replicas and consistent mechanical properties.
Nowadays, silicone molding company are offering high-quality silicone prototyping parts out of vacuum casting to provide accurate replicas of different models. Silicone prototyping is the silicone mold best from the product prototype using vacuum casting to produce the same replica. Vacuum casting uses similar materials such as ABS, PU, transparent PU to make the same parts in the vacuum environment. Silicone prototyping parts using vacuum casting can produce the same strength and hardness as mass production products and with the same colors as well. X Rapid Technologies is the top silicone molding company that offers various high-quality silicone prototyping parts with vacuum casting.
It is a casting process that uses a vacuum to extract liquid materials and turn them into mold. Usually, if the air entrapment is having a problem with the mold, then this method is used. Also, if there are any intricate details and undercuts on the mold, you can use this method to fix it. Silicone molding company use rapid prototyping where the plastic sheets are preheated. This is why it's often called thermoforming. The preheated materials get dropped in an automated vacuum casting machine to make them soft and pliable.
Silicon molding company follow the following steps to make silicone prototyping parts or rubber parts:
Step 1) Making master designs:
First, you need to create a master model of your CAD designs. The master will be a 3D model made by CNC machining or with 3D Printing. After that, the next move is to make a silicone mold of the model.
Step 2) Make the mold:
In this step, Casting molds are made from liquid silicone. Here, casting boxes are half-filled with silicone, and then the box gets heated up until the silicone is completely cured. Leave the cure inside an oven for 16 hours. Take it out and let it dry. After that, cut the mod in half and remove the master.
Step 3) Make the parts:
Lastly, pour the casting resins into the empty cavity and make an accurate replica of the master model. You can create more than 20 replicas with ease.
Silicon prototyping parts are much better in quality compared to injection-molded components. That's why vacuum casted models are perfect for testing and marketing purposes or to decide upon the final product.
The best silicone molding company helps to
create more innovative designs with fine details.
Silicone molding company produces and sells high-quality silicone prototyping parts to various industries. Such as
1)Consumer product manufacturers use vacuum casting to produce pens, sunglasses, and other sanitary products. Some cosmetic packages, hairbrushes, and combs are also made using this process.
2)Food and beverage industries also use this process to make food packages, bottles, food containers, cans, mugs, cutleries, and glasses.
3)Electronic industry uses silicone prototyping parts to make different electronic devices and their outer parts.
Which silicone molding company should you choose?
X Rapid Technologies has the best silicone prototyping technicians who carefully control the full process, from mixing, de-bubbling, stirring, preheating, injection to the solidification of the PU resin and rubber. That's why we are the best silicone molding company that guarantees minimal shrinkage and fine details.
Based on the silicone mold made from a product prototype (master), vacuum casting or urethane casting produces the same parts in the vacuum environment using polyurethane (PU) materials with similar properties to ABS, PC, PMMA, soft rubber, and more. The parts possess the same strength and hardness as mass production products, even with the colors required. With its replicability, vacuum casting is not only for producing prototypes but also low volume production of plastic and soft rubber products.
Our silicone prototyping technicians carefully control all operational parameters: from mixing, de-bubbling, stirring, preheating, and injection, to the solidification of the PU material and rubber, thus guaranteeing minimal shrinkage and fine details. At X Rapid Technologies, silicone prototyping parts made by vacuum casting show accurate part replication and consistent mechanical properties. They can be deliverable within a short lead time.
· Low cost and relatively short product production cycle. Less waste of material. The processing cost is also much lower than CNC machining and 3D printing.
· Suitable for short-run production. After making a master, it can be copied via silicone mold very rapidly, while CNC machining can only manufacture parts one at a time.
· Easy molding process. Cured soft silicone molds are transparent or translucent, have good tensile strength, and are easy to cut and separate.
· Small chance of processing failure. Reproduction is unlikely to go wrong if the master is in order.
· Good repeatability. A mold made of silicone has good fluidity before curing, and after vacuum de-bubbling, the part retains its detailed features.
· There is a possibility of deformation due to shrinkage. Silicone prototyping parts shrink after cooling following high-temperature heating, resulting in deformation.
· Not resistant to high temperatures, the silicone prototyping parts can generally only withstand a high temperature of about 60 degrees centigrade.
· The strength and hardness of the silicone prototyping parts are lower than that of CNC machined ones.
1. Make the master part via CNC machining or SLA 3D printing.
2. Enclose the master part with wooden boards, preparing for making the silicone mold.
3. Pour the liquid silicone, which has been vacuumed with a vacuum machine, to cover the master.
4. Bake it in the oven to accelerate the curing of the silicone mold.
5. Take the master part out of the silicone mold.
6. Vacuum and pour the raw material to make a copy of the master part.
7. Demold and take out the copied part.
8. Finishing as required.
Consider the materials and quantities for rapid prototyping manufacturing. Vacuum casting can only make plastic and soft rubber parts. Vacuum casting is not the most economical option when the quantity is very low, such as 1 piece. Because we need to make a master via CNC machining or 3D printing to make the silicone mold. And one silicone mold lasts 15-20 shots. The more you produce, the more costs of silicone mold you can offset.
15 - 20 parts can be produced by one silicone mold, which shortens the lead time.
Most silicone prototyping parts can be formed integrally in one piece with good strength.
Besides manufacturing different plastic parts, vacuum casting can also make soft rubber silicone prototyping parts.
Different PU series, similar to ABS, PC, PMMA, PP, POM, soft rubber, etc
Product prototyping services can take many forms, from a comprehensive model made by artisans to well-detailed designs created using modern 3D printing technology. These computer-controlled machines recreate your designs in thermoplastic materials by building the structure from the ground up. They can be used to make a number of sub-assemblies that can then be joined together to make a larger and more complex assembly. These 3D material printers, also known as rapid prototyping services, are becoming increasingly adaptable and can manufacture almost anything you can imagine. Regardless of how complicated your design is, these devices provide unrestricted service that can enhance the product\\'s internal detail and make it more realistic.
Aluminum machining service has become quite available nowadays, but you have to go for a reliable one. We, X Rapid technologies, are at your service to provide you with world-class aluminum machining service and the CNC machined aluminum. You can check out our aluminum automotive lamp reflector prototypes. Our technicians have years of experience in this field and know how to provide our customers with the best possible CNC machined aluminum. With our aluminum machining service, we provide our clients with what they need to push their projects further. With seamless finishing, proper cutting, and detailing, we make sure that our aluminum machining service can fulfill all your requirements. Contact us today for further discussion.
We are a china rapid prototyping company, offering primarily four rapid prototyping types. These are CNC machining, vacuum casting, 3D printing, and rapid injection molding prototyping (RIM).
SLA printing service or stereolithography printing is a part of the active manufacturing technologies popularly known as vat photopolymerization or Resin 3D Printing. The printing machines are built around a similar principle that involves using a source of light like a projector or laser to cure and mold the liquid resin to give the shape of hardened plastic. The only difference between SLA printing technology and the others depends entirely on how the core components are arranged, like the build platform, the source of light, and the resin stored tank.
It is the most popular Rapid molding technology that allows manufacturers to develop unreinforced thermoset parts rapidly at low pressure and room temperature. This Rapid molding process uses a simple resin injection system with two pressurized chambers.
The process of CNC machining prototyping starts with a digital 3D design that is developed with the help of CAD software that the computer is able to translate into an instruction series for the cutting tools of the machine. These instructions are referred to as G-code. Once the machine has received the G-code a little manual supervision is essential. The machine is aware of where and when to cut, and the CNC machining prototyping is performed autonomously. Milling machines and Lathes are the most commonly used CNC processes.
If you are thinking about using the low volume injection molding technology for your products, X Rapid Technologies is at your service to provide you with the most advanced tools and equipment for this process. We have a highly knowledgeable and skilled team that can manufacture the products by using low volume reaction injection molding process precisely without any flaws. They know how to turn a design into a real product without bothering a single part of the design. We use this amazing technology for manufacturing car bumper parts. We use aluminum to make these bumper parts as aluminum is the best material that can be used for this purpose. With heat resistance and flexibility, aluminum offers an appreciable outcome that can satisfy anyone. These bumper parts are made in ABS-like PU material with just one layer of paint.
Sheet metal Rapid prototyping is the process of forming metals and turning them into desired shape or structure using different techniques such as assembling, folding, punching, bending, and cutting. It is a widely used method in industrial design prototyping.
The technology is getting advanced over the days, and the methodologies are changing rapidly. That\\'s why an efficient CNC machining part supplier should have the will to improve the work process by using advanced equipment and technology. It is very important for every CNC machined part supplier to adopt the changes happening in this technical era. Every single invention affects every sector, especially the manufacturing sector. A reliable CNC machined part supplier would know how to adopt to the changes and cope up with new technologies. For this purpose, a CNC machining part supplier should have a skilled team that is experienced in the field and know about several technologies and processes well.
Vacuum casting, provided by a custom silicone mold manufacturer, is usually the most optimal and economical machining method for making a batch of large-sized plastic parts.
For plastic prototypes by vacuum casting, the finishings can be de-burring, polishing (PMMA-like parts), painting, electroplating, laser engraving, silk screening, etc. All those surface treatments available for plastic parts can be done to vacuum-cast plastic prototypes.
There is no MOQ for X Rapid Technologies. As a prototype creator, we offer one-off prototypes and small-batch production. However, vacuum casting is more cost-effective when the quantity is about or more than 5 pieces. Don’t worry. We will help you make the choice based on your certain requirements.
Compared to CNC machining and 3D printing, vacuum casting usually takes longer. Because it involves the process of making the silicone mold. As a prototype creator offering custom rapid prototyping services, we will calculate the specific lead time for each project during the quotation period. In case you want to make it faster, be sure to let us know.
For silicone prototyping, please send us files in CAD, STP, STEP, IGS, or X_T format.
Sure. You can take a look at our previous vacuum casting cases on our Case Studies page. For more pictures of silicone prototyping parts, you are welcome to contact your 1-on-1 project manager.
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