Vacuum Casting Silicon mold is to make a silicone mold under vacuum condition from the product prototype under vacuum, and use the mold under vacuum to use (PU, transparent PU, POM-like, ABS) and other materials to cast the same copy of the product prototype. , It can reach the strength and hardness of ABS and other materials, and it can also be re-molded together with the color configuration according to the customer’s needs. Because of its fast speed and low cost, it satisfactorily solves the cycle and cost of new product development.
How It Works (3 Stages)
Master model – CNC machined or 3D printed via SLA or SLS
Silicone tool – liquid silicone is poured around the master model and cured. Once dry the master is cut from the mold to leave the cavity
Castings – the resin is poured into the cavity to create a production like replica
hen you decide that you want to go for an economically balanced Prototyping method, you should opt for Vacuum Casting Service.
Vacuum Casting is reasonably low in cost to set up and produce parts compared to Injection Molding and can still create very durable, highly intricate, and smooth surface prototypes.
Ares is an expert in Vacuum Casting Service. We are fully capable of handling various forms of Vacuum Casting as we have been serving our customers fully since 2013.
The quality of our parts are unquestionable as our engineers have mastered these craft from age-long experience working with our state-of-the-art machines.
Read through this article and get essential details about Vacuum Casting Service and why you need it.
One main thing that sets Vacuum Casting Process apart from the Injection Molding is the way the liquid material is sent to the mold.
In Vacuum Casting, the liquid material is sucked into the mold by a vacuum.
The Vacuum Casting Service, also referred to as Urethane Casting, uses silicone molds to create parts. They are also referred to as polyurethane casting or urethane casting.
You may have noticed intriguing aspects of the Vacuum Casting S
Since vacuum casting uses silicone molds which are readily cheaper than tools in Injection molding, the whole prototype's production is relatively less expensive. It is Ideal for making low-volume parts.
The resin can take about any color pigment. Hence the parts produced can have as many colors as needed for the specific operation.
he prototypes produced are very intricate and have high quality. Their surface finishing is very pure and smooth compared to Injection Molding. This highly sought-after feature is possible due to the evacuation of air bubbles stated above.Also, the end product or the final prototypes usually takes up the exact nature of the mold, even if it has very complex geometries.
Vacuum Casting is also a flexible service in terms of materials used. A wide range of rubbers and plastics can be inserted into the mold to create parts. This feature dramatically helps manufacturers as they do not need to switch up methods in a case where a process does not make use of standard material to make parts.
Up to 15 to 25 Vacuum Cast parts can be produced in just two weeks. The specified volume and complexity of required prototypes might influence this timeframe.
Different sizes of parts can also be created. And this goes from the intricate to large pieces. Huge parts can be made if the equipment used is relatively large.
n order to carry out vacuum casting, a series of ordinated steps are involved. Below is a detailed explanation on them.
The first step of virtually every molding process is to make the 3D model. With that at the back of your mind, the first step is to produce the master building sample or pattern. The master sample is made from a 3D CAD model.
Handcrafting and CNC machining are some basic methods for creating the master pattern. But the additive manufacturing methods are quicker.
The master models are done at a temperature of up to 40°, their bearest minimum. For the glossy and shiny master patterns, they are either painted or sprayed. Finally, these parts are inspected before moving to the next step.
The mold is made in these steps below:
● The master pattern produced is placed in a casting box. This comprises different tools like inserts, fitters, and risers to escape air possible in the mold.
● The silicone liquid is poured into the master pattern and placed in the casting box. This is done under a vacuum. The silicone is made to reach every angle of the master pattern to get exactly all the details.
● It is then placed in an oven for about 5 to 16 hours to cure under a temperature of 40°C. Where the mold is more extensive, it may take a longer time to cure.
● When it is completely dried and cured, the risers and casting box are removed.
● A scalpel is then used to split the mold. Defects and sticking problems are avoided by adequately using the right mold-release agent.
The desired resin, heated to the selected range with the required color pigments added, is then poured into the open and empty cavity of the mold. This is done under a vacuum to prevent any trapped air. The Vacuum also prevents inaccurate mold filling caused by air present in the mold when filling.
After the resin has been casted, an oven is used to cure the mold by placing the resin in it. When cured, the resin and mold are separated.
A silicone mold allows the creation of up to 15 to 20 copies from the master mold.
● Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
● Glass-filled polymers
● Polypropylene (PP)
● Wax
● Polycarbonate (PC)
● Rubber
It is widely used for low-volume manufacturing because it prevents manufacturers from wasting materials on low-quantity parts before the primary production.
With Vacuum tooling, you can easily make changes to your design without spending so much on tools cost.
Complex and intricate gaskets in the form of elastomeric plastics can be created conveniently for use as prototypes.
It is widely used for low-volume manufacturing because it prevents manufacturers from wasting materials on low-quantity parts before the primary production.
With Vacuum tooling, you can easily make changes to your design without spending so much on tools cost.
Complex and intricate gaskets in the form of elastomeric plastics can be created conveniently for use as prototypes.
