Online Urethane Casting Service

An economic plastic process that links prototypes to full-scale production.

What is Vacuum Casting?

Vacuum casting, also known as silicone molding and urethane casting, requires the use of silicone molds. During the rapid prototype stage of handboard design, various methods can be used, such as 3D printing and machining. Vacuum casting is generally aimed at designs that are relatively complex and require mechanical properties closer to the final product, while also accommodating a certain quantity of production.

The vacuum casting process involves degassing, mixing, preheating, and molding the casting material under vacuum conditions, followed by secondary curing and molding in a constant temperature chamber at 60-80°C for 2-3 hours. Products produced by vacuum casting, such as those from Procinsta silicone molds, can achieve the strength and hardness of materials like ABS. They can also be colored according to customer requirements, making them suitable for low-volume plastic part replication during product development. This process can create small-batch samples with complex structures, uniform wall thickness, and meeting certain functional and aesthetic requirements.

How Does Vacuum Casting Work?

STEP 1: Master Creating

Firstly, create a master by CNC machining, 3D printing, or hand sculpting, using materials like metal or durable plastic that can endure the molding process. Then the masters are moved on to silicone mold after strict inspection.

STEP 2: Mold Making

Liquid silicone is used to create casting molds from the master, capturing fine details and enabling easy part removal. Liquid silicone is poured around the pattern, left to cure, and then further cured in an oven for 16 hours. Open the resulting mold and remove the master.

STEP 3: Parts Making

Select suitable urethane resin based on desired properties. Mix and pour the resin into the mold, then demold the part and inspect for imperfections. Finish with painting, plating, or assembly if required. Silicone molds can be reused around 20 times.

Advantages of Urethane Casting

Efficient

Vacuum casting can significantly reduce product development cycles. Prototypes can be produced more quickly, enabling faster testing and validation.

Economic

Vacuum casting helps reduce material waste and allows for the discovery and resolution of potential issues, thus reducing costs associated with corrections.

Color options

Vacuum casting can produce large parts based on the equipment used and adding coloring pigments to the resin for diverse color options.

Surface details

Compared to injection molding, vacuum casting removes air bubbles and captures fine details effectively through the vacuum process.

Available Materials for Vacuum Casting

Material
Description
Hardness
Application
Colors

ABS-like

Versatile polyurethane plastic resin that is analogous to ABS thermoplastic. Hard, rigid, and impact-resistant, it is ideal for various products.

Shore D 78-82

General purpose items, enclosures

All colors; precise Pantone color matching available

Acrylic-like
Stiff, transparent urethane resin simulating acrylic. It is hard, with medium to high strength and good clarity for see-through products.
Shore D 87

Light pipes, see-through components

Clear

Polypropylene-like

Tough, flexible, and abrasion-resistant urethane with low cost and polypropylene-like ductility.

Shore D 65-75

Enclosures, food containers, medical applications, toys

Black or natural only

Polycarbonate-like

Rigid, high-impact, and clear material with a wide variety of uses. Easy to machine and finish, simulating polycarbonate.

Shore D 82-86

Light diffusers, signs, skylights, visors

Clear and various colors

PMMA

UV-stable, high-quality urethane resin with good clarity. Great for glossy, clear parts as a classic substitute for acrylic-like.

Shore D 90-99

Lighting, signal display, partition material

Pantone colors

PS

Polyurethane plastic resin, simulating rubber-like materials like TPU, TPE and silicone rubber.

Shore A 20 to 90

Wearables, overmolds, gaskets

All colors and precise Pantone color matchings

From Prototypes to High-volume Production

Rapid prototyping

We can produce your prototypes in days, allowing you to quickly validate product designs.

Low-volume Machining

We offer multiple cost-efficient solutions to make certain types of parts from small to medium volume.

On-demand Production

Unlock flexibility for orders of any size with our on-demand production service.

Our Vacuum Casting Service for Various Industrial Applications

Our versatile manufacturing capabilities are suitable for diverse industries with precision and innovation. but in the below areas, we have years of manufacturing experience.

Aerospace

Lightweight and durable solutions for the most demanding aviation needs.

Automotive

Tailored to optimize performance and reliability in the automotive.

Consuming goods

Enhance consumer experiences with our high-quality manufacturing.

Robotics

Fuel your robotic innovations with our precision-engineered parts.

Our Other Capabilities

Apart from vacuum casting, we offer other technologies to meet different demands such as CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabeiction etc. You can always find the best solution.

Start your project today!