Vacuum Casting

Vacuum casting is referred to as urethane casting or vacuum molding. It is a technology applied to make high-quality, low-volume plastic parts. It employs a master pattern (normally produced either through 3D printing or machined) along with a silicone mold to replicate the original part. Vacuum casting is remarkably beneficial for prototyping and small-batch production, providing an economical alternative to injection molding for limited quantities of parts.

The Vacuum Casting Whole Processes

Master Model Creation: To create a master pattern, one starts with 3D printing or CNC machining. It must be highly accurate as it will be used to create the mold.
Silicone Mold Making: The master model is put within the casting box, and the liquid silicone is poured into the mold. After curing, cut and remove the master mold to form a mold cavity in the shape of the part.
Vacuum Casting: Put the silicone mold in the vacuum casting machine. To prevent air bubbles from forming, the silicone mold is filled with mixed resin under vacuum conditions. This guarantees that no voids or surface flaws occur within the cast.
Curing: The mold with the resin is left to cure for a specific period until it solidifies and takes the shape of the final part.
Demolding & Finishing: After curing, the silicone mold is opened, and the solidified part is removed. Carry out trimming, grinding, painting, and other processing.

Applications of Vacuum Casting

Vacuum casting finds applications in various industries, including:

Design Verification

Vacuum Casting enables designers to assess the form, fit, and function of a part or assembly. This verification step ensures that the final product will meet the desired specifications and performance requirements.

Customized Products

For industries like automotive, aerospace, and medical, where customized components are essential, vacuum casting offers the flexibility to create unique and intricate parts based on specific customer requirements.

Pre-Production Testing

Before investing in expensive tooling and mass production, vacuum casting allows manufacturers to produce a limited run of parts for real-world testing and evaluation. This helps identify and address any design flaws or manufacturing issues before full-scale production.

Replacement Parts

When certain components or parts are no longer in production or are difficult to source, vacuum casting can be employed to reproduce these parts, ensuring that legacy systems and equipment can continue to function.

Low-Volume Production

For low-volume manufacturing needs, vacuum casting provides a cost-efficient alternative to traditional injection molding. It allows manufacturers to produce small batches of parts without the need for expensive tooling and with relatively quick turnaround times.

Overmolding

Overmolding is a technique where one material is molded over another to create a composite part. Vacuum casting allows for the incorporation of inserts, such as metal components or electronic elements, within the casted part.

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