Slicon mold

Silicone rubber mold is a relatively popular rapid mold manufacturing process. Due to the good toughness of silicone rubber molds, it can make parts with complex structures, fine patterns, no draft angle or even reverse draft angle, short production cycle and high product quality, so it is a technology commonly used in the rapid manufacturing industry. .

When the number of parts to be manufactured is small (20-30 pieces in batches), silicone rubber molds and reactive polyurethane materials are generally used, and they are poured at room temperature and under negative pressure. Various plastic parts can be produced quickly, easily, and inexpensively in small batches. And paraffin models, especially in aerospace, automobiles, home appliances, toys and medical equipment and other fields are widely used.

advantage:

① Short production cycle

Only by providing the 3D CAD files of the parts to be made, the silicone rubber molds of the required products can be made in a few days or so, and polyurethane plastic products can be poured using the silicone rubber molds. Compared with the production cycle (30-90 days) of traditional steel mold injection prototype parts, the time can be shortened by 90%.

②Easy to demould

In traditional metal molds, it is usually necessary to set the draft angle so that the parts can be released smoothly after forming, especially for parts with deep grooves. Due to the good flexibility and elasticity of silicone rubber, for parts with complex structures, fine patterns, no draft angles or even deep grooves, the parts can be taken out directly after casting, without additional drafting angles. Simplify the mold design as much as possible.

③Good copy performance

Room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber has excellent simulation and extremely low shrinkage, can reproduce the fine features of prototype parts, and basically does not lose the dimensional accuracy of the parts. It is an excellent mold material.

Disadvantages:

Silicone rubber molds have a limited service life. When the prototype has no sharp edges, no deep grooves, and no thin-walled simple parts, the silicone rubber mold can be used to pour 30-40 products or even more batches, but for a small amount of sharp Edges and more complex parts can be poured 20-30 products; but for complex parts with more sharp edges, thinner walls, deep grooves or longer pins, usually only 15 pieces can be poured with silicone rubber molds ~20 products, after about 15 pieces, some parts of the silicone rubber mold may be torn or partially damaged. Therefore, the general room temperature vulcanization silicone rubber mold is suitable for the situation where only 10-20 products need to be molded.

The materials of products produced by silicone rubber molds are limited, and there is still a certain gap between the performance of materials and batch materials.

Commonly used material types:

(a) Hard materials, such as PC-like, PMMA-like, ABS-like or enhanced high-temperature resistant ABS materials,

(b) Semi-rigid materials, such as PP-like and PE-like;

(c) Rubber-like polyurethane elastic material, the color can be black, white, beige and completely transparent, etc., and it can also be treated with paint or spray paint.