Silicone Parts Manufacturer
Custom manufacturer of silicone sponge, foam and sheet molding. Also offers gasket assembly, lamination and waterjet, die and kiss cutting services. Serves aerospace, telecommunications and medical device industries.
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection, transfer and overmolding services are offered. Capable of molding parts with wall thicknesses up to 0.5 in.
Liquid Injection Molding
Liquid injection molding (LIM) is a specialty fabrication process that molds stock liquid silicone rubber or similar elastomeric materials into a wide range of components and products. This manufacturing method uses mechanical mixing rather than Collapsible Silicone Dog Bowl pressurized impingement to blend the materials and a special pumping system to inject them into the molds. The end result is a high-quality silicone seal or component with excellent resistance properties to water, ozone and extreme temperatures.
Compared to thermoplastics, LSR offers much greater elongation and can provide significant flexibility in the product’s design. However, it is crucial to consider the LSR’s specific shrinkage rate when designing a prototype or production part. A reputable manufacturer can use simulation tools to help calculate these rates and ensure the part or product is designed properly for optimal manufacturability.
After the raw materials are delivered in barrels, they are pumped through the metering unit and mixer. The metering pump typically includes a catalyst and a color pigment injector to create colored parts. A cold runner static mixer is used to blend the various materials, then the mixture is pushed through a nozzle into the mold. The nozzle usually features an automated shut-off valve to prevent leakage and mold overfill.
Once injected into the mold, the material is heated and cured to form the finished product. Injection molding produces highly accurate and durable silicone seals, o-rings, gaskets and other custom parts and sealants that are resistant to water, ozone, weather, chemicals and extreme temperatures. This is a great choice for a variety of applications, from sealing electronics to protecting automotive and manufacturing equipment from the elements.
In addition to being an efficient manufacturing method, the ejection process of liquid injection is faster than compression molding. This reduces cycle times and improves dimensional consistency. LIM also allows the manufacture of complex components and multiple durometers in a single mold, allowing for significant cost savings for the customer.
Liquid silicone rubber is a versatile material that can be molded into a variety of shapes, sizes and colors to meet the needs of different customers and industries. Silicone parts can be fabricated into everything from slip-resistant handles and grips to insulating electrical wires and encapsulating medically implanted devices. Overmolding is another popular silicone fabrication technique that bonds the molded product to metal or other hard materials, such as anodized aluminum, for enhanced durability and functionality. For example, custom silicone to metal bonded applications are frequently seen in industrial and military hardware. Using the correct tooling and mold design, these types of custom silicone to metal bonding applications are as functional as they are attractive. These unique silicone to metal bonded applications include o-rings, bellows, and insulators.
Compression Molding
In addition to being less costly than injection molding, compression molding is an excellent choice for larger-sized rubber components and can also be used to produce parts with a complex geometry. Its cycle time is much longer than injection molding, however, so it can be more labor intensive.
In the process of compression molding, a raw material is placed into the bottom half of a female mold cavity and then sealed with a plug at the top. Heat is applied to the material, and a top force applies pressure to the molded materials to take on the shape of the mold cavity. During the heating and curing stage, the raw materials undergo a chemical reaction called cross-linking that gives the final silicone rubber part its strength and durability.
This method is also capable of producing molded components with very tight tolerances. This can be especially useful for medical facilities, Silicone custom manufacturers, precision mechanics and automobile companies that require highly accurate components. This type of molded silicone is also very effective for making seals, gaskets and diaphragms that must maintain their precise dimensions over the course of prolonged use.
Silicone parts manufactured through this process typically feature a more natural appearance than those molded with other methods. Additionally, the high amount of pressure that is applied to the raw material during the production process creates a more resilient product than those made by other types of molding. The process is also capable of producing parts with a greater degree of flexibility than other types of molding.
The tooling required for compression molding is generally less expensive and can be produced more quickly than the tooling needed for injection molding. This makes it an excellent option for low-volume production runs and prototypes.
Injection molding is more suitable for high-volume production. In fact, some companies that specialize in the manufacture of medical-grade silicone parts employ only this type of molding for their manufacturing processes. This allows them to offer customers the best possible pricing, as well as the shortest lead times. This is because it is a very efficient way to produce large numbers of components at once. It is possible to manufacture several thousand molded silicone parts per day using this technique. However, this requires a significant investment in the equipment and a highly skilled workforce. The company’s workforce is required to be trained extensively and is also required to be proficient in the latest computerized equipment for monitoring and adjusting the heat and timing of the production process. In the future, the goal may be for this type of process to become fully automated so that only minimal human intervention will be necessary during the production cycle.