Vacuum casting is an advantageous and rapid technique for producing small series or prototypes where the right material properties are important for functional tests.
A soft silicone tool is manufactured based on a 3D printed SLA master. In the cavity created in the silicone by the SLA master, 20-25 details can be cast with desired material properties, color, and finish. The materials used are polyurethane-based with various properties, and several different thermoplastics can be simulated, including glass fiber reinforced. The image shows a customer project for a 2K-molded electronic enclosure with smooth surfaces, the materials simulate PP and a soft TPE, respectively. About twenty details were cast to test that the sealing principle worked as intended and that the microswitches under the TPE buttons provided the correct response.
