Efficient prototyping solution for Low Volume Manufacturing

An important manufacturing process for small batch production is vacuum casting(also name duplicated casting).

Vacuum casting process we sometimes will make the master by using 3D printing technology ,to duplicate the soft rubber prototype or the parts with small size but simple construction .The mode of opening the mold is the envelop brush mold (collapsible mould, stereoscopic model, planetary model) perfusion-mould, which is depending on the size of the product.

The perfusion mould is to pour the silica gel and curing agent into the container of the master. Some of master can't be taken out directly but has to be cut off so that better for the copy production.

There’s another way to make the master by high precision CNC milling,in this method the master is with strict precision and the shrink is much low ,thus the copied parts is more precision. Equally the master mould cost is increasing.

Then we use the master to make the silicon mould for casting the copying parts,one silicon mould is OK casting for 10pcs 20pcs or more parts in a short time.it’s the good and cost-efficient rapid prototyping solution for the small batch plastic parts. The material we can use for vacuum casting is ABS type(like PX-100),PC type(PX-210),PMMA type(PX-521),PE type(DPI410),PP type.

Another good solution for small batch manufacturing is CNC turning,it’s always sued for the tube or solid bar parts,in this process the precision keep high for sure and also the roughness is very nice almost achieve Ra1.6 for no mater aluminium turning parts ,stainless steel turning parts or copper/brass turning prototypes.