What is Vacuum Casting
XTJ est pleinement capable de gérer vos besoins en moulage sous vide et en moulage en silicone. Avec des années d'expertise dans le domaine, nous pouvons fabriquer vos pièces en plastique selon les normes les plus élevées, de manière économique et avec des délais rapides.
Vacuum casting is a great method to make rigid or flexible parts, and is ideal for high quality prototypes, function testing, concept proofing and display demos. Urethane casting parts can be made from a few to hundreds as required.
Contactez-nous dès aujourd'hui pour plus d'informations sur nos services de moulage.
Advantages of Vacuum Casting
1 Fast turnaround
XTJ can provide up to 20 parts in 15 days or less, depending on part specification and volume.
2 Affordability
Silicone molds are less expensive than the tooling used for injection molding, resulting in low prices.
3 Capable of producing large parts
Depending on the type of equipment used, vacuum casting can create very large parts.
4 Superior surface finish to injection molding
The vacuum process removes air bubbles and allows the material to capture fine details.
5 Color options
Coloring pigments can be added to the resin for a variety of color options.
6 Repeatability
Silicone molds can be used around 20 times before they need replacing.
Common Vacuum Casting Applications
Visual prototypesConcept proofsCases and coversLow-volume productionMarket testingInvestor pitchesTrade shows
Qu'est-ce que le moulage sous vide ?
Vacuum casting is a manufacturing technology that uses a vacuum to draw liquid casting material into a mold. It differs significantly from injection molding, which pushes liquid material into a mold using a screw.
Le processus de moulage sous vide offre des avantages significatifs, et est particulièrement utile pour les pièces présentant des sous-ensembles ou des détails fins.
Le processus commence par un modèle maître, que XTJ crée à l'aide de l'une de ses centres d'usinage CNC — bien que l'impression 3D puisse également être utilisée. Ce modèle maître est ensuite immergé dans du silicone liquide, qui est durci pour devenir le moule.
Une fois qu'il a été découpé et que le modèle maître a été retiré, le moule en silicone peut être utilisé. Cette étape consiste à verser la résine de moulage dans le moule, tandis que le vide élimine les bulles et poches d'air pour assurer une finition lisse.
La pièce en résine est ensuite durcie dans un four et retirée du moule en silicone après refroidissement, qui peut être réutilisé environ 20 fois.
Chaque pièce moulée est une copie exacte du modèle maître original. C'est une solution parfaite pour le prototypage rapide et la fabrication de petites séries de pièces de qualité.
urethane casting
Vacuum Casting Process Step by step?
Step 1:Master building Masters are 3D solids of your CAD designs. They are usually made by CNC machining or with 3D Printing. Making Master in 40° temperature. After finish and inspect the masters, we will move to silicone mold making.
Step 2: Mold making Casting molds are made from liquid silicone. Half-Fill the casting box with liquid silicone, Heat the casting box until silicone is fully cured and then allowed to cure in an oven for 16 hours. Fill with extra silicone liquid which is also heated & cured. Once dried, the mold is cut open and the master removed.
Step 3: Make the parts Poured the casting resins into the empty cavity to create a highly accurate copy of the original. It’s even possible to overmold with two or more materials. Silicone molds are typically good for 20 or so copies of the master pattern.
Vacuum Casting Technical Specifications
Typical lead time Up to 20 parts in 15 days or less, depends on the part specification and volumes.
Accurate ± 0.3% (with lower limit on ± 0.3 mm on dimensions smaller than 100 mm)
Minimum wall thickness To ensure that the mold is filled properly, a wall thickness of at least 0.75 mm is necessary. For best results, we recommend a wall thickness of at least 1.5 mm
Maximum part dimensions The size of the mold is limited by the dimensions of the vacuum chamber (1900 x 900 x 750 mm) and by the volume of the product (maximum volume: 10 liters)
Typical quantities Up to 25 copies per mold (depending on the mold’s complexity and the casting materials)
Color & Finishing Pigment is added to the liquid polyurethane prior to casting, custom painting and texture.
Vacuum Casting FAQ Informatipn
Why would I choose vacuum casting over injection molding?
Vacuum casting is a more affordable alternative to IM, especially in low volumes. It also offers unique advantages like an excellent surface finish.
Can I make production-quality parts using vacuum casting?
Vacuum casting is best for making visually impressive prototypes, but it can also be used for non-mechanical end-use parts like cases and covers.
What happens to the silicone mold(s)? Can I keep them?
The silicone molds used in vacuum casting have a short lifespan, typically around 20 moldings, so we dispose of them after use.
If you wish to keep the 3D printed or CNC machined master model, talk to us directly.
XTJ is a leading OEM Manufacturer that is dedicated to providing one-stop manufacturing solutions from prototype to production. We are proud to be an ISO 9001 certified system quality management company and we are determined to create value in every customer relationship. We do that through collaboration, innovation, process improvements, and exceptional workmanship.
