[ 05.7 // VACUUM CASTING ]

Vacuum Casting – 3D Printing Alternative

A silicone mold is made from an SLA 3D-printed master, then polyurethane is cast into it under vacuum. The cost-effective way to make a short run (10–200 units) that looks and feels injection-molded - before investing in steel tooling.

[ 05.7.1 // SPECS ]

Technical specifications

Tolerance
±0.3% (min ±0.3 mm)
Units per mold
200–50
Max size
1900 × 900 × 750
Finish
5–25
Lead time
21–48 days
Sweet spot
200–10,000 units
[ 05.7.2 // TRADE-OFFS ]

Strengths & limitations

Strengths

  • End-product quality close to injection molding
  • Low upfront cost vs steel tooling
  • Material range - rigid, flexible, clear, rubber
  • Colors mixed in - no painting needed
  • Ideal for product validation before injection molding

Limitations

  • Silicone mold wears after ~50-200 casts
  • Mechanical properties less consistent than injection
  • Each part needs minor manual post-processing
[ 05.7.3 // MATERIALS ]

Available materials

Material Typical uses
PU דמוי ABS Enclosures, consumer products
PU דמוי PP Flexible parts, living hinges
PU שקוף Optics, lenses, windows
PU דמוי גומי (Shore 30–90) Seals, soft-touch grips
PU עמיד אש / חום Industrial, electronics

← Full materials library

[ 05.7.4 // BEST FOR ]

Best suited for

  • Marketing / investor runs - 200–10,000 units
  • Trade show and demo units
  • Pre-production validation before injection molding
  • Parts requiring uniform-color quality finish
[ 05.7.5 // FAQ ]

FAQ

How many units per mold?

200–50 on average, depending on part complexity and casting material.

When to switch to real injection molding?

From 100–300 units and up, or when stricter mechanical properties become critical.

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