Need to produce a small batch of complex prototypes? Vacuum casting could be the ideal manufacturing method for you. Also known as urethane casting, the process eliminates the gap between end-use production and rapid prototyping. Vacuum cast parts are precise, high-quality, and consistent, allowing for swift product development. Moreover, it empowers your design and engineering team to maintain the highest production standards while bringing concepts to life at a reasonable cost.

Vacuum casting is among our specialties here at HLH Proto, and in this blog, we will share how our service can deliver cast urethane parts quickly and cost-effectively.

Faster than injection molding

If you only need a small quantity of high-quality rubber-like or plastic parts, we recommend vacuum casting over injection molding. It’s faster and more cost-effective because it doesn’t involve production tooling. At HLH, we can produce vacuum-cast parts of any size, from car bumpers to earphones. Despite the low-cost tooling, urethane casting can produce thousands to millions of similar components.

Applications of cast urethane parts

Vacuum casting is ideal for prototyping low-volume identical parts. The process can generate high-quality rubber or plastic parts as rapid iterations or samples for market testing. Additionally, it’s cost-effective for low-volume end-use production. At HLH, you only require a low upfront investment for our service, and we will deliver self-colored, production-like parts to support your product development or final production requirements.

How vacuum casting works

Our process starts with a CNC-machined or 3D-printed master model of your part. If we use 3D printing, we prefer stereolithography (SLA) technology. Once the master model is ready, we pour liquid silicone into it and wait for it to cure. When it’s dry, we cut the master from the mold, leaving the cavity. Then, we are ready tovacuum cast parts by pouring resin into the cavity. This should result in production-grade parts to support real-world testing.

Meeting industry standards

Here at HLH, we offer IATF 16949, ISO 14001, and ISO 9001 certifications to ensure high-quality cast urethane parts that meet industry standards. Our process guarantees detailed, uniform parts with excellent dimensional accuracy and surface finish.

Learn more about our vacuum casting service by requesting a quote today. We’ll work with you to deliver the right manufacturing solutions to reduce your time to market and ensure more savings.