There is one manufacturing technique that stands out from the rest when it comes to the creation of plastic prototypes and it's known as vacuum casting. It's one of the most economical and cost-effective techniques currently on the market. Even if of late it's been overshadowed by injection molding, it's still one of the best manufacturing techniques.

One of the key benefits of vacuum casting is the fact that the casting process allows you to create high-quality plastic prototypes with minimal set-up. When it comes to small-scale production, vacuum casting will provide you with the ultimate solution allowing you to create an identical part and product which will enable you to have a look and feel of how the end-product will appear.

Not a lot of people appreciated the casting technique as there is no air entrapment within the mold, a well-known fact which plagues the injection molding process. The air bubbles will tamper with the overall integrity as well as undermine its overall performance without even the product goes into operation.

The technique has been known to be effective and efficient and has become a mainstay especially when it comes to the production of prototypes. If you've been wondering how plastic prototypes are made using vacuum casting, well this is how they go about it.

The master product

What you need to know beforehand is this casting technique is all about silicone, but in truth, the production doesn't begin with just silicone. The preparation begins with the creation of a master mold made using metal resins.

3D prototyping has the capability of creating any design or product within a moment's notice, making a master which is robust and durable will take only a few hours. Can you imagine, that's truly impressive. The advantage of having a strong master is the fact that it can be used to make numerous copies before its discarded.

The curation processes

Once the master has been created, then curation can commence. In the curation phase, this is where silicone can be used for the first time. The master mold is inserted into the silicone to form a mold.

The master will always be stronger than the product being created, so you are free to add as much detail as you need.

Carrying a test run

After mold creation, it's time for a test trial. The curation process made using vacuum casting is quite brief, once you have the part in hand; testing and experimentation can commence ensuring every part is working properly.

A test run can be a success or a total failure, the good thing is at this stage you can tweak the design to make improvements.

Total cost

Vacuum casting is a simple and straightforward process, but for newcomers, it might seem difficult and tedious at first. But once you get the hang of it, it's seamless. Be ready to significantly invest if you want good returns.

The good news is the production viability of this technique is quite high.