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The Essential Facts You Need About Liquid Silicone Rubber Molding Process

by Nice Rapid | Feb 24,2020 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Molding

Manufacturers are finding more ways to meet the demands of the consumer for new products made with innovative materials. One of these techniques is a liquid silicone rubber molding process. It is a thermoset process that cools the material delivery system and, at the same time, heating the mold tool to turn the silicone into the desired product.

The liquid silicone rubber molding process is completely automated and has a short cycle time. This means that the cost of production is also not expensive. The product is highly elastic possesses electrical, chemical, and electrical resistance. The products are also biocompatible and can be sterilized. Hence, you can find these products used in various industries, from fire protection products to medical.

The Liquid Silicone Rubber Molding Process

The liquid silicone rubber molding process starts with the machine. This machine is similar to the thermoplastic injection molding machine bit with a slight difference. Both of them have the same essential machine parts, the clamp, and the injection unit.

In this process, the machine has a hydraulic ram and toggle. Unlike the high pressure needed in molding thermoplastic parts, the pressure in liquid silicone injection is maintained at 800 PSI. The clamp has an important function in controlling the force of expansion produced by silicone as it cures.

The injection unit for the silicone material is kept at a low temperature by a water-cooled barrel equipped with a nozzle. This prevents liquid silicone from curing. It's the reverse in thermoplastic injection where the barrel and the nozzle are kept at high temperature to let the material move. Here the liquid injection molding units run on lower pressure at about 1,000 PSI.

There are two parts of the liquid silicone in a 5-gallon container. The colorants are in dispersions and makeup about 1 to 3 percent of the weight of the mixed silicone. The color and parts A and B of Silicone are pumped into the static mixer. These mixed components are then fed into the throat of the injection molding barrel.

Once the silicone material is inside the barrel, another shot of mixed silicone will find its way to the mold. When the silicone is cured in the heated mold, the clamp will open and eject the parts. The time it took to complete this cycle is almost the same as in thermoplastic injection.

Benefits Of Using Liquid Silicone Rubber Molding Process

Why is liquid silicone rubber an in-demand product? Simple. It has its set of benefits that other parts cannot deliver.

  • Greater resistance – because LSR is resistant to heat, water, weather, and many more, the part has more exceptional resistance properties.
  • Stability – LSR mold have greater stability at low compression set; it is also resistant to extreme temperatures and can come in many colors.
  • Minimized Contamination – the liquid silicone rubber molding process has less material contamination because it is not exposed to the environment. The whole process has minimal wastage too.
  • Fully automated – the entire process is fully automatic that requires minimal labor and labor costs.

Liquid silicone rubber molding process provides cost-effectiveness and consistency that can be used in a wide variety of applications from medical to automotive and many more. If you need a company that offers a liquid silicone rubber molding process, we recommend Nice Rapid. They are ready to start your new project.

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