Vacuum casting reigns supreme when it comes to the creation of plastic prototypes. The technique is more cost-effective than anything in the market right now, even if it's a tad outdated and shadowed by the numbers of injection molding. The significant benefit of vacuum casting is that it allows you to create a product using a minimal setup. The pacing is excellent as long as your project is not an order of thousands of units.

Not many people discuss the main benefit of vacuum casting as a legacy technique which is the air entrapment issue still faced by injection molding. These air bubbles compromise the part's integrity, undermining its performance before it even gets started to do what it's supposed to do. The method has proved to be so effective that it has become a staple in creating prototypes in the type of projects that demand this technique. This is how they go about it:

The Master Product

Vacuum casting is all about silicone, but the process never begins with silicone per se. The prep work includes the creation of a master mold using metal resins. Since 3D prototyping can create any product in a matter of moments, getting a master made using strong metals is achievable in a matter of hours. It's also advantageous for details since the CAD model can be tampered with as much as we need to before getting g to the finished part.

The Curation

Once we have our master comes the curation process — this where silicone gets involved for the first time. Our master mold will go into the silicone to create a mold. Take into account that the master is always much stronger than the product you are aiming to develop, so you can be free to put as much detail as you need on it. Silicone can reach far, and your master is the key to make sure it goes where it needs to go.

The Test Run

Once you have created your mold, it's time for the trial of fire. One manual pouring it's all it takes to make your second stage prototype. The curation process of something created with vacuum casting doesn't take too long, so this will be brief. Once you have the finished part in hand, you can test functionality to make sure everything went according to plan. Test runs usually make or break your designs, so be prepared to be disappointed a few times. The good news is that you can modify the master to suit your improvements.

The Cost

The whole run we just described may sound problematic, especially if you are a newcomer testing the waters within an established competitor. However, fulfilling these contracts can be highly productive on your end. Take a cue from entrepreneurs in the military. Many of these contractors are true and tried war dogs using their manufacturing expertise to keep up with an industry's demands with a wide range of needs for products requiring low production runs. It's something to think about, especially if you are looking to score big profits.