Vacuum casting

Manufacture of high-precision presentation samples using the vacuum casting process

The vacuum casting process is a good way of manufacturing very precise presentation samples or very small batch series up to about 20 pieces, and which come very close to the later injection-moulded part. In the vacuum casting process, duroplastic moulds are manufactured using silicon tools.  A master model is developed using the Stereolithography (SLA) and these master models are used for the manufacture of the soft moulds. In order to manufacture a vacuum casting mould, the SLA prototype is cast with silicon.

The actual casting process takes place in a vacuum so that on the one hand the mould material can be processed without any bubbles occurring, and on the other hand any resistance to flow caused by pockets of air inside the tool can be prevented – the filling of the tool takes place by gravity alone.

The ready-made cast part is removed after hardening and given finishing treatment if necessary. The mould can be used for additional castings. The result is a bubble-free, high-precision component with precisely-defined characteristics. From a steadily-growing range of two-component PU materials, it is then possible to select the precise material whose characteristics most closely correspond to the material which will be used in later series production. Your samples will be provided within approximately 15 working days.

BOPLA normally uses this method to manufacture enclosure pilot production series for field tests. In this way it is possible to acquire, at acceptable cost, valuable knowledge about the practicality of the newly-developed enclosures which is then incorporated in the final version of the enclosure.


Vacuum casting offers these advantages:

  • Vacuum casting is a tried-and-tested process which reproduces, quickly and at low cost, prototypes which are close to series production. It is typically used for the production of very small batches of plastic parts.
  • The vacuum cast samples are of high quality, so they can even be processed individually later, for example by drilling, milling, etc.
  • Of course, printing is also possible.
     

You need to provide us with the following:

  • In order to be able to manufacture the samples which you require, we need only the 3D data of the relevant enclosure.