silicone mould
Replication Molding (also known as Copy Molding or Duplicate Molding) is a manufacturing technique used to create multiple identical copies of an original master model
using silicone molds or other flexible molds. It is widely applied in rapid prototyping, small-batch production, and crafting industries. Being an auto parts manufacturer,
we mainly use this technique for very low volume parts production or mass production developing sampling stage.
Key Features of Replication Molding
1. **High Accuracy** – Captures fine details from the master model.
2. **Fast & Cost-Effective** – Cheaper than injection molding for small batches.
3. **Material Versatility** – Works with resins, wax, low-melt metals, concrete, etc.
4. **No High-Pressure Needed** – Unlike injection molding, it doesn’t require heavy machinery.
Common Replication Molding Techniques
1. Silicone Rubber Molding (Most Popular)
- A master model is embedded in liquid silicone (platinum or tin-cure).
- After curing, the silicone mold is cut open, and the master is removed.
- The mold is then used to cast replicas in resin, wax, or other materials.
- Applications: Prototyping, jewelry, figurines, medical models.
2. Vacuum Casting (Urethane Casting)
- Uses silicone molds in a vacuum chamber to eliminate bubbles.
- Liquid polyurethane (PU) resin is poured into the mold.
- Produces high-quality, durable parts similar to plastic injection molding.
- Applications: Automotive parts, consumer products, engineering prototypes.
3. Low-Temperature Metal Casting
- Silicone molds can be used with low-melting-point alloys (e.g., pewter, tin).
- Applications: Small metal parts, jewelry, decorative items.
4. Soft Tooling (Bridge Tooling)
- Temporary molds made from silicone or epoxy for pre-production testing.
- Cheaper than steel molds for short-run manufacturing.
Advantages of Replication Molding:
✔ **Fast Turnaround** – Ideal for prototyping and small production runs.
✔ **Cost-Efficient** – No need for expensive metal molds.
✔ **High Detail Reproduction** – Even complex geometries can be copied.
✔ **Material Flexibility** – Works with plastics, metals, ceramics, etc.
Applications:
- **Rapid Prototyping** – Product design verification.
- **Art & Jewelry** – Resin/plastic/metal duplicates.
- **Medical & Dental** – Anatomical models, dental prosthetics.
- **Automotive & Aerospace** – Functional prototype parts.
Would you like replication molding process for any of your parts? 😊
- Next Product:injection mould
