Silicone Injection Molding

Silicon molding services produce molded components made from silicon. Silicone rubber is a two-component, synthetic, flexible rubber like material made from silicone elastomers that can be cured at room temperature into a solid elastomer used in molding. It is heat resistant, durable and free of allergens or leachable chemicals. Liquid silicone is similar to normal silicone, but has different processing characteristics. It is purchased as a two-part raw material with a grease-like viscosity.
Nowadays injection molding of liquid silicon rubber is becoming increasingly important. One reason for this is the increased performance requirements of the finished articles. In addition, more and more producers of rubber parts are seeing benefits in the high level of automation and productivity.

Various ways of silicon molding:

Molding processes used by providers of silicon molding services include cast molding, compression molding, dip molding, injection molding, reaction injection molding, rotational molding and transfer molding.
Whereas in the cast molding process, liquid material is poured into an open mold, in compression molding a slug of silicone is pressed between 2-heated mold halves. On the other hand dip molding is a process similar to hot dip coating, in which the finished product is the fused plastisol stripped from the dipped mold. However in injection molding liquid silicone is forced into a cooled mold under tremendous pressure. In the Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) process two or more reactive chemicals are mixed at high speed as they are being injected into a mold. In rotational molding hollow molds filled with silicone material are secured to pipe-like spokes that extend from a central hub. In transfer molding, the two mold halves are clamped together and silicone is forced by pressure into the mold.