Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) injection molding is a manufacturing process used to produce automotive parts, medical devices, consumer goods, and other items. Despite its growing ubiquity, there are several persistent myths about LSR injection molding that, in the past, have deterred businesses from fully exploring its benefits.
In this article, we attempt to debunk some of the most common myths about injection molding and, in doing so, explain why it’s a smart choice for a wide range of applications.
MYTHS ABOUT INJECTION MOLDING
SIMTEC Silicone Parts has completed countless silicone injection molding projects for customers in all industries. New customers often come to us with misconceptions about the process. Here are some of the most common:
- Injection molding is limited in its capabilities. In fact, injection molding is a broad category encompassing a range of processes and materials. Injection-molded parts can be simple, but they can also be dimensionally and technically complex thanks to the elasticity of the material allowing extreme undercuts and also thick-thin-thick wall thickness combinations.
- Injection molding is prohibitively expensive. Injection molding can be cost-effective especially for high volume programs due to high output achieved from fast cycle times and high cavitation. In addition, injection molding of silicone in most cases causes no material waste or cost for secondary operations such as deflashing.
- LSR molding requires long lead times and frequent replacement tools. Yes, LSR molds take longer to build and qualify as precision needs to be in the thousands of a millimeter instead of hundreds. This means repeated tool adjustment operations and optimizing loops. However, once the mold is qualified it usually runs stable if operated and maintained properly. Experienced silicone molders like SIMTEC run molds for more than 10 million shots.
FACTS ABOUT SILICONE INJECTION MOLDING
Now that we’ve debunked the rumors, here are the facts about LSR injection molding:
- LSR injection molding is a versatile solution for manufacturing parts you may not think feasible compared to traditional plastic design recommendations.
- LSR injection molding is a cost-effective option for both mass production and short-run applications.
- LSR injection molding projects can run economically for a very long time.
WORKING WITH SIMTEC
Clearly, there are benefits to using LSR injection molding for your project. However, it is critical to work with an experienced manufacturer.
SIMTEC is a leading LSR injection molding supplier based in Miramar, Florida. We bring a breadth and depth of LSR injection molding expertise to every project we work on. We can help with everything from mold development to final assembly and quality assurance. Every step of the way, we will work to keep your costs down while ensuring a high level of speed and accuracy.
Find out more about our LSR injection molding capabilities and learn whether or not it’s the right choice for your project by contacting our office. Call or email to get started today.