Silicone Molding Technologies: A Quick Guide to 4 Common Types

Introduction to Silicone Molding

Silicone molding is a process of transforming liquid silicone material into solid products using molds. It is widely used in various fields such as medical, electronics, automotive, and daily necessities.

Silicone is a high-performance elastomer with excellent biocompatibility, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and aging resistance, making it an ideal material for manufacturing various complex shapes and high-precision products.

Silicone molding has the following advantages:

• High molding accuracy, can produce products with complex shapes and precise dimensions.

• High production efficiency, can be mass-produced.

• Stable product quality, low scrap rate.

• A variety of colored silicone materials can be used to produce products with beautiful appearance.

Common Types of Silicone Molding

Injection Molding

Injection molding is a technology that injects liquid silicone material into a mold and solidifies it under high pressure. This technology has the characteristics of fast molding speed, high precision, and high efficiency. It is suitable for the production of precision electronic components, medical devices, and other products.

Compression Molding

Compression molding is a technology that places liquid silicone material in a mold and solidifies it by compressing the upper and lower molds. This technology is simple to operate and has low cost. It is suitable for the production of products with simple shapes and large sizes.

Extrusion Molding

Extrusion molding is a technology that extrudes liquid silicone material into profiles or tubes through an extruder. This technology has high production efficiency and is suitable for the production of sealing strips, catheters, and other products.

Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Molding

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) molding is a new type of silicone molding technology that directly injects liquid silicone material into the mold and cures it at room temperature. This technology has the characteristics of high molding accuracy and stable product quality. It is suitable for the production of high-precision and high-demand products.

Each technology has its own unique advantages and application range. The choice of technology depends on the specific needs of the product.

The following will further introduce the characteristics, process flow, advantages and disadvantages, and application cases of each technology to help you choose the right silicone molding technology.

Comparison of Different Types of Silicone Molding

The following table compares the process, advantages, disadvantages, and application fields of four common silicone molding technologies:

Technology	Process	Advantages	Disadvantages	Application Fields
Injection Molding	Inject liquid silicone material into a mold and solidify it under high pressure	Fast molding speed, high precision, high efficiency	High equipment investment cost	Precision electronic components, medical devices
Compression Molding	Place liquid silicone material in a mold and solidify it by compressing the upper and lower molds	Simple operation, low cost	Low molding accuracy, low production efficiency	Kitchenware, seals
Extrusion Molding	Extrude liquid silicone material into profiles or tubes through an extruder	High production efficiency, can produce long strip or tubular products	Low molding accuracy	Sealing strips, catheters
Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Molding	Inject liquid silicone material directly into the mold and cure it at room temperature	High molding accuracy, stable product quality	High process requirements, high cost	Baby products, precision instruments

The choice of silicone molding technology depends on the specific needs of the product.

Here are some selection recommendations:

• If you need to produce high-precision products such as precision electronic components or medical devices, it is recommended to choose injection molding.

• If you need to produce products with simple shapes and large sizes, it is recommended to choose compression molding.

• If you need to produce long strip or tubular products such as sealing strips and catheters, it is recommended to choose extrusion molding.

• If you need to produce high-precision and high-demand products, it is recommended to choose liquid silicone rubber molding.

Conclusion

This article provides a comprehensive overview of silicone molding, including its definition, importance, advantages, and applications. It also compares four common types of silicone molding technologies in terms of process, advantages, disadvantages, and application fields.