Vacuum casting is a manufacturing technology that uses a vacuum to draw liquid material into a mold. It differs significantly from injection molding, which pushes liquid material into a mold using a screw.
The process of vacuum casting offers significant advantages, and is particularly useful for parts that have undercuts or fine details.
The process starts with a master model, which Leshine creates using one of its CNC machining centers — though 3D printing can also be used. This master model is then immersed in liquid silicone, which is cured and becomes the mold.
Once it has been cut and the master model removed, the silicone mold can be put to use. This stage involves pouring casting resin into the mold, as the vacuum removes bubbles and air pockets to ensure a smooth finish.
The resin part is then cured and removed from the silicone mold, which can be reused around 20 times.
Each resin part is an exact copy of the original master model.
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