Silicone is an excellent material for manufacturing molds since it offers several advantages. Custom designs are simple to produce with silicone. And the molds are – robust and resilient – allowing you to use them again without fear of breaking. Unlike organic rubber, silicone is composed of inorganic components, making it resistant to cold, chemicals, heat, and even fungus.
Here are some of the main advantages of utilizing silicone molds:
Flexibility
Because silicone is flexible working with it is simple. Since silicone molding is lightweight and squishy. They are simpler to remove once the item is made than hard materials like plastic. Because silicone is flexible there is a lower chance of breakage or chipping for both the item and the mold. From intricate technical components to entertaining products like candy or ice cubes – with festive themes, you can make anything using bespoke silicone molds.
Stability
The temperature range that silicone can withstand is – -65° to 400° Celsius. Additionally, depending on the kind, it may expand – up to 700%. You may use silicone molds in the oven, freeze them, and stretch them while removing the component since it is quite stable under many situations.
Durability
Although silicone molds are reusable – their lifetime varies. The mold may deteriorate more quickly the more often you use it and the more intricate your design is. Clean your silicone molds with a moderate soap and water solution, let them air dry, and keep them flat, without stacking, to extend their lifespan.
Over molding parts
Common Applications for Silicone Molds
Silicone molds are popular among amateurs and professionals because of their versatility and ease of usage. Here are some examples of industries and applications that depend on silicone molds to manufacture their products:
Prototyping
Many sectors utilize silicone molding for product development and prototyping. It is far less expensive than conventional manufacturing processes like injection molding making it ideal for prototyping product concepts or producing small quantities for market testing. While 3D printing is ideal for producing single pieces quickly silicone molding and urethane casting are better suited for producing smaller numbers of parts.
Jewelry
Jewelers utilize specialized silicone molds to replicate hand-carved or 3D-printed patterns in wax. This saves them time and effort in carving wax for each new item while enabling them to cast from wax. This simplifies and streamlines mass manufacturing. Silicone molds can capture minute details allowing jewelers to make items with elaborate patterns and complicated forms.
Consumer Goods
Silicone molds are used by artisans to create personalized products such as candles and soaps. They are used by school vendors to shape products such as erasers and chalk. Silicone molds are also used by toy and collectible manufacturers to produce intricate miniatures and bespoke figures.
Food and Beverage
Food-grade silicone molds are used to create entertaining delicacies such as ice cream, chocolates, and lollipops.
Because silicone can withstand temperatures up to 400° Celsius – these molds are also ideal for cooking. Small baked items such as cupcakes and muffins – also bake nicely in silicone molds.