Vacuum Casting & Urethane Casting

Silicone-mould copies taken from a master pattern, for small batches in days rather than weeks.

MaterialsPolyurethane resins, ABS-like and TPU-like

ProcessSilicone moulding under vacuum

Best forSmall batches from a master pattern

File formatsSTEP, IGS, STP, IGES, X_T

What Is Vacuum Casting?

Vacuum casting makes high-quality copies from a master model produced by CNC machining or 3D printing. The master is used to make a silicone mould, and polyurethane is poured into that mould under vacuum to form each copy.

It suits small batches because a silicone mould costs far less than steel tooling and is ready in days. Lead times are shorter than CNC machining or injection moulding, which makes it the usual choice for testing a new product in the market before committing to hard tooling.

Whether you need a hundred parts or a handful every few months, it bridges the gap between prototype and full production. The one limitation is material: vacuum casting produces plastic parts, not metal.

What Are the Advantages of Urethane Casting?

Low-volume production gives you room to change the design, test the market and save cost. Once a tool exists we keep it on hand, so repeat batches come back quickly.

Low initial cost, with no expensive hard tooling
Excellent surface detail, needing little or no post-processing
A wide range of casting polymers, pigmented to your colour requirement
Moulds ready in a few days once the master pattern exists
Overmoulding available, combining different plastics and hardnesses in one part

Materials: a range of PU resins including ABS-like, PC-like, PP-like and PE-like. Finishing: polishing, painting, silk-screen and laser engraving, and textures to SPI or MT finish. Colours matched to a sample or Pantone reference, or cast directly into the part.