Silicone molds are well-known because of their outstanding flexibility. They are used a lot by professional engineers, DIY makers, and housewives. However, as a beginner, you may be wondering what silicone molds are and how to make them. Today, in this article, we will help you learn how to make silicone molds with this step-by-step guide and see how you can incorporate silicone molds into your project.
What is silicone mold?
A silicone mold is a tooling made of silicone material to create replicas of the original master pattern, liquid material can be poured into and then cured to form a solid object in the shape of the mold cavity. Different silicone materials used for mold can be used for various applications such as plastic parts and foods.
Due to its soft properties, silicone molds are easy to make and highly flexible; however, this makes them less durable than metal molds.
Advantages of silicone molds
Versatility
Silicone materials have different grades for making molds to cast different products. Some grades can be used for urethane casting plastic parts, some grades can be used for casting wax, and Food-grade silicone can be used for chocolate. This versatility allows for innovation and creativity in product development.
Flexibility
Silicone is soft and flexible like rubber. the molds made of silicone carry on flexibility which means it can be made easily for any shape. and when you remove the parts from the silicone mold, it will not damage your part even if there are undercuts.
Stability
Silicone can withstand both cold and high temperatures from -60° to 250° degrees Celsius, this makes silicone mold stable when you put it into an oven or freezer to create objects such as cookies.
Durability
A silicone mold can be used not only once time but several times for casting products before it degrades. this is because silicone mold can withstand the pressure during casting for a certain time. the lifetime of silicone mold can vary based on the application it is used for, for homemade silicone mold for chocolate, it can be used for a long time with proper maintenance
Low Cost
Silicone material is cheap and easy to get from the market, Silicone mold is also easy to make at a low cost, which makes it affordable for all the people who want to use it.
Type of silicone mold
One-Piece silicone mold
One-piece Silicone mold work for those parts has one flat side, and only one side needs to be shaped by the silicone mold. works like a tray, you only need to fill the material into the cavity and then let the material cure at a certain environment. It is commonly used for home-making cookies and chocolates, and also for DIY makers to make some craft which has one flat side.
Two-Piece Silicone Mold
A two-piece silicone mold means mold consists of two parts that form the master pattern shape cavity half and half. it can work for parts without a flat side. the liquid material is poured into the mold and cured, you need to open the mold to take the part out. it is perfect for creating custom-designed 3D parts.
How to make a silicone mold step-by-step
The processes of making a silicone mold are all the same no matter whether you are making silicone molds for DIY products or industry plastic products, the difference is the silicone material, you may need professional tools to handle it when you are working on industry products. here we take an example of marking a two-piece silicone mold at home to explain the process.
Prepare Tools And Materials
- silicone material
- Modeling clay
- Mold release agent
- Cutting blades
Step 1: Purchase or create the master pattern
you can buy the master pattern you want to duplicate directly from the market or you can create a custom master pattern by Sculpting clay, carving wood, or rapid prototyping techniques such as 3D printing or CNC machining. this depends on how accurately you want the replicas from the silicone mold to be.
Step 2: Lay out the master pattern in clay
Put the master pattern on the clay and Embed it into the clay with one-half of the pattern. this is to create one-half of your mold.
Step 3: Create a Mold Frame
Create a Mold Frame with a proper size to contain the Clay with the master pattern on it, You can use smooth materials like wooden boards, acrylic sheets, or building blocks as a mold frame. Apply mold release agent to the frame’s surface to prevent adhesion.
Step 4: Pour silicone
Pour the prepared liquid silicone into the mold frame space until the master pattern is entirely covered and more. and then let it cure to form one-half of your two-piece mold.
Step 5: Take out the half mold and master
you have to remove the mold frame, take out half of the mold and master, and then clean the side of the master with clay and also the mold.
Step 6: Place the mold and master back in the mold frame
Place the mater pattern into the half mold, then put them together back into the mold frame and face up instead of down. Apply mold release agent again to the frame’s surface.
Step 7: pour silicone again
Put the silicone into the mold frame and let it cure to create the other half of the mold.
Step 8: take out the master pattern
After the other half mold is cured, remove the frames, split the silicone mold with a blade into half and half, and then remove the master pattern. until now, you can get your two-piece silicone mold.
Use of silicone mold
Urethane casting prototyping
A common use of silicone mold is making Urethane casting prototypes during plastic product development in various industries. it is a low-cost and fast solution for small runs of less than 100 pieces compared with other rapid prototyping methods such as CNC machining or Rapid injection molding with soft steel mold. it can create high-quality replicas of the master pattern.
DIY Products Making
DIY makers can use silicone mold to create a batch of crafts such as jewelry, and cute stuff for kids. without spending much time and money, you can make your unique creations through silicone mold to duplicate the creative master pattern you make.
Home use
One of the most common uses of silicone mold is to make homemade products like candles and small decorative items, and Also as foods like cookies. you can purchase these silicone molds from an online shop easily and then use them at home.
Applications of silicone molds
Based on the advantages of silicone molds, they are popular for applications in Various industries as below：
- Automotive industry
- Medical device
- Consumer products
- Constructions
- Foods
Conclusion
Although you can make small DIY products at home with silicone mold, however, once you need to make a complex plastic product, you still need to professional supplier to make it. KUSLA, as a leading rapid prototyping factory in China, specializes in urethane casting services with high quality silicone mold. we can help you get the plastic product you need.
FAQ
What kind of silicone can I use for a silicone mold?
A two-part Silicone will be a good choice for you such as Smooth-On OOMOO 30 which is popular. Two parts, A and B, are combined and mixed to create a liquid, pourable molding material.
Can I use normal silicone to make a mold?
Yes, silicone caulking can be used to make molds. you can use it combined with Liquid Soap or Cornstarch.
