Medical-Grade Silicone Parts: 10 Questions Beyond ISO 13485
Medical-Grade Silicone Parts: 10 Questions Beyond ISO 13485
Silicone vs EPDM vs NBR: How to Choose Sealing Material
Silicone vs EPDM vs NBR: How to Choose Sealing Material Choose the sealing material by three factors, in order: temperature, media exposure, and cost. Silicone (VMQ) wins for wide temperature ranges, food/medical contact and long-term flexibility; EPDM wins for outdoor weathering, ozone, steam and water at a lower cost; [...]
How to Control Silicone Shrinkage During Mold Design
How to Control Silicone Shrinkage During Mold Design Silirtant variables in custom silicone mold development. A product may look correct in the 3D drawing, but if shrinkage is estimated incorrectly, the molded part may be too small, distorted, out of tolerance, or unable to assemble with other components. [...]
Custom Colored Silicone Products: Pigment Selection and Color Control
Custom Colored Silicone Products: Pigment Selection and Color Control Custom Colored Silicone Products Color is one of the first features customers notice in a silicone product. It influences brand recognition, product positioning, retail presentation, and the perceived consistency of an entire product collection. However, producing a [...]
Flame-Retardant, Conductive, and Anti-Static Silicone: How Are They Made?
Flame-Retardant, Conductive, and Anti-Static Silicone: How Are They Made? Standard silicone rubber is known for heat resistance, flexibility, weatherability, electrical insulation, and stable performance across a wide temperature range. However, many industrial and electronic applications require silicone to do more than provide sealing or insulation. A high-voltage connector [...]
LSR vs Solid Silicone: Which Is Better for Your Custom Part?
LSR vs Solid Silicone: Which Is Better for Your Custom Part? When buyers say “silicone,” they often mean two very different manufacturing routes: LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber): a two-part, flowable silicone designed for injection molding, typically platinum (addition) cured. Solid silicone (often called HCR / HTV – High [...]
Temperature Aging and Heat Cycling: How Silicone Parts Change Over Time
Temperature Aging and Heat Cycling: How Silicone Parts Change Over Time Silicone rubber is prized for its wide temperature range and long-term stability, but over time even silicone parts gradually age and change. Under sustained heat, silicone can undergo chemical and physical transformations: it typically hardens, loses elasticity, and [...]
LSR vs Compression vs Transfer Molding: Choosing the Right Process for Your Part
LSR vs Compression vs Transfer Molding: Choosing the Right Process for Your Part Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) injection molding, compression molding, and transfer molding are three primary processes for manufacturing custom silicone parts. LSR injection molding (also called liquid injection molding) is best suited for high-volume production of precise, [...]
Where Silicone Parts Are Used in Cars: Sealing, Vibration, Thermal, and Electrical Applications
Silicone rubber is a key material in modern automotive design, used in a wide range of parts from engine gaskets to electric vehicle (EV) battery seals. Its unique properties – extreme temperature resistance, flexibility, and chemical stability – make silicone ideal for components that require long-term durability under harsh [...]
Printing and Logo Options on Silicone: Which Lasts Longest and Why
Silicone parts are used in demanding applications (automotive, medical, industrial, consumer, electronics) where markings must endure heat, chemicals, and abrasion. Fortunately, several printing and marking technologies have been adapted for silicone. The choice depends on the artwork, part geometry, durability requirements, and production volume. Below we compare the most [...]