Proto Labs’ Protomold Injection Molding Service expands its service to include liquid silicone rubber and metal injection-molded stainless-steel parts.
Proto Labs has applied its proprietary technology to these new processes, making short-run liquid silicone rubber and metal injection-molded stainless-steel parts available faster than ever before.
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) molding and metal injection molding (MIM) are fast and economical Protomold processes that produce parts much quicker than traditional methods. The company uses its Protomold technology to analyze part geometry, provide manufacturability feedback, and produce the tools. Both LSR molding and MIM are suitable for low volumes of parts — typically between 25 to 5,000+ pieces — in about three weeks from order to shipment of samples. Depending on the complexity of the part, it is possible to get them even faster.
LSR molding is a thermoset process that mixes a two-part material together, which is then heat cured in the mold to produce a final part. The elastic material possesses thermal, chemical and electrical resistance, plus biocompatibility. LSR parts can withstand sterilization while maintaining physical properties at extreme temperatures.
MIM is a metalworking process that transforms a fine metal powder encapsulated in a plastic binder into a fully dense, net-shape metal part through a multi-step debinding and sintering process. MIM is a mature, established manufacturing process for molding smaller parts with simpler geometries, and stainless steel will be the initial metal offered.
Proto Labs recently added high-performance, high-temperature resins PEEK and Ultem into its menu of injection-molded materials. The company now mills 17-4PH, 304/304L and 316/316L stainless steels, CR1018 steel, 4140 alloy, magnesium and copper through its Firstcut CNC-machining service.
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