Urethane Casting Service for Prototypes & Low-Volume Parts

Use the contact page or email LKprototype with the part’s purpose and the information you already have. Detailed geometry and drawings are needed to establish manufacturing feasibility, critical tolerances and a firm quote.

Provide STEP or STP geometry, or STL where appropriate, plus quantity, intended use and a drawing for critical dimensions. Add material targets, finish and the required delivery date. Follow the quotation form’s supported upload types and size limits.

At LKprototype, a single silicone mold typically produces 15 to 25 parts, averaging around 20 shots per mold.

Usable mold life depends on your part's geometry and resin selection:

• Standard rigid resins (ABS/PP-like): Yield approximately 20–25 parts before demolding wear begins to affect surface quality.
• Transparent or PC-like polyurethanes: Generally yield 12–18 parts due to higher chemical aggressiveness and curing temperatures.
• Complex parts with deep undercuts: Typically limit mold life to 10–15 parts from mechanical strain during demolding.

For batch runs exceeding 20–25 units, LKprototype duplicates multiple silicone molds from your master pattern to guarantee identical dimensional consistency and finish across the entire production run.

Consider casting when you need multiple comparable prototypes or a small bridge-production batch. Compare the complete cost of the master, molds and finished parts against printing, machining and injection molding for your quantity.

LKprototype maintains a standard baseline tolerance of ±0.15 mm (±0.006 in) for dimensions up to 100 mm, plus an additional ±0.2% (±0.002 mm per mm) for larger spans.

Our typical precision capabilities include:

• Standard features: ±0.15 mm to ±0.20 mm for general housing contours and cosmetic walls.
• Critical mating surfaces: Down to ±0.10 mm (±0.004 in) through calibrated shrinkage compensation and controlled post-curing.
• Large parts (>300 mm): Held within ±0.3 mm to ±0.5 mm to accommodate natural resin shrinkage and thermal behavior.

For ultra-tight engineering fits (such as bearing seats or precision dowels), LKprototype provides secondary CNC post-machining or installs threaded brass inserts directly during casting.

At LKprototype, the typical lead time for a custom urethane casting project is 7 to 12 working days, depending on part complexity, quantity, and secondary finishing requirements.

Our standard production schedule breaks down as follows:

• DFM review & master pattern (CNC/SLA): 2–3 days to produce and hand-finish the master pattern to your surface specification.
• Silicone tooling: 1–2 days to cast, cure, and vent the silicone mold around the master.
• Casting & curing: 2–4 days to vacuum-cast your batch (each cycle takes 2–4 hours depending on the resin).
• Post-processing & inspection: 1–3 days for gate trimming, painting/texture matching, insert installation, and CMM/dimension checks.

For time-critical projects, LKprototype offers expedited turnaround. Note that manufacturing lead time and international courier transit (typically 3–5 business days via DHL/FedEx) are quoted separately.

Selected polyurethane resins can simulate some properties of these materials. They are not the same polymers. Compare the proposed datasheet against the stiffness, impact, temperature or flexibility required for your specific test.

Clear polyurethane and color finishing are options to review for the part. Supply viewing-surface requirements, a color reference or a physical sample. Agree clarity, sheen, lighting and acceptable variation before batch finishing.

Compare the same scope: master, molds, quantity of cast parts, resin, finish, inspection and delivery. Clarify whether additional molds, design changes, sample approval or repeat orders would change the cost or schedule.

Yes, absolutely. LKprototype strictly respects and protects your intellectual property:

• Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA): We routinely sign bilateral or customer-provided NDAs before reviewing proprietary CAD files or engineering drawings.
• Physical Workshop Security: To prevent unauthorized photography and data leaks, all LKprototype production facilities enforce a strict no-electronics policy—personal smartphones, cameras, and recording devices are prohibited inside our workshops.
• Custom Inspection & Quality Reports: We regularly provide Full Dimensional Reports (CMM), First Article Inspection (FAI), Certificates of Conformity (COC), and raw material technical datasheets upon request.

Simply let us know your NDA requirements or list your required inspection documentation in the RFQ, and our team will coordinate the paperwork before project kickoff.