From a Drawing to a Silicone Mold Prototype
A prototype starts after CAD approval, not on the first email. The short is that path. A sealing-ring frame in it is not your cavity approval.
The prototype clock does not start on the first email. It starts after CAD is approved. The short below is the WYD clip titled from design to prototype. One frame shows a sealing ring under a probe. That frame is not a mold cavity, and the words on screen are not a temperature rating.
What the short is for
Use it as the sequence question: file, review, then a prototype. Do not treat a ring on a platen as proof your logo, your tray, or your undercut will release. We would not recommend freezing a cavity from a 10-second clip.
The path we actually run
- You send STEP, artwork, a sample, or a dimensioned sketch, plus the pour or the molded article.
- We review cavity layout, lettering, undercuts, and how it demolds. That review is logo depth when the mark is the risk, or which pour when the material is still open.
- You approve CAD. Standard/simple 3D modeling can start from USD 50 per design. Complex sculpting is quoted by scope.
- We make the prototype mold or the first tray, then you check it with your real pour.
RTV skins are RTV mold making. Compression trays and HCR parts are compression molding.
Planning times after the file is clear
- Reply: typically within 12 hours. That is a first reply, not a finished quotation.
- CAD / DFM: typically 1-3 business days.
- Prototype: typically 3-5 business days after CAD approval, on suitable projects.
- Small batch: typically 2-3 business days after sample approval.
- Standard production: typically 7-10 business days after approval.
- Shipping is separate. Large or complex tools are scheduled by project.
For applicable small-batch silicone mold programs, MOQ starts from 20 pcs per design. Send the drawing.
FAQ
Does the sealing ring in the clip mean you test every mold that way?
No. It is a frame in the short. Your prototype is checked against your pour or your article.
Can a sketch start the job?
Yes. CAD still has to be approved before the prototype days start.
Is USD 50 the tool price?
No. It is the start of standard/simple 3D modeling when that scope applies. The mold is a separate line.
Do you prototype before production quantity?
On jobs that need a cavity proved. Say if you already have an approved master.
What should the first email include?
File or sample, pour or article, finished size, cavity count, and first quantity.
Ready to order custom silicone molds?
Send your drawing, sample or project requirements for DFM and quotation.