Custom Silicone OverMolding Service

• Home&housewares & Appliances ( Kitchen & dining&table & Drinkware &household.etc.)
• Baby & Toys ( Baby care & Baby Feeding & Baby Toy & kids learning toy etc）
• Health & Beauty & Personal Care （Oral care & Beauty tools/Accessories & hair care, etc.）
• Stationery & Office Products(Arts & Crafts& School products & Office products etc. )
• Sports & Outdoor & Garden ( Sports and fitness & Travelling & Outdoor portable etc. )
• Pets Supplies
• Electronic & Cell Phones Accessories ( Protective cover& Case, holder, etc.)
• Automotive & Aerospace & Military
• Smoking products
• Promotional products (Licensed products & Mascot & Gifts & Blind box products)
• Medical products

1. Design Flexibility: The process allows for diverse designs and shapes, even intricate or complex geometries. It can also produce parts with varying wall thickness and can accommodate a great range of sizes.
2. Durability: LSR parts are extremely durable and resilient. They can resist extreme temperatures, UV light, and exposure to many chemicals, making them suitable for harsh environments.
3. Precision: LSR Over-Molding is a highly precise process. The liquid nature of LSR allows it to flow into and fill complex molds effectively, ensuring exact reproduction of the mold’s details.
4. Sensory Characteristics: LSR products are soft and flexible, providing a comfortable and pleasing touch. Such haptics often elevate the user experience.
5. Biocompatibility: LSR is often used in the medical industry due to its biocompatible nature. It doesn’t react with human tissue or bodily fluids, making it ideal for medical devices and implants.
6. Efficiency: The LSR Over-Molding process is automated and capable of high-volume production, which translates to efficient production times and cost-effectiveness when producing large quantities.
7. Low Waste: There’s minimal flash (excess material spilling out of the mold) in LSR Over-Molding, leading to less waste and lower materials costs.

The silicone overmolding process is a manufacturing technique used to combine silicone with another material, typically plastic or metal, to create a component with both the durability of the base material and the flexibility or softness of silicone. This process is often used in applications where the product needs to have both structural strength and a soft, tactile surface, such as in medical devices, automotive parts, and consumer electronics.

Here are the main steps involved in the silicone overmolding process:

1. Design and Material Selection

• Design the Part: The first step is designing the part and selecting the appropriate materials. The base material (e.g., plastic or metal) must be compatible with silicone for proper bonding.
• Material Selection: Choose the correct type of silicone rubber (e.g., liquid silicone rubber or LSR) based on the product’s functional and environmental requirements (e.g., temperature resistance, flexibility, biocompatibility).

2. Preparation of the Mold

• Mold Creation: A mold is designed and created, typically using metal such as aluminum or steel. The mold will have two sections: one for the base material (insert) and one for the silicone overmolding.
• Insert Preparation: The base material (e.g., plastic or metal insert) is placed into the mold. Inserts can be pre-formed or molded separately before the overmolding process.

3. Insert Placement

• Insert Loading: The prepared insert (the base part) is placed into the mold cavity. This insert will be the core around which the silicone rubber will be overmolded.
• Positioning: The insert must be carefully positioned to ensure that the silicone rubber adheres to the surface properly and that the part functions as intended.

4. Injection of Silicone Rubber

• Silicone Injection: Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is injected into the mold cavity around the insert. The LSR is typically injected in liquid form, and it hardens once it is cured.
• Molding and Curing: The silicone is injected into the mold, and the mold is heated to cure the silicone. This curing process is often achieved through heat or ultraviolet (UV) light, depending on the type of silicone used.

5. Cooling and Ejection

• Cooling: After the silicone is injected and molded, the part is cooled to solidify the silicone rubber around the insert. The cooling process allows the part to harden and become stable.
• Ejection: Once cooled, the overmolded part is ejected from the mold. Any excess material, such as flash (extra silicone around the edges), is trimmed off during this step.

6. Post-Processing (Trimming and Finishing)

• Trimming: Excess silicone (flash) around the part is trimmed to ensure the part’s final dimensions are accurate and clean.
• Finishing: Additional post-processing steps, such as surface treatment, printing, or coating, may be applied to the overmolded part if necessary.

7. Quality Control and Inspection

• Inspection: The finished overmolded part undergoes rigorous quality control to ensure it meets the specified tolerances and performance standards. This includes checking for proper bonding between the silicone and the insert, as well as testing for functionality, durability, and appearance.
• Testing: Depending on the application, parts may be tested for specific properties such as flexibility, temperature resistance, or electrical insulation.

8. Packaging and Delivery

• Once the parts pass quality control, they are packaged for delivery to the client or for further assembly into the final product.

No. You can order a one-off prototype or 1,000+ units.

LSR injection molding is a cost-effective and versatile process used by manufacturers in a large number of industries and applications. From LSR overmolded handles to complex electronic assemblies ( case ) , there are multiple reasons why rubber overmolding is a good choice for your project:

Cost and time savings——By molding silicone directly onto a metal or plastic substrate, you’ll save the expense and time required to assemble a complex part manually. This can dramatically reduce your manufacturing costs and turnaround time, allowing you to get your product to market more economically.

Design flexibility——LSR/thermoplastic injection molding is excellent for meeting the complex design requirements of the automotive and medical industries. Silicone rubber overmolding produces parts that are waterproof, airtight, and more resistant to shock and vibrations.
Quality control——The LSR/plastic injection overmolding process offers high tolerance and strict quality control, making it suitable for use in any application where precision is required. We can produce overmolded silicone rubber parts to your exact specifications, including devices that require manufacturing in a Class VII or Class VIII clean room.

There are five key points of FMEA that we should review in depth during the estimation phase:
How do the substrate material structure and physical properties change when the mold is closed?

How do the base material structure and physical properties change during injection and curing? The optimal pressure and temperature should be estimated and selected in advance.

How does the matrix position change during injection? Included in the mold design review meeting checklist.

How does LSR flow during injection? The results from the injection flow analysis software help inform our judgment at the mold design review meeting.