Casting Materials Guide
At Wellan, we offer a range of casting materials to suit various applications, from mold making to producing functional parts. Choosing the right material is crucial for the success of your project. Use this guide to understand the options available and select the best material for your needs.
Quick Material Selection Guide
Not sure which material to choose? Start by answering these questions:
- What is your primary goal?
- Creating molds → Consider Silicone (Tin-Cured or Platinum-Cured) or Epoxy.
- Producing functional parts → Consider Urethane or Epoxy.
- Need food-safe or skin-safe materials → Look for Silicone with food-safe or skin-safe options.
- What properties are most important?
- Cost-effectiveness → Silicone (Tin-Cured)
- High detail and premium quality → Silicone (Platinum-Cured)
- Versatility (rigid to flexible) → Urethane
- Strength and durability → Epoxy
- What are the environmental conditions?
- High temperature → Urethane (high temperature option)
- Food or skin contact → Silicone (food-safe or skin-safe)
Silicone: Tin-Cured
- Description: A budget-friendly silicone option ideal for general casting and mold-making applications. Its cost-effectiveness makes it suitable for projects where price is a primary concern, while still offering the flexibility and durability needed for industrial use.
- Properties: Cost-effective, food-safe for specialized needs.
- Applications: Mold making for equipment, food-contact prototypes for testing, protective covers for machinery, parts for industrial setups.
- Material Options: Standard tin-cured for everyday casting and molds, food-safe for projects requiring safe contact.
Silicone: Platinum-Cured
- Description: Premium silicone designed for casting detailed parts and creating molds with high precision. Available in skin-safe and food-safe formulations, it’s perfect for applications requiring both quality and safety.
- Properties: Premium, detailed casts, skin-safe, food-safe for unique projects.
- Applications: Mold making for precision components, wearable prototypes for ergonomic testing, flexible parts for system enhancements, decorative elements for products.
- Material Options: Standard platinum-cured for detailed casts and molds, skin-safe for comfort-focused projects, food-safe for edible-contact applications.
Urethane
- Description: A highly versatile material that can be formulated to meet a wide range of mechanical and aesthetic requirements, from rigid structural components to flexible connectors. Its ability to be color-matched or enhanced for specific properties makes it a go-to choice for diverse applications.
- Properties: Rigid, semi-rigid, color-matching, high impact, high temperature, water-clear.
- Applications: Equipment housings for industrial tools, clear prototype covers for visibility, flexible connectors for system assemblies, consumer goods.
- Material Options: Rigid for structural stability, semi-rigid for balanced flexibility, color-matching for aesthetic consistency, high impact for tougher conditions, high temperature for heat exposure, water-clear for transparent needs.
Epoxy
- Description: A strong, durable epoxy available in clear or enhanced forms, ideal for applications requiring robustness and precision. Its compatibility with vacuum forming makes it particularly useful for mold bases and structural components.
- Properties: Durable, clear, additive-filled (e.g., enhanced with aluminum) for added strength.
- Applications: Clear equipment parts for visibility, reinforced mold bases for production, protective casings for systems, structural components for machinery.
- Material Options: Clear for transparent finishes, additive-filled (e.g., enhanced with materials like aluminum) for added strength.