Heat
Polymers that keep their shape and dimensions under continuous high temperature.
3D printing & polymer molding
From first print
From first print
to molded part.
Industrial SLA and SLS printing, urethane vacuum casting, silicone/LSR molding and bridge injection molding — coordinated by one engineering team. We match the route to your quantity and tolerance, and tell you candidly when a printed or cast simulant will not behave like molded plastic.
- ISO-aligned outgoing QC
- NDA on every project
- Free DFM review in 24 hours
- 3D printing
- ±0.1 mm1 – 50 parts, 1 – 3 days
- Vacuum casting
- ±0.15 mm10 – 100 parts
- Rubber & LSR
- ISO 3302 M3Seals, gaskets, keypads
- Injection molding
- ±0.05 mm100 – 10,000+ parts
Process selection
Four ways to make a polymer part. Most runs have more than one answer.
What the part is made of, how many you need and whether it must be the production material each move the answer. Pick all three and we rank the four routes — with the tooling, tolerance and lead time that come with each.
What is the part made of?
How many parts?
Start with SLA or SLS printing. It is the only route that fits both answers; vacuum casting and rapid injection molding work with a trade-off.
A handful of parts in a production plastic? CNC machining cuts POM, nylon and PEEK from solid stock, so you can test real material before any tool is cut. Quote CNC machining
Ranked on material, run size and production material, then tooling cost for short runs or unit cost for long ones. Tolerances on marked dimensions are confirmed in your DFM review.
Send your CAD for a DFM review
PRINT SLA tough resin 0.05 mm layers
SLA & SLS 3D printing
No tooling at all: parts are built layer by layer straight from your CAD. SLA gives the smoothest surface for cosmetic models and casting masters; SLS nylon gives tough, support-free functional parts.
- Ideal for
- Prototypes, fit checks
- Quantity
- 1 – 50
- Tolerance
- ±0.1 mm SLA
- Lead time
- 1 – 3 days
- Min. wall
- 0.5 mm SLA
- Layer
- 0.05 – 0.1 mm
- Standard & clear resin
- Tough & high-temp resin
- PA12 nylon
- PA12-GF (glass-filled)
- Flexible TPU
Key applicationEnclosure and bracket prototypes for fit checks before any tool is cut.
Quote 3D printing
CAST ABS-like PU degassed under vacuum
Vacuum casting
The bridge between a printed prototype and a production tool. A printed master makes a silicone mold, and polyurethane is cast into it under vacuum — bubble-free parts that look and feel molded.
- Ideal for
- Pilot runs, user trials
- Quantity
- 10 – 100
- Tolerance
- ±0.15 mm
- First parts
- 7 – 10 days typical
- Mold life
- 15 – 25 parts
- Rubber grades
- Shore 30A – 95A
- ABS-like
- Clear PC-like
- PP-like
- Rubber-like 30A – 95A
- Color-matched
Key applicationPilot batches of housings for user trials and trade-show samples.
Quote vacuum casting
PRESS EPDM 70A 170°C cure
Silicone & rubber molding
Real elastomers, not simulants. Vulcanizing presses mold solid silicone and rubber in simple steel tools; liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is injected for flash-free, automated runs.
- Ideal for
- Seals, gaskets, keypads
- Quantity
- 100 – high volume
- Tolerance
- ISO 3302 M3
- Hardness
- Shore 10A – 90A
- Tooling
- Steel, 2 – 3 weeks typical
- Processes
- Compression, transfer, LSR
- VMQ silicone
- LSR, medical & food
- EPDM
- NBR / HNBR
- FKM
Key applicationGaskets and O-rings for valve and pump assemblies.
Quote rubber molding
SHOT PC/ABS 260°C melt aluminum tool
Rapid injection molding
Production parts in the real resin. Aluminum tools are cut in 1 – 2 weeks for bridge runs; P20 steel tools take over when volumes grow. Same machines and material as your production.
- Ideal for
- Bridge & production runs
- Quantity
- 100 – 10,000+
- Tolerance
- ±0.05 mm typical
- First parts
- From 7 days
- Tooling
- AL7075 / P20 steel
- Min. wall
- 0.8 mm typical
- ABS, PC, PC/ABS
- PP
- PA66 & PA66-GF
- POM
- PEEK
- TPE
Key applicationBridge-tool runs of PC/ABS housings while the production steel is still being cut.
Quote injection moldingSide by side
Typical values. Marked rows feed the ranking above; pick a column to open it on the board.
| Property | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For your part | Start here | Trade-off | Not a fit | Trade-off |
| Best quantity | 1 – 50 | 10 – 100 | 100 – high volume | 100 – 10,000+ |
| Tooling cost | None | Low | Medium | High |
| Unit cost at volume | High | Medium | Low | Low |
| First parts in | 1 – 3 days | 7 – 10 days | 2 – 3 weeks | From 7 days, aluminum tool |
| Tolerance | ±0.1 mm SLA ±0.2 mm SLS |
±0.15 mm | ISO 3302 M3 | ±0.05 mm |
| Min. wall | 0.5 mm SLA 0.8 mm SLS |
1.0 mm | 1.0 mm | 0.8 mm |
| Production material | Simulates it | Simulates it | Yes | Yes |
| Typical materials | SLA resins, PA12, PA12-GF, TPU | ABS-, PC-, PP-like and rubber-like PU | Silicone, LSR, EPDM, NBR, FKM | ABS, PC, PP, PA66, POM, PEEK, TPE |
Tolerances are typical for features up to 100 mm; tighter values on marked dimensions are confirmed in your DFM review. Lead times and wall thickness are typical and confirmed in your quote. Why “simulates it” matters: see the engineering note.
Material range
The polymers we print, cast and mold, on one table.
Hover or tap a material for grades, process and typical use. Filter by process to see what each line runs. Gray cells are made on our metal lines.
Show materials for
SLA
Rs
Resin
- SLA
Standard & clear resin
The smoothest surface and finest detail we print. Grey and white grades show surface flaws clearly in design reviews; clear resin polishes to near glass.
- Grades
- Standard, grey, white, clear
- Key property
- 0.05 mm layers
- Common application
- Visual models, fit checks
- Photopolymer resins
- Thermoplastics
- Cast polyurethane
- Elastomers
- Tooling & partner metals
- Other lines
Polymer & molding network
The equipment behind your polymer parts.
Large-format SLA and SLS printers, vacuum casting chambers, elastomer presses and rapid injection molding cells across our lab and audited partner network — so your part scales from first print to production tooling under one engineering team.
Capability view, not a single shop. Each order is routed to an audited partner cell that meets these specs. The fleet page lists the full printer, press and molding machine roster.
Explore our partner shop networkLarge-format laser SLA
For cosmetic prototypes, clear parts and the master patterns behind every vacuum-cast batch. Long parts print in one piece instead of glued sections.
- Build volume
- 600 × 600 × 400 mm
- Layer
- 0.05 – 0.1 mm
- Resins
- Standard, tough, clear, high-temp
- Best for
- Cosmetic models, casting masters
- Accuracy
- ±0.1 mm
- Layer
- 0.05 mm
- Lead time
- 1–3 days
Selective laser sintering
Nylon powder is fused layer by layer and the loose powder supports the part, so hinges, clips and moving assemblies print in one piece and builds are nested for batches.
- Build volume
- 380 × 380 × 450 mm
- Materials
- PA12, PA11, TPU
- Finish
- Bead-blasted, dyed black
- Best for
- Functional parts, small batches
- Accuracy
- ±0.2 mm
- Supports
- None needed
- Capacity
- 500+ parts/week
Vacuum chambers & curing ovens
Polyurethane is mixed and degassed under vacuum, poured into silicone molds and cured in temperature-controlled ovens. Several molds from one master cover batches of 100.
- Equipment
- Vacuum chambers, curing ovens
- Materials
- ABS-, PC-, PP-like PU
- Rubber grades
- Shore 30A – 95A
- Best for
- Pilot runs of 10 – 100
- Batch
- 10–100 parts
- Mold life
- 15–25 parts
- Tolerance
- ±0.15 mm
Vulcanizing presses & LSR injection
Plate vulcanizing presses mold solid silicone and rubber; a precision LSR line injects liquid silicone for flash-free parts in medical and food grades.
- Presses
- Plate vulcanizing presses
- LSR
- Precision LSR injection
- Materials
- VMQ, LSR, EPDM, NBR, FKM
- Best for
- Seals, gaskets, keypads
- Hardness
- 10A–90A Shore
- Tolerance
- M3 ISO 3302
- Grades
- Medical, food
Precision injection molding
Aluminum tools for bridge runs and P20 steel tools for production, on the same precision machines — so the parts you test are the parts you ship.
- Machines
- High-speed precision injection
- Tooling
- AL7075 aluminum, P20 steel
- Materials
- ABS, PC, PP, POM, PA66, PEEK
- Best for
- Bridge & production runs
- First parts
- from 7 days
- Volume
- 10,000+ parts
- Tooling
- AL / P20
Design guide
Tolerances and limits, drawn to scale.
What each process holds as standard and the smallest features it builds reliably. Mark critical dimensions on your drawing and we confirm them in the free DFM review.
- Injection molding Aluminum or steel tool ±0.05 mm
- SLA Resin ±0.1 mm
- Vacuum casting Polyurethane ±0.15 mm
- SLS Nylon PA12 ±0.2 mm
- Rubber & LSR Elastomers Class-based, varies with part size ISO 3302 M3
Bands are drawn to scale; the full track is ±0.25 mm. Tighter values on marked dimensions are confirmed in the DFM review.
- Min. wall, SLA
- 0.5 mm
- Min. wall, SLS
- 0.8 mm
- Min. hole diameter
- Ø1.0 mm
- Embossed detail depth
- 0.2 mm
- Moving-part clearance, SLS
- 0.5 mm
Finer features are possible on SLA. Anything at risk is flagged in the DFM review before you pay.
Outgoing QC on critical callouts & fit features
Every dimension marked on your 2D drawing is verified via CMM, optical profiler or pin gauges before dispatch, with the report included.
- CMM report
- Optical profiler
- Material CoC
Materials for harsh conditions
Pick one to open it in the material table.
Chemicals & fluids
Elastomers and plastics that resist swelling and attack from oils, fuels, water and solvents.
Impact & load
Tough grades that take drops, snap-fit cycles and sustained loads without cracking.
Engineering note
The “ABS-like” illusion.
Printed and cast polymers are excellent for form and fit. They simulate production plastics — they do not share their molecular structure. Before you load, heat or cycle a prototype, know where the gaps are.
-
Layer strength (Z-axis)
Printed parts are built in layers, and the bond between layers is the weak plane — up to 20% lower strength along Z. Molded parts have no layer planes.
-
Heat, UV and fatigue
Standard SLA resins are thermosets: they can turn brittle over time and degrade in UV light, and they lack the cyclic fatigue life of molded PA66 or POM.
-
Ratings belong to the resin
UL 94 flame ratings and food or medical approvals are tied to a specific molded grade. A simulant cannot carry them, so certification tests need the real material.
Need production material for the test?
If your test needs real engineering resin — glass-filled nylon, PC/ABS, PEEK — skip the simulant and use a rapid aluminum tool. Molded parts in as little as 7 days.
After the print
Finished, assembled and checked under one order.
A raw print or casting is rarely what goes into the product. One routing sheet covers support removal, finish, inserts and inspection, so the part arrives ready to use.
-
OP 10
RecordBuild or batch number
Print, cast or mold
Made by the process agreed in your DFM review. Printed masters are measured before a silicone mold is taken from them.
-
OP 20
RecordCure cycle logged
Supports off & post-cure
Supports removed by hand, SLA parts UV post-cured to full strength, SLS parts depowdered and bead-blasted.
-
OP 30
RecordColor chip approved Finishing options
Finishing & color
Sanding, primer and paint to a Pantone or RAL code, soft-touch coatings, mold textures, polished clear parts and pad printing.
-
OP 40
RecordFit & torque check Multi-process assembly
Inserts & assembly
Heat-set threaded inserts, bonding and sub-assembly with your machined or cast parts, so you receive a working unit.
-
OP 50
RecordReport before release Quality process
Inspection & shipping
Critical dimensions on CMM or optical profiler, cosmetic faces protected part by part, shipped on DDP or DAP terms.
One project engineer signs off every operationReplies within one working day
Printing & molding questions
What engineers ask before they send a model.
Straight answers on process, material, tolerance and lead time. Anything else goes to an engineer, not a sales queue.
Which process should I start with?
Start from material and quantity. For 1 – 10 rigid parts, print them in SLA or SLS. For 10 – 100, vacuum casting gives a molded look without a steel tool. From a few hundred parts, rapid injection molding in an aluminum tool usually costs less per part. Rubber parts move from cast urethane to compression molding or LSR. Your free DFM review names the process and explains why.
Will a printed or cast part behave like the molded one?
For form and fit, yes. For load, heat, fatigue or certification, not exactly: printed parts are weaker across their layers, and ABS-like or PC-like urethanes simulate the plastic rather than being it. If your test needs the production resin, we recommend a rapid aluminum tool.
What tolerances can I expect?
Typical values for features up to 100 mm are ±0.1 mm for SLA, ±0.2 mm for SLS, ±0.15 mm for vacuum casting and ±0.05 mm for injection molding. Rubber parts follow ISO 3302 class M3. Mark critical dimensions on your drawing and we confirm them in the DFM review.
How many parts does one silicone mold make?
Usually 15 – 25, depending on the material and how complex the part is. For larger batches we take several molds from the same printed master, so 100 parts is a normal vacuum casting order.
Can you match colors and finishes?
Yes. Parts are sanded, primed and painted to a Pantone or RAL code, with soft-touch coatings, textures, polished clear parts and pad printing available. We send a color chip for approval before the batch is finished.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
There is no strict MOQ. A single print is fine, and cast or molded batches are quoted at the quantity you actually need.
How are parts shipped?
By express, air or sea freight on DDP or DAP terms, with cosmetic faces protected part by part. Your project engineer sends tracking the same day the parts leave.
Strict IP & NDA protection
Your designs stay yours.
Whether it is an unreleased product enclosure or a custom silicone seal, your CAD files are stored in an access-restricted vault—never broadcast to an open bidding board.
- Mutual NDA available before you upload
- Never posted to public supplier boards
- Access restricted to your project team