In-House CNC Mold Making for Silicone Parts
CNC mold making happens entirely in-house, at our 15,000 m² Dongguan facility, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certified since 2005. Tooling exists to produce your parts, not to be sold on its own: we cut the steel, aluminum, or specialty-alloy mold your compression, injection, or overmolding order needs, and it stays in service on our line for the life of your project. Cavity count is calculated from your order quantity, not fixed in advance. Molds are machined to ±0.02mm and finished parts hold ±0.2mm, because silicone shrinks on cure and that variation is larger than the machining tolerance. DFM review comes back within 24 hours of receiving your file, before we cut anything. Key factors we focus on to protect your investment:
- ✓Precision and Tolerance: Machining tooling to ±0.02mm, correctly calculating the material shrinkage rate that sets your finished part tolerance, and designing the ideal flash lines.
- ✓Material and Process: Planning for temperature control and selecting the right process, whether it's standard compression molding, complex 2-shot molding, or overmolding.
- ✓Finish: Polishing the mold surface to achieve the required finish.
We handle everything, including secure mold storage and keeping your design confidential.
How We Build Your Mold
- DFM Review (24 hours): We check your part design for moldability issues before committing to steel.
- Material and Process Selection: We choose the mold material (steel, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze, titanium, cast iron, or a specialty alloy) and the molding process (compression, injection, or overmolding) based on your volume and budget.
- Cavity Count: Calculated from your order quantity, not a fixed spec.
- CNC Machining and EDM: The mold is cut in-house using CNC machining and electrical discharge machining (EDM) for features CNC can't reach, machined to ±0.02mm. Finished parts hold ±0.2mm.
- Polishing and Texturing: The cavity is finished to the surface texture and gloss level your part needs.
- Delivery: Typically 20 days for steel, depending on complexity and current schedule.
- Storage and Ownership: The finished mold is yours. We store it free of charge, ship it to another factory on request, and can repair or remake it from the original CAD/CAM data if it wears out.
Which Mold Material Fits Your Project?
We select the mold material based on your production needs.
Steel (carbon, stainless)
Long-lasting, ideal for high-volume production. The go-to for durability.
Aluminum
Lightweight, fast to machine, for smaller, low-volume batches.
Brass, Copper, Bronze
Superior heat transfer for controlled curing. Best for applications needing precise temperature control.
Titanium
Strength + corrosion resistance. High-performance material for demanding environments.
Cast Iron
Stable choice for heavy-duty, large molds. A reliable foundation for big projects.
Specialty Alloys
Used for extreme environments requiring high heat or corrosion resistance.
| Specification | Representative Name | Hardness (HRC) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quenched/Tempered (Non-Sintered) | STAVAX | 33 | Stainless steel, durable |
| PSL35 | 35 | Stainless, good machinability | |
| NAK55 | 40 | High polishability | |
| Sintered (Tempered Steel) | STAVAX | 52 | Wear-resistant |
| ELMAX | 57 | Premium stainless, high hardness | |
| PD613 | 60 | Tool steel for long life | |
| SC (Carbon Steel) | S50C | 13 | Prone to rust, for basic molds |
| Stainless (SUS) | RAMAX | 33 | Corrosion resistant, higher cost |
What Customers Ask Most
Fully in-house, including CNC machining, EDM, polishing, and texturing. Nothing is subcontracted to an outside shop.
You do. The mold belongs to you. We store it free of charge and ship it to another factory on request.
Typically 20 days for steel, depending on our current schedule and mold complexity.
Absolutely. We treat all designs as confidential IP and do not share or reuse them.
Yes. Prototype tooling is designed for 100 to 200 pieces, enough for a market test before you commit to production tooling.
We maintain and repair molds in-house. If replacement is needed, we can quickly remake it from stored CAD/CAM data.
Our Complete Silicone Manufacturing Methods.
- Silicone Compression Molding: Durable, high-precision parts
- Die Cut Solutions for Medical Industry: Flat gasket fabrication
- Liquid Silicone Injection Molding: Complex, high-volume production
- Silicone Die Cutting: Gaskets for automotive
- Silicone Extrusion: Continuous profile shapes
- Silicone Overmolding: Bonding silicone to substrates
- Silicone Prototyping: Fast sample development
- Complete Silicone Compression Molding Guide