Vacuum Casting Service | Urethane Casting for Small Batches

CAD Ready: STEP, IGES, STL supported

Urethane Vacuum Casting in China

Custom Urethane Vacuum Casting Services for 10–100 Parts in 5–7 Days

Need production-like plastic parts without investing in hard tooling? Super Ingenuity’s urethane casting service uses silicone rubber molds and high-performance polyurethane resins to deliver repeatable parts that closely simulate injection-molded components in look, feel and function.

This silicone-mold, low-pressure process is the ideal bridge between 3D printing and injection molding when you need realistic parts for functional testing, design validation or early market builds before committing to expensive steel tools.

10–100 pcs / design Optimized for low-volume and bridge production runs
5–7 day lead time From approved master pattern to finished parts
Production-like performance Rigid, rubber-like, tinted and clear urethanes available

Perfect for housings, covers, bezels, handles, overmolds and other appearance-critical parts.
Supports color matching, texture simulation and insert molding to mimic final production intent.
Fast, export-ready delivery from our China manufacturing facility, backed by automotive-grade quality control.

Get an Instant Urethane Casting Quote

What Is Vacuum Casting?

Vacuum casting is a low-volume manufacturing process that uses a silicone rubber mold and polyurethane resin to replicate high-quality plastic parts from a master pattern. By casting under vacuum, the process removes air bubbles, delivers an excellent surface finish, and produces production-like parts for functional testing and pre-series builds.

In a typical urethane casting project, a master pattern is made by CNC machining or 3D printing. RTV silicone rubber is then poured around the pattern to form a flexible mold. Once cured, the mold is used to cast polyurethane parts that mimic injection-molded plastics in geometry, texture and mechanical performance.

Because the tooling is made from silicone rather than metal, this method is ideal when you need realistic parts in quantities that are too low to justify hard tooling, such as design validation builds, pilot runs or early marketing samples.

Benefits of Urethane Vacuum Casting

Why Choose Vacuum Casting for Low-Volume Production?

This polyurethane casting route is ideal when you need high-quality plastic parts in small batches, with short lead time and low up-front tooling cost. It is a proven solution between one-off 3D printed prototypes and fully tooled injection molding.

Key benefits of this process:

Low tooling cost – Silicone molds are much cheaper and faster to manufacture than steel injection molds, making them ideal for prototypes and bridge tooling.
Short lead time – Go from CAD data to finished urethane cast parts in as little as 5–7 days.
Production-like quality – Cast parts can closely simulate injection-molded ABS, PC, PP, TPE and other engineering plastics.
Flexible materials – Choose from rigid, flexible, rubber-like, transparent and colored polyurethane materials.
Design flexibility – Easy to modify the master pattern and build new molds when your design changes.
Lower risk – Validate fit, function and user experience before committing to expensive production tooling.

Not sure if vacuum casting fits your project? Send us your CAD files and we’ll help you decide.

Vacuum Casting Process: Step-by-Step

Our standardized urethane casting process ensures predictable lead times and consistent part quality.

Step 1 – Master pattern manufacturing

We create a high-precision master pattern using CNC machining or high-resolution SLA / SLS 3D printing. This pattern defines final part geometry, surface quality, and fine details such as logos and textures.
Step 2 – Silicone mold (RTV) tooling

The master pattern is positioned in a casting box, and liquid RTV silicone rubber is poured around it. After curing under controlled conditions, the silicone block is carefully cut to release the pattern, forming a reusable mold cavity.
Step 3 – Resin mixing and vacuum degassing

Two-component polyurethane resin is weighed, mixed, and degassed in a vacuum chamber. Removing air from the mixture reduces bubbles, improves strength, and enhances optical clarity in transparent parts.
Step 4 – Casting under vacuum and curing

The degassed resin is poured into the silicone mold inside a vacuum chamber. After casting, the mold is transferred to an oven or temperature-controlled environment for curing, ensuring stable dimensions and material properties.
Step 5 – Demolding, finishing, and inspection

Once fully cured, parts are removed from the mold, gates and vents are trimmed, and any required sanding, polishing, painting, or texturing is performed. Each batch goes through dimensional and visual inspection before packing and shipment.

Vacuum Casting Materials and Finishing Options

We offer a broad portfolio of polyurethane casting resins to simulate common production plastics and rubber materials.

Urethane vacuum cast parts showing different materials and surface finishes — Urethane vacuum cast parts showcasing different materials and finishing options.

Rigid and engineering-grade polyurethanes

ABS-like polyurethane for housings, covers, and functional prototypes.
PC-like materials with improved impact resistance and good clarity.
PP-like resins for flexible snap-fit features and living hinges.
High-heat materials for components exposed to elevated temperatures.

Flexible and rubber-like casting materials

Rubber-like resins in multiple Shore A hardness for seals and gaskets.
TPE- and TPU-like options for grips, overmolds, and vibration-damping parts.
Soft-touch materials for consumer products and ergonomic components.

Transparent, tinted, and colored parts

Water-clear resins for lenses, light covers, and transparent enclosures.
Tinted transparent materials for automotive and lighting applications.
Opaque colors matched to RAL or Pantone references on request.

Surface finishing and appearance

As-cast matte or semi-gloss surface from the silicone mold.
Hand sanding and high-gloss polishing for optical and cosmetic parts.
Painting in solid colors, metallic effects, or soft-touch coatings.
Texturing to simulate injection-molded grain patterns.
Silk-screening or pad printing of logos, icons, and markings.

Need help choosing materials for vacuum casting?

Share your CAD files and target production plastic, and we’ll recommend the most suitable polyurethane material and finishing options for your parts.

Upload CAD & Get Material Recommendation

Want to explore options in more detail?

Materials Guide Surface Finishing Guide

Tolerances, Accuracy, and Quality Assurance in Vacuum Casting

Vacuum casting offers good dimensional stability for low-volume plastic parts when tolerances and process controls are defined correctly from the start.

Typical tolerances for vacuum cast parts

As a general guideline, we work with the following tolerance levels for urethane vacuum cast parts:

Standard tolerance: around ±0.2 mm for most features.
Local tight tolerance: down to ±0.1 mm on simple, well-supported dimensions.
Larger parts: tolerances may scale with overall size and geometry.

The achievable tolerance depends on part size, wall thickness, design complexity, and material choice. Our engineers review each project and confirm realistic tolerances before mold making.

Learn more about our Quality Assurance standards.

Quality assurance and inspection process

To ensure repeatable quality across every batch, we follow a structured QA procedure:

Engineering and DFM review of your 3D CAD models.
Verification of master pattern accuracy before silicone molding.
Controlled mixing, vacuum degassing, and curing parameters.
In-process checks on critical dimensions and cosmetic areas.
Final dimensional inspection with calibrated tools or CMM when required.
Visual inspection for bubbles, sink marks, color consistency, and surface defects.

Inspection reports and material certificates can be supplied for projects with higher regulatory or traceability requirements.

Design Guidelines for Vacuum Cast Parts

Good design for vacuum casting can improve quality, reduce cost, and extend silicone mold life.

Basic design tips

Keep wall thickness as uniform as possible to reduce sink marks and warpage.
Add generous fillets at internal corners to improve resin flow and strength.
Avoid extremely thin walls; as a rule of thumb, keep most sections ≥ 1.5–2.0 mm.
Use draft angles on vertical walls when possible to help demolding.
Clearly define critical dimensions and functional interfaces for inspection.

For more detailed recommendations, see our Vacuum Casting Design Guide.

Unsure if your design is suitable for vacuum casting?

Our engineers can review your 3D CAD models and highlight risks, achievable tolerances, and design tweaks before you spend on tooling.

Have an Engineer Review My Design

Typical Applications of Urethane Vacuum Casting

Vacuum casting is widely used whenever you need small batches of realistic plastic parts without committing to full-scale tooling.

1Prototype

Functional prototypes

Parts for fit, assembly and performance testing where geometry, strength and surface quality need to be close to production intent.

2User Testing

User testing samples

Realistic models for ergonomics, handling and UX evaluations so users can interact with parts that look and feel like final products.

3Pre-series

Pre-series builds

Pilot runs and low-volume production before tooling, supporting early market builds and validation at your contract manufacturer.

4Marketing

Marketing and demo units

High-quality parts for photography, exhibitions, customer demos and investor presentations when appearance really matters.

5Service

Service and spare parts

Low and unpredictable demand spare parts where full injection tooling is not economical but reliability is still important.

6Cosmetic

Transparent & cosmetic components

Clear, tinted and cosmetic-grade parts for automotive, medical and consumer products where visual quality is critical.

Vacuum Casting vs Injection Molding vs 3D Printing

Choosing between vacuum casting, injection molding, and 3D printing depends on your target volume, budget, and time-to-market goals. Urethane casting often provides the best balance for 10–100 parts.

Process	Typical Volume	Tooling Cost	Lead Time	Per-Part Cost	Best For
Vacuum casting	10–100 pcs	Very low	~5–7 days	Medium	Prototypes, pilot runs, bridge production
3D printing	1–20 pcs	None	1–3 days	Medium–High	Concept models, fast design iterations
Injection molding	1,000+ pcs	High	3–6 weeks or longer	Low	Mass production and long-term high-volume runs

When you need production-like plastic parts quickly and in limited quantities, vacuum casting is usually the most cost-effective and low-risk choice.

Not sure whether to use vacuum casting, 3D printing, or injection molding?

Tell us about your project, and we’ll suggest the most cost-effective process with clear lead time and unit cost estimates.

Get a Process Recommendation

Pricing and Lead Time for Vacuum Casting Services

Vacuum casting is designed to keep your up-front investment low while providing predictable lead times for prototype and low-volume production.

What influences the price?

Part size, geometry, and wall thickness.
Order quantity and number of cavities required.
Selected polyurethane material and color requirements.
Level of finishing, painting, or texturing.
Additional inspection, testing, or documentation.

Typical ranges and expectations

Lead time: around 5–7 working days after order confirmation for most 10–100 piece projects.
Order quantities: common batches range from 10 to 100 parts per design.
Tooling: silicone molds usually produce 15–25 good parts each, depending on material and complexity.

Because every project is different, the most accurate way to estimate cost is to share your CAD models and basic requirements. Our team usually provides a detailed quote within 24 hours.

Who Will Handle Your Vacuum Casting Project?

Your project will be handled by a dedicated vacuum casting core team in China. Each person below owns a clearly defined part of the process, so you always know who is responsible for DFM, mold design, casting operations, communication and quality.

This services page is authored by the SPI Vacuum Casting Engineering Team and reviewed by Kevin Liu (Engineering Lead) and An Wang (Quality Engineer).
Last reviewed: May 2025

Engineering

Vacuum Casting Engineering Lead

Kevin Liu View profile

20+ years of precision manufacturing experience

Kevin leads DFM and design optimization for urethane vacuum casting. He reviews your 3D/2D files, defines parting and gating strategy, selects suitable polyurethane materials and finishing processes, and uses process know-how to minimize warpage, bubbles and defects, ensuring stable, repeatable production for your vacuum cast parts.

Project & Production

Vacuum Casting Project Manager

Guoke Ye View profile

End-to-end project coordination

Guoke coordinates master pattern making, silicone mold building, casting, post-processing and shipments. He prepares timing plans, tracks daily production status and organizes trial reviews, keeping you updated in clear English as your single point of contact throughout the vacuum casting project.

Quality

Quality Engineer – Vacuum Casting

An Wang View QA system

Focused on stability & compliance

An defines inspection plans and quality standards for your vacuum cast parts, including key dimensions, sampling levels and cosmetic criteria. She oversees dimensional reports, capability checks where needed, and final inspection so every shipment meets your specifications and appearance requirements.

Certified vacuum casting facility

About SPI Super Ingenuity

Our vacuum casting and machining facility is ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certified, and has delivered vacuum cast and machined plastic parts to customers across Europe, North America and Asia.

We combine controlled processes in silicone mold making and casting with CNC machining, measurement systems and documented work instructions to support automotive, EV, robotics, medical and industrial customers who require consistent quality and on-time delivery.

Learn more on our About SPI Super Ingenuity page,
or see our Quality Assurance system in detail.

Case Browsing

Why Choose Super Ingenuity for Vacuum Casting?

Super Ingenuity combines engineering expertise, modern equipment, and strict quality control to deliver reliable vacuum casting services for global customers.

What sets us apart

We focus on making vacuum casting predictable and production-relevant, not just “good enough for prototypes”.

Dedicated vacuum casting team – Specialists focused on silicone tooling and urethane casting projects.
Experienced engineers – Over 20 years of precision manufacturing experience across automotive, medical, and electronics industries.
Design-for-manufacturing support – We help you optimize your design for casting, assembly, and long-term production.
One-stop manufacturing – Combine vacuum casting with CNC machining, 3D printing, and surface finishing in a single project.
Export-ready logistics – Stable lead times, protective packaging, and support for international shipments.

Vacuum Casting Case Studies

A few examples of how urethane vacuum casting has helped customers in different industries move quickly with production-like parts.

Case 1

Transparent medical device housing

Customer: European medical device manufacturer
Requirement: 30 transparent housings for functional tests and early clinical evaluations
Solution: Clear polyurethane resin, high-gloss polishing, and controlled tinting
Result: 6-day turnaround, parts passed leak tests and fit checks, enabling the customer to validate design before investing in injection molds.

Case 2

Automotive interior prototype set

Customer: Tier-1 automotive supplier
Requirement: 50 sets of interior trim parts for design review and user clinics
Solution: ABS-like PU material with soft-touch painting and grain-textured surfaces
Result: Realistic appearance allowed accurate aesthetic and ergonomic feedback, shortening the development cycle by several weeks.

Case 3

Consumer electronics pilot run

Customer: Smart home device startup
Requirement: 80 units for beta testing, certifications, and marketing activities
Solution: Vacuum cast housings with color-matched painting and logo printing to simulate final production units
Result: Delivered in 7 working days, supporting successful beta tests and a strong product launch.

Want to achieve similar results for your project?

Share your design goals and we’ll suggest a vacuum casting solution based on experience from similar projects we have delivered.

Discuss a Similar Project

FAQ About Vacuum Casting

Answers to common questions about how vacuum casting works, when to use it, and what to expect from the process.

How does vacuum casting work?

Vacuum casting uses a reusable silicone rubber mold and polyurethane resin to reproduce parts from a master pattern. The liquid resin is mixed, vacuum-degassed to remove air, cast into the mold inside a vacuum chamber, cured at a controlled temperature, and finally demolded, finished, and inspected.

When should I choose vacuum casting over injection molding?

Choose vacuum casting when you need low volumes, faster turnaround, and low tooling investment. It is ideal for 10–100 parts for testing and validation. Injection molding is more suitable only when your design is frozen and you plan to produce hundreds or thousands of parts.

How many parts can I get from one silicone mold?

A typical silicone mold produces around 15–25 high-quality parts, depending on part size, geometry, and material. For larger quantities, we can build multiple molds in parallel to meet your volume and delivery requirements.

What tolerances can you achieve with vacuum casting?

For most projects, ±0.2 mm is a realistic target, with tighter tolerances on simple features. After reviewing your 3D CAD files, our engineers will confirm achievable tolerances and highlight any dimensions that may need adjustment.

Can you make transparent or color-matched vacuum cast parts?

Yes. We can produce clear and tinted transparent parts as well as opaque colors matched to RAL or Pantone references. Surface finishes such as gloss, matte, or textured, plus painting and printing, are available to match your desired appearance.

What files do I need to send for a vacuum casting quote?

Please send your 3D CAD files (STEP, IGES, or STL), quantity per design, preferred material or production plastic to simulate, and any special color or finishing requirements. With this information, our team usually provides a detailed quote within 24 hours.

Still have questions about vacuum casting? Contact our team and we’ll be happy to walk you through the best solution for your project.

Related Services

Explore our Five-Axis CNC Machining Services for complex, precision-milled prototypes.
Visit our Technical Article Hub to learn how vacuum casting compares with injection molding.
Return to our Homepage for a full overview of services.

Vacuum Molding is a versatile manufacturing process used to create high-quality prototypes and low-volume production parts. The process begins with creating a master model, often using 3D printing. A silicone mold is then formed around the model, and once the mold is cured, it’s cut open to remove the master. The mold is placed in a vacuum chamber, where liquid resin is poured into it. The vacuum removes air bubbles and ensures accurate filling. After curing, the parts are removed, trimmed, and finished. The entire process typically takes 7-10 days, depending on the complexity and volume of the order.

For more information, you can refer to authoritative resources like:

Protolabs: Readmore
3D Hubs: Readmore

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Ready to Start Your Vacuum Casting Project?

Whether you need a small batch of functional prototypes or a low-volume bridge production run, our vacuum casting team is ready to support you. Share your CAD files and requirements, and we will recommend the most suitable material, process, and delivery plan.

Upload CAD & Get a Vacuum Casting Quote Talk to a Vacuum Casting Engineer

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