The Benefits of Vacuum Casting for Low-Volume Production

Whether you’re refining a prototype, bridging the gap to full-scale production, or fulfilling niche customer needs, low-volume production can be a game-changer. But what’s the best solution to do this? One standout solution is Vacuum Casting.

Why Vacuum Casting Is a Go-To for Low Volumes

Vacuum casting is ideal for producing small batches of high-quality plastic parts using silicone moulds. It delivers injection-moulded-level detail—without the tooling cost and time overhead.

Here’s what makes it ideal for low-volume production.

Fast-Track Production with SLA Masters

Vacuum casting starts with a master model—often produced using SLA 3D printing for its fine detail and smooth surface finish. Once the SLA master is ready, we can begin casting parts within just a few days. That’s a significant time saving compared to traditional injection moulding, where tooling alone can take weeks or even months.

Cost-Effective for Short Runs

Vacuum casting eliminates the need for expensive tooling incurred with injection moulding, making it cost-effective for volumes typically up to 20–25 units per silicone mould. Whether you’re producing marketing samples, early user-testing units, or bridging into production, you’re not locked into costly tooling.

Material Flexibility

We use advanced PU resins that mimic the characteristics of ABS, polypropylene, rubber, and even glass-filled plastics. Whether you need rigid, flexible, or over-moulded parts,we offer a wide range of resins to meet most requirements.

Looking for specific colour-matching, clear components, or soft-touch finishes? We can tint, texture, and finish your part to meet your exact specs.

Production-Quality Aesthetics

Vacuum cast parts boast crisp features, smooth surfaces, making it ideal for functional testing and client presentations. With the right finish and painting, the untrained eye would struggle to spot the difference between a vacuum cast part and an injection moulded one.

Complex Geometries, Simplified

The silicone moulds used in vacuum casting are highly flexible, which means they can capture complex undercuts and intricate details without complex tooling or multi-part moulds. It’s especially useful when testing challenging design features.

Ideal for Pre-Production Testing

If you need feedback before committing to full production tooling, vacuum casting is perfect for functional and aesthetic validation. You can test ergonomics, fit, and mechanical behaviour with real-world accuracy—while remaining agile enough to iterate on the fly.

Unique Designs

Prototyping and low-volume production often involve creating parts with unique geometries. Vacuum casting is no exception. These bespoke designs can introduce challenges during the moulding and casting process. By collaborating with a vacuum casting specialist, like Prototype Projects, you can ensure your part is optimised for the process from the outset, helping to avoid costly delays or rework.

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Contact us on 01763 249760 to discuss your requirements.

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