A liquid silicone injection molder has developed a multi-shot process in conjunction with Dow Corning's QP1 silicone elastomers.
Silcotech North America's processing system can simultaneously mold nine discrete shapes exhibiting a broad range of durometers, textures and colors using the QP1 materials. Such production is comparable in costs to a single-shot system, according to Dow Corning of Midland, Mich.
Silcotech is able to employ the full range of QP1 hardnesses in a single application, Dow Corning explains.
“Our close collaboration has delivered results for high-output molding of intricate medical device designs,” notes Roger Hendrick, application engineer for Dow Corning Healthcare.
“Our customers can now cost-effectively produce finished, highly differentiated components in a single process that integrates materials with different durometers, chemical functional groups, surface textures, colors and other properties,” states Silcotech President Michael Maloney in a news release. “The potential combinations for designers are virtually endless, and introduce a bold new chapter for competitive differentiation and success in today's fast-growing global healthcare sector.”
Silcotech and Dow Corning will feature the multi-shot silicone technology at MD&M West 2015.
Silcotech North America: tel. 905-857-9998, fax 905-857-6004; Dow Corning: tel. 989-496-3191, email [email protected].