How much does vacuum casting cost?

Vacuum casting is a versatile manufacturing process often chosen for its ability to produce precise, high-quality prototypes and low-volume production components. Its flexibility in material options and efficiency makes it a preferred choice across industries. However, understanding the associated costs is crucial for maximizing its benefits. 

Materials Suitable for Vacuum Casting

Vacuum casting uses a wide range of resins and plastics to create parts with diverse mechanical, thermal, and aesthetic properties. Common materials include:

Polyurethane Resins (PU)

Mimics various materials such as rubber, plastic, or even metal.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

Known for its excellent toughness and impact resistance, ideal for functional parts.

PP (Polypropylene)

Lightweight and durable, often used for automotive and consumer product components.

Epoxy Resins

High strength and superior adhesion, suitable for parts requiring durability.

Acrylic Resins

Transparent and aesthetic materials are used for optical parts.

Silicone Rubbers

Used primarily for mold creation, ensuring precision and durability.

Kaierwo's Material Offerings

Kaierwo is a trusted provider of vacuum casting solutions for a wide range of applications, often using materials commonly used in the industry, such as polyurethane resins, ABS and PP.

Custom Material Options

One of the advantages of working with Kaierwo is the ability to order materials tailored to specific needs. Beyond its standard offerings, Kaierwo can source and utilize specialty resins or polymers that meet unique customer demands, whether for enhanced heat resistance, flexibility, or aesthetic finishes. This flexibility allows customers to achieve tailored results for prototypes or small production runs.

Cost Breakdown of Vacuum Casting

The cost of vacuum casting is affected by a number of factors: 

1. Material costs

Vacuum casting materials include ABS, PP, PU, etc. The cost of different materials varies, and the material cost accounts for 40-60% of the total cost.

2. Mold cost

According to the specifications of the parts, the size and structure of the molds are also different, larger or more complex molds require more materials and time to manufacture, higher quality silicone molds have a longer service life, but at a higher price.

3. Production volume

The more parts produced, the lower the unit cost because the initial setup and mold costs are spread over a larger quantity.

4. Post-processing

Additional steps like painting, polishing, or surface texturing add to labor and material costs.If the part is composed of multiple components, assembly costs will be added. If the part is composed of multiple components, assembly costs will be added.

After long-term manufacturing experience and research within the industry, we can summarize the efficiency of vacuum casting as follows:

Material Utilization: Produces only 5–10% waste, compared to 20–30% for CNC machining.

Cycle Times: Parts can be completed in 2–4 days, significantly faster than traditional tooling.

Cost Comparison: For small batches, vacuum casting offers 30–60% savings compared to injection molding.

Optimizing Costs in Vacuum Casting

To maximize efficiency and minimize costs:

Material Selection: Use materials that match the exact requirements of the application, avoiding over-specification.

Design Optimization: Simplify designs to reduce mold complexity.

Batch Planning: Larger orders help distribute mold costs and lower per-unit pricing.

Conclusion

Vacuum casting offers a cost-effective, low-cost solution for prototyping and low-volume production, but the hidden costs of time, effort, and the need for secondary verification that the finished product is exactly what you need are also options you need to look at. So make sure you choose to work with an experienced manufacturer that can save you these hidden costs and make your design perfect!