Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about our processes, how we choose projects, and our material? Thank you for your interest in Casco Bay Molding’s capabilities. As we are a small (and very busy) team, we would appreciate it if you would browse the answers to the following question before calling or emailing. Thank you.

Do You Accept Short-Run (Small Volume) Jobs?

We decline all projects that do not have a long term return (50,000+ parts/year). Unfortunately, the reality is that Casco Bay Molding makes money by producing parts. If lucky, we break even on product development. When we choose which products to develop, we are gambling on your ability to sell your product. For that reason, we only accept jobs with a minimum of 20,000+ annual parts, with the potential for more.

Do You Accept Kickstarter or University Projects?

We appreciate your creativity and hard work. Like you, we also develop our own products. However, we cannot accept jobs for under 50,000+ parts per year. The product development and tooling costs are simply too high for smaller volumes.

Do You Do Single Silicone Prototypes?

For these projects, we recommend a “local” ​RTV (room temperature vulcanization) prototype shop, 3D printer, or working with a local university’s mechanical engineering department. Prototype projects that require many parts also require tooling, which is expensive. As with Kickstarter projects, we decline many of these projects because a partnership entails a gamble on our part that your organization can sell tens of thousands of units.

For our high-volume project development customers, it is possible to build a plaster or silicone mold into which you can hand inject RTV (room temperature vulcanization silicone). Bear in mind that it is more difficult to inject LSR (liquid silicone rubber) into anything but a metal mold because silicone cures at an extremely high temperature. For that reason, we sometimes build short run/prototype silicone rubber steel core and cavity sets for high-volume customers.

Do You Do 3D Printing?

We do not do 3D printing in-house. If we take your high-volume product development project on, we will help you with this step. ​Online you can find people to 3D print silicone ​—​ if you can live with loose tolerances +/- 1.5mm. ​We do not make recommendations to potential customers.​

Can We Try Different Durometers?

Yes.  Once the core & cavity set or mold is completed Casco Bay Molding can run various Durometers in the same mold.  Liquid Silicone Rubber is delivered in a closed “sheet rock bucket” or 55-gallon drum set. Each Durometer has its A & B sides that are pumped into the injection molding machine.

Do You Make Silicone Molds for Ice Cubes, Soap, Candy, Food?

No, as these projects can be accomplished for less in China. For context, we charge $7,000-$9,000 per steel core and cavity set and an additional $2.00-3.00 per part based on an order value of 2,000 units. All prices are subject to part weight and part/mold design review.

Do You Recommend Silicone for Grip Applications?

Silicone is lubricious when wet, so these are not great applications.

Can Our Material Be Exposed to High Temperatures (+400F) and/or for Long Periods of Time?

We use medical-grade liquid silicone rubber (LSR). This material can withstand high heat but is not ideal for long-term exposure. We would recommend finding an HRC (high consistency rubber) silicone supplier who can specialize in high-temperature formulations.

Can We Recommend a Manufacturer?

No. For low-volume projects, we sometimes recommend potential customers to Chinese factories. These companies may offer low-cost mold making. We do not offer specific recommendations because there is a significant risk of having your IP stolen. It is not uncommon for the manufacturer to sell a good product idea directly on Alibaba or Amazon. NDAs are important but often enforceable or expensive to enforce abroad.

If you choose to manufacture overseas, we suggest that you ask for a silicone material certification.