Silicone parts

Silicone is a versatile material for soft parts.

Silicone offers a unique combination of safety, durability, flexibility, and aesthetic appeal. These characteristics make it valuable for products that require repeated handling, contact with food or skin, exposure to extreme temperatures, or a premium tactile experience.

Advantages and disadvantages of silicone

Silicone offers unique performance characteristics that make it the preferred material for many demanding applications. Here’s how it compares.

Advantages

Why choose silicone compared to TPE or TPU

Temperature Resistance

Remains stable in high and low temperatures, typically from -50°C to over 200°C.

Flexibility & Elasticity

Maintains its shape and flexibility even after repeated use.

Chemical Resistance

Resists water, oils, UV exposure, and many common household chemicals.

Food & Medical Safe

Available in grades approved for food-contact and medical applications.

Electrical Insulation

Provides excellent insulation for electronic and electrical products.

Long-Term Durability

Resists aging, cracking, weathering, and prolonged exposure to sunlight.

Disadvantages

What to consider before choosing silicone

Higher Part Cost

Typically more expensive per part than injection-moulded TPE or TPU.

More Complex Bonding

Silicone is difficult to bond to plastics or metals using standard adhesives or double-sided tape.

Overmoulding May Be Required

Bonding silicone to rigid plastic or metal parts may require overmoulding.

Not sure if silicone is right for your part?

We can help compare materials based on your application and performance needs.

Why Choose Pilotfish?

At Pilotfish we design, engineer and produce products. We optimize the design and engineering of your part and product for manufacturing.

Silicone Parts Moulding Process

Silicone parts production process is different from injection moulding of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer).

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First the silicone raw material is prepared and then pressed into a steel tool. Then the silicone is cured; the chemical process where the shape becomes permanent. One production cycle is about 5 minutes, and several parts are often combined in one tool to reduce the production cost.

Quick Production Cycle

Several parts in one tool

Precision steel tooling

Lower cost per part

Silicone Types

LSR and HCR differ significantly in how they are handled and processed: LSR is a liquid material commonly used in automated injection moulding, while HCR has a solid, gum-like consistency and can be compression moulded or extruded.

LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber)

For high-volume precision moulding.

HCR (High Consistency Rubber)

For moulded and extruded products such as seals and gaskets.

Curing options

Peroxide Curing (Heat Curing)

Uses heat and peroxide to cure silicone into its final shape.

Platinum Curing

Uses a platinum catalyst to cure silicone with high purity.

Custom Colours

Silicone parts can be made in various colours by adding a colour additive. For medical devices and food-contact applications, biocompatible colour additives are available.

Overmoulding of Electronics

Electronics can be overmoulded and protected with silicone. This is particularly useful in wearable electronics, where silicone provides comfortable skin contact while protecting the integrated FPC.

Ready to develop your silicone part?

From concept and tooling to production, we help companies bring high-performance silicone parts to market.