Urethane Casting Services Vietnam
Urethane casting — also called vacuum casting — produces 10–200 production-representative parts from silicone molds with no hard tooling cost. T1 delivery from Bình Chánh, Ho Chi Minh City in 7–15 days. ISO 9001:2015 documented, CMM report on request.
- ✓ ABS-like · PP-like · PC-like · Elastomers · Flame-rated V0 grades
- ✓ Matte / gloss / textured surface finish — MT11010 to MT11030 equivalent
- ✓ 0% Section 301 tariff into USA — China equivalent grade 25–145%
- ✓ No minimum order — single prototype or 200-unit bridge run
What Is Urethane Casting?
Urethane casting — also called vacuum casting or polyurethane casting — is a low-tooling-cost process for producing 10–200 parts that look and perform like injection-molded components. A silicone mold is cast from a 3D-printed or CNC-machined master pattern, then filled with two-part polyurethane resin under vacuum to eliminate bubbles. Each silicone mold yields approximately 20 castings before dimensional drift exceeds tolerance.
The process sits between rapid CNC prototyping and prototype injection molding. Use it when you need more than 5 identical parts but cannot justify $4,000–$20,000 in hard tooling before design is locked.
Production Quality, Low Volume
10–200 units with production-representative mechanical properties. Shore A/D ranges match common injection-molded engineering resins. No compromise on cosmetics or dimensional accuracy.
Complex Geometry Without Draft
Silicone flexibility allows undercuts, sharp internal corners, and zero-draft walls that are impossible to injection mold without side-actions. No geometry penalty on tooling cost.
Elastomers & Overmolds
Urethane casting handles elastomeric parts — gaskets, seals, soft-touch grips — that 3D printing cannot replicate mechanically. Shore A 20–90 range. Overmold on rigid substrate in a single workflow.
Urethane Casting Process — Step by Step
Every urethane casting order at VNcontX follows this sequence. No steps are skipped; no steps are billed twice.
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01
3D File Review & DFMWe review your STEP/IGES for wall thickness, split-line placement, and feature fillability. DFM report returned within 24 hours — no charge.
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02
Master Pattern FabricationSLA-printed or CNC-machined master to ±0.05mm. Surface finish sanded and primed to match your cosmetic specification before molding.
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03
Silicone Mold PourTwo-part platinum-cure silicone poured around master under vacuum. Mold cure: 8–16 hours. Each mold rated for approximately 20 castings.
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04
Vacuum CastingTwo-part polyurethane mixed in Rampf or Axson-grade systems and injected under vacuum in our MCP Vakuumtechnik casting chamber. Vacuum eliminates air entrapment. Resin selected to match mechanical spec — hardness, elongation, heat resistance, flame rating.
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05
Post-Processing & FinishingDemold, deflash, secondary operations: painting, pad printing, insert installation, EMI shielding. Cosmetic check against approved reference part.
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06
Inspection & Shipment100% visual inspection. Dimensional check on first-off against your drawing. Parts packed individually. Export docs and CoC included. Air freight to USA/Australia: 2–3 days.
Who Uses Urethane Casting — and For What
Urethane casting is a process-agnostic tool. The same workflow that produces an automotive intake manifold mockup on Monday produces a medical device enclosure for FDA submission on Wednesday. What matters is quantity, geometry, and material spec — not the industry.
Urethane Casting Materials & Surface Finishes
All materials below are available in-stock at our Bình Chánh facility. Shore hardness, tensile data, and flame ratings listed are manufacturer published values for the specific polyurethane grades we pour — not generic estimates.
Urethane Casting From Vietnam — What You Get
- Full in-house production — silicone molding, casting, post-processing, inspection all on one floor in Bình Chánh, HCMC
- ISO 9001:2015 documented process — PDCA cycle enforced, no deviation
- DFM review included — split-line, wall thickness, gate placement reviewed before silicone is poured
- Material certificates and CoCs available on every order
- No MOQ — order 1 part or 200; silicone mold stored at no charge for active programs
- Secondary processing in-house: painting, pad printing, EMI shielding, threaded inserts
- 0% Section 301 tariff (USA) — saves 25–145% vs Chinese-sourced parts landed cost
- Australia buyers: 0% import duty under AANZFTA — HCMC to Sydney 2–3 days air, same lead time as domestic suppliers
- EU buyers: 0% duty under EVFTA — HCMC to Frankfurt 4–5 days air, no China-equivalent tariff risk
- Air freight: HCMC → LAX 2–3 days | Sydney 2–3 days | Frankfurt 4–5 days
When your urethane program validates and volumes scale, we transition to prototype injection molding using the DFM data already on file — no restart, no duplicate engineering cost.
Urethane casting (1–200 pcs) → Rapid injection mold (200–5,000 pcs) → Production tool (5,000+ pcs). Same supplier, same DFM file, no re-engineering.
Ready to quote your urethane casting project?
Upload STEP file → DFM review within 24h → parts in 7–15 days. No account required.Quality Control on Every Urethane Casting Order
Urethane casting tolerance is process-dependent — not just material-dependent. The master pattern accuracy, silicone pour conditions, and resin mix ratio each introduce variation. We control all three.
Urethane casting achieves ±0.3mm general tolerance and ±0.15mm on local critical features. This is tighter than most FDM 3D printing but looser than CNC machining (±0.005mm). If your application requires tighter tolerances, our team will advise switching to CNC machining during DFM review — no charge for that recommendation.
Vietnam vs China — Section 301 Tariff on Urethane Cast Parts
Under current US trade policy, urethane cast plastic parts sourced from China carry a 25–145% Section 301 tariff on landed cost. Vietnam-sourced parts enter the US at 0% under the same HS codes. For a $10,000 urethane casting order, that difference is $2,500–$14,500 in additional duty before the parts reach your warehouse.
EVFTA: 0% duty into EU
Cat Lai Port < 25km
List 3 plastic parts
HS 3926.90 category
Select product categories
Subject to change
HCMC → Sydney: 2–3 days
Sea West Coast: 18–22 days
Urethane Casting vs Injection Molding vs CNC — When to Use Which
The right process depends on quantity, geometry, and timeline — not just cost per part. Here is the practical decision boundary: use urethane casting when you need more than 5 identical parts but haven’t locked design, or when geometry has undercuts and zero-draft walls that injection molding cannot produce without side-actions. Switch to rapid injection molding when quantities exceed 200 or part-to-part tolerance tighter than ±0.2mm is required.
| Factor | Urethane Casting | Prototype Injection Mold | CNC Machining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | 1–200 pcs | 50–5,000 pcs | 1–500 pcs |
| Tooling Cost | $400–$1,200 | $3,000–$15,000 | $0 (no tooling) |
| Lead Time | 7–15 days | 15–25 days | 5–12 days |
| Tolerance | ±0.3mm general | ±0.1–0.2mm | ±0.005mm |
| Elastomers | Yes — Shore A 20–90 | Yes (TPU/TPE) | Limited (POM/PEEK only) |
| Geometry Complexity | No draft required | 1–3° draft needed | Tool access limits |
For a deeper comparison, see our guide on injection molding vs alternative processes or talk to an engineer about which path fits your program timeline and budget.
Urethane Casting FAQ
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How many parts can one silicone mold produce?
Each platinum-cure silicone mold is rated for approximately 20 castings before dimensional drift exceeds ±0.3mm general tolerance. For a 100-piece order, we produce 5 silicone molds from the same master pattern. Mold cost is included in the per-part price; you are not billed per mold separately. -
What is the minimum order quantity for urethane casting?
There is no minimum order quantity. We have produced single-part one-offs for engineering teams who needed one high-fidelity appearance model. The economics of urethane casting improve significantly between 10 and 50 parts — the silicone mold setup cost amortizes over more parts. For quantities above 200, rapid injection molding usually delivers lower per-part cost. -
Can urethane casting replicate overmolded or two-material parts?
Yes. We cast the rigid substrate first (ABS-like or PP-like urethane), then cast the elastomeric layer over it in a second mold. This produces a functional two-material part — rigid housing with soft grip overmold — without two-shot tooling. Bond strength depends on resin compatibility; we select compatible systems and confirm before production. See our overmolding capabilities page for more detail on overmold geometry and substrate adhesion. -
What file formats do you accept, and what information is needed to quote?
We accept STEP, IGES, STL, and SolidWorks native files. To produce a quote, we need: 3D file, material preference or mechanical spec (hardness, temperature, flame rating), surface finish requirement, quantity, and any critical dimension tolerances. A 2D drawing is preferred but not mandatory — we will flag critical dimensions for confirmation during DFM review. Email files to duc.nguyen@vncontx.com or upload via the quote form at /request/. -
How does lead time for urethane casting compare to injection molding from Vietnam?
Urethane casting: 7–15 days from file approval to ship. Prototype injection molding: 15–25 days for T1 samples. Production injection mold: 20–35 days for first article. Urethane casting is typically 2–3× faster than the fastest injection mold path because silicone mold preparation takes 1–2 days versus steel cutting and EDM for an injection mold. For programs on an EVT or DVT deadline, urethane casting is often the only process that meets the schedule. -
Do you provide material certifications for urethane cast parts?
Yes. We provide material Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from the resin supplier (Axson or Rampf grade as quoted), lot number, and pour date with every order. Flame-rating documentation (UL94 V0 test report from the resin manufacturer) is available for ABS-Like FR V0 grade at no additional charge. ISO 9001:2015 process records are maintained and available on request for regulated industry customers.
Request a Urethane Casting Quote
Upload your STEP file and specify quantity, material, and finish. Our engineer reviews DFM and returns a quote with lead time within one business day. Orders confirmed by Thursday ship within standard 7–15 day lead time. No account required. No minimum order.