Silicone parts
A keypad is judged by feel and legend wear. A seal is judged by compression set. A consumer part is judged by colour, finish and how it ages. The compound and the tool follow the application.
Six environments
Each card lists the constraint and the construction that usually fits. Hardness, colour and finish are confirmed on a physical sample.
Keypads for remotes and panels
Short travel, quiet actuation and legends that survive repeated use. Conductive pads can be moulded into the same part.
(scenario label) Wall thickness, actuation force, conductive pad pattern, backlit legends and a hard coat where needed.
Seals for enclosures and wet areas
The seal has to hold its shape through compression, cleaning and temperature change, without taking a permanent set.
(scenario label) Compound hardness, compression set, chemical exposure, groove geometry and deflashing.
Kitchen, drinkware and travel
Colour, surface finish and a clean edge matter more than engineering tolerance, but the part still has to release from the tool cleanly.
(scenario label) Colour matching, hardness, food-contact grade where required, and a finish that resists dust pickup.
Soft-touch and anti-slip parts
The part touches skin or a hand for long periods. Feel, grip and colour stability drive the compound choice.
(scenario label) Skin-contact grade where required, anti-slip texture, hardness and overmoulding onto a rigid substrate.
Vibration, fluid and temperature
The part has to keep sealing or damping while the equipment is running, not only on the bench.
(scenario label) Compound resistance, compression set, moulded-in inserts and batch traceability.
Parts for repeated cleaning
Repeated wipe-down and chemical exposure can break down the surface before the part mechanically fails.
(scenario label) Compound selection, smooth surface, sealed edges and the cleaning agents the part will meet.
Material selection
A softer compound feels better but can tear at a thin wall. A harder compound wears longer but can feel dead. We confirm the pair on a moulded sample, not on a data sheet alone.
| Application | Process | Typical hardness | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote keypad | Compression | 40–60 Shore A | Matte, backlit, hard coat |
| Seal / gasket | Compression | 50–70 Shore A | Smooth, deflashed |
| Consumer part | Injection | 30–60 Shore A | Colour matched, soft touch |
| Grip / overmould | Injection | 40–70 Shore A | Textured, anti-slip |
| Industrial seal | Compression | 60–80 Shore A | Smooth, batch coded |
From application to shipment
The application review sets the compound and the tool. The tool is proven on a physical sample before the production run.
Contact surface, cleaning, temperature and expected life are defined.
Hardness, colour and finish selected, then mixed and tested in-house.
Compression or injection tool built and T1 parts moulded and measured.
Pilot batch inspected, golden sample signed, then mass production.
That is enough to recommend a compound, a process and the tooling scope.