How To Choose Liquid Tooling Materials at Freeman Mfg. & Supply Co

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Liquid Tooling Materials Selection Guide

(Part 2 of 2: Choosing a Liquid Tooling Material)

After you choose which method is best, you need to decide which material(s) to use. Choosing your material largely depends on your answers to the following questions:

	How will this pattern, part, tool or mold be used?
	How important is dimensional accuracy?
	Is this a prototype or a production part/tool?
	How many times will this part be used?
	Will it be exposed to heat?
	Will it need to be abrasion resistant, impact-resistant, etc?
	Are there any special conditions this tool needs to meet?

Please keep in mind that the information below should be considered as guidelines and not rules. The best material for your application will vary depending on the unique characteristics of your projecct. This is why Freeman offers free technical support to all of our customers.

Flexible Mold Making Materials

Ideal for negative molds (mass casting), flexible parts and gaskets, plaster casting, and prototypes.

Silicone Rubber

	Self-releasing, therefore it reproduces high detail
	High temperature resistance
	Excellent tear strength and elongation properties
	Much more user-firendly than latex rubbers
	Higher cost than urethane rubber

...see Rhodia Silicone Rubber

Urethane Rubber

	Preferred material for concrete and architectural castings due to its abrasion-resistance
	Available in a brushable formulation for glove molds/skin molds
	Lower cost than silicone rubber
	Requires release agents

...see FMSC Flexible Urethanes
...see Synair Urethanes
...see Ren Polyurethanes

Filled Mass Casting Materials

These urethane or epoxy materials are filled with glass, aluminum, iron, or other materials, which give them unique properities and in many cases, lower the cost over unfilled materials.

Repro (Fast-Cast Urethane)

	Low cost
	Fast demold times
	Easy to use
	Durable
	Generates less heat than epoxy (ideal for thicker pours)

...see Freeman Repro Fast-Cast Urethanes

Epoxy Casting Resins

	Slower, variable gel times
	Higher durability
	Wider range of applications
	Higher heat resistances available
	Higher cost than Repro

...see FMSC Epoxy Casting Resins
...see Ren Epoxy Casting Resins

Unfilled Mass Casting Materials

These urethanes are available in a wide variety of durometers, from very flexible to very rigid. Although higher in cost than most filled urethanes, these materials are more versatile and more durable in thinner sections.

Semi-Rigid Urethane Elastomer

	Highest impact resistance
	Highest abrasion resistance
	Ideal for surface casting and foundry applications

...see FMSC Semi-Rigid Urethanes
...see Ren Polyurethanes

Rigid Urethane Elastomers

	Variable gel times
	Can simulate a wide vareity of production plastics, thus creating accurate and usable models, prototypes, and parts without expensive tooling
	Clear, tinted, and opaque formulations available

...see FMSC Rigid Urethanes
...see Ren Rapid-Prototyping Polyurethanes (for very fast curing)
...see RenCast Fast Polyurethanes (for medium speed curing)
...see RenCast Polyurethane Elastomers (for overnight curing)

Laminating Materials

Used primarily in larger tooling applications where weight and overall material requirements becomes an issue, these materials offer a variety of alternatives for creating inexpensive parts and tooling.

Repro Laminating Materials

	System includes Repro Surface Coat, Repro Laminating Resin, & fiberglass strand
	Low cost
	Easy 1:1 mix ratio
	Fast 'tack-free' for quick tool construction
	3-4 hour demold
	Not as strong as epoxy
	Not intended for large vertical surfaces

...see Freeman Repro

Urethane Paste Laminating Materials

	Strong and lightweight
	No sagging on large vertical surfaces
	Ideal backup for many surface coats or brushable rubbers (in glove molds)
	Easier to use than epoxy paste laminate material
	Lower cost than epoxy paste

...see FMSC Paste Laminating Materials

Epoxy Paste Laminating Materials

	Strong and lightweight
	No sagging on vertical surfaces
	Easy to apply as backup for surface coats
	Higher cost than urethane paste

...see FMSC Paste Laminating Materials
...see Ren Specialty Tooling Epoxies

Epoxy Laminating Materials

	Variable gel times
	Lightest Weight
	Low cost
	Longest working time
	Higher heat resistances available

...see FMSC Laminating Materials
...see Ren Laminating Materials
...see Blehm Epoxies