Casting - Vulcanised Rubber Moulds

This is the default moulding process for models that will withstand heat and pressure. The process makes use of sheets of natural rubber, which are built in layers into a metal mould frame. The model will be embedded within this sandwich of rubber sheets. The whole assembly is then placed in a heated press where a combination of heat and pressure will compact the rubber around the model, and cure the rubber to a stable condition. When the vulcanised block of rubber is removed from the press, the excess rubber is trimmed off, and then the mould is carefully cut with a surgical scalpel to create a two- part mould. The cutting of the mould is a highly skilled and precise process, as every consideration must me taken into account to help achieve the best possible results at the wax injection stage.