LKprototype is capable of producing prototypes of international food-grade silicone items. Its line has obtained 12 global approvals such as FDA 21 CFR 177.2600, LFGB (EU 10/2011), and GB 4806.1-2016. The hardness range of the materials is Shore A 10 to 80. The tensile strength ≥8MPa and the tear strength ≥25kN/m can meet the safety and functional requirements of products such as baby pacifiers, baking molds, and tableware sealing rings. In 2023, it developed a prototype of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) pacifier for a European maternal and infant brand. By varying the vulcanization temperature (160-180℃) and molding cycle (30 seconds to 5 minutes), it was possible to increase the product yield from 85% to 98%, reduce the production and delivery cycle from the industry standard of 14 days to 5 days, and reduce the unit cost by 35%. As far as this project is concerned, LKprototype utilizes the two-color injection molding process and blends food-grade pigments that are up to the EN 71-3 heavy metal migration standard. The color concentration accuracy rate will be less than 0.5%. Meanwhile, the product is undergone a simulation test by ensuring that the anti-deformation power under extreme conditions from -40℃ to 230℃ falls within the scope of the size variation ≤0.8%.
In food safety compliance testing, LKprototype’s laboratory is amply equipped with GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer), which can determine the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentration in silica gel (minimum detection limit of 0.01ppm). Check conformity to European Union EC 1935/2004 migration volume standards. For instance, in a 2022 specific American food container company’s order, through optimal ratio addition of platinum catalysts (from 0.8% to 1.2%), residual monomer content after silica gel curing was reduced from 120μg/kg down to 15μg/kg, much lower than the 50μg/kg requirement from the FDA regulation. It improved the mold runner design simultaneously, increasing material filling rate 40% (15cm³/s to 21cm³/s), reducing flash defect rate to 0.3%, and helping customers save approximately $12,000 of post-processing cost.
To meet complex structural requirements, LKprototype uses liquid silicone 3D printing technology with an accuracy of ±0.1mm, which allows manufacturing of thin-walled components having a wall thickness range of 0.5 to 15mm, as well as mold integration of hollow flow channels having embedded metal components. For instance, applying the high-temperature resistant silicone spatula project of a specific Japanese kitchenware company, through the optimal reduction of printing layer thickness (from 0.2mm to 0.1mm) and curing UV intensity (from 80mW/cm² to 120mW/cm²), the surface roughness Ra value of the product was optimized from 3.2μm to 0.8μm, and the tear resistance strength was increased to 40kN/m. This technology enables customers to finish 50 design iterations in 3 days, with a cost reduction of 70% compared to typical CNC mold development. Moreover, it verifies by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) that the percentage of permanent deformation of the product after 100,000 bending tests is ≤2%.
LKprototype’s supply chain management function also ensures the authenticity of the food-grade silicone project. Its on-site factory maintains FDA-approved LSR raw material (e.g., Momentive LIM 6040, Dow Corning SE 6035) and platinum vulcanizing agents in inventory, with ability to do emergency delivery within 72 hours. In a Southeast Asian coffee machine spare parts purchasing in 2023, it completed the batch production of 5,000 pieces of 230℃ steam resistant valve diaphragms within 5 days by vacuum casting technology (silicone mold life: 200 times), reducing the cost for customer mold development from 8,000 to 2,400, and achieving the weight difference between batches ≤0.5g (stand deviation σ=0.12). For this application, the technical department optimized the demolding slope (from 3° to 5°) via experiment design of DOE, reducing the demolding breakage rate from 8% to 0.5% while maintaining the product dimensional precision at ±0.05mm.
From the market competitiveness perspective, LKprototype’s food-grade silicone service has been used by over 300 companies in 23 countries worldwide, with an average project return on investment (ROI) of 1:4.7. Based on Q1 2024 data, its rapid prototyping service is priced 42% less than the conventional outsourcing model, while it also boasts a zero MOQ, which makes it especially ideal for start-ups to check designs. For instance, a certain health technology company completed the ergonomic test within two weeks using the LKprototype 3D printed silicone earplugs prototype (Shore hardness A50±2, pore size 0.3mm±0.02), shortened the product launch cycle by 60%, and passed the biocompatibility test (ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity compliance rate 100%).
For more information on LKprototype’s single-stop manufacturing solutions such as rapid prototyping, CNC machining, vacuum casting, and 3D printing, and the main advantages of its own factory in quality control, rapid delivery (completed within 3 days), and no MOQ, please visit the official website for further discovery: https://lkprototype.com/