A mould might be described simplistically as at least two pieces of material (typically steel), which when fitted together form a cavity, resembling the shape of the product. It's important to have Vertical Die Casting Machines during mould production. This would be a very basic mould. Moulding is by far the most important curing process, where uncross-linked rubber is placed into a heated mould, which gives it the final product shape, and then vulcanizes the material.
The mould
It can vary in size from a clenched fist to that of an automobile, and can have a single cavity to make one product at a time, or enough cavities to make a hundred or more. Custom Liquid Silicone Rubber Moulding is based on introducing a solid compound into a mould, although urethanes and silicones can be introduced as solids or liquids. It takes a fairly high mechanical pressure, to close the mould, and thus form the product shape; this pressure is provided by a press. Thus the mould must be strong enough to avoid being crushed. Tool steel hardened to a Rockwell C hardness of about 60 might be needed.
