Test your injection-moulded part before the tool is built

An injection mould costs a lot of money and takes many weeks. If the part still needs to be changed afterwards, it gets expensive. That is why we make plastic parts that will later be injection-moulded in series first by PU vacuum casting – from your injection-moulding data, without an injection mould.

This lets you test function, assembly and endurance with near-series plastic parts. Typical applications: 20 to 40 parts for series tests in the automotive industry, transparent parts for demonstration and testing – and in medical technology even series parts in quantities of 30 to 50 sets per year.

Part made by PU vacuum casting

How it works

  1. Your 3D files: STEP or IGES. We can usually adopt the injection-moulding geometry 1:1; a drawing is not needed to get started.
  2. Review and quotation: We choose the casting resin that best represents your series material and prepare a quotation.
  3. Master model and silicone mould: We make the master model and cast the silicone mould from it.
  4. Casting under vacuum: 2K casting resin in the silicone mould – on request with inserts, coloured, painted or machined.
  5. Delivery and testing: Your findings flow into the design – before the injection mould is built.

What the prototype can – and cannot – do

  • Material: Our casting resins simulate all common types of plastic, for example ABS, PP, PA, PA-GF, PC, PC/ABS, PMMA, POM, TPE and silicone-like materials – also transparent, elastic or self-extinguishing to UL 94.
  • Properties: We deliberately match the properties to the later series material. The prototype should not exceed the series values – otherwise your tests would not reflect the later series condition.
  • Not the same material: PU casting resins simulate the series plastic but are not identical.
  • Size: parts up to approx. 800 mm and 4.5 kg.
  • Parts per mould: depending on the part, a silicone mould lasts for approx. 20–25 castings; for more parts we make further moulds.
  • Possible: 2K parts (hard/soft), cast-in inserts such as threaded bushings, colouring, painting, vacuum metallising.

What does it cost?

Rough, non-binding guide values from our invoiced orders (net, as of 10/2026):

  • Master model and silicone mould (one-off): small parts approx. 300–700 €, medium-sized up to approx. 1,500 €, large up to approx. 3,500 €
  • Unit price: small parts below 50 €, medium-sized approx. 50–200 €, large approx. 900–3,000 €
  • Typical unit price by quantity: 1–2 pcs approx. 200 €, 3–20 pcs approx. 100 €, 21–200 pcs approx. 50 €
  • By comparison: As a rough guide, the silicone mould usually costs less than a tenth of an injection mould and is ready in less than a third of the time – depending on the part.

All guide values: guide prices for PU vacuum casting

How to make it cheaper

  • Bundle quantities: a silicone mould lasts for approx. 20–25 castings – order so that the mould is used to capacity.
  • Tolerances and post-processing only where needed.
  • Choose the surface wisely: colouring is usually cheaper than painting.
  • Repeat orders: if the master model or mould is still available, the one-off costs are largely eliminated – usually only set-up costs of approx. 15–200 € apply.
  • Normal instead of express lead time and report changes as early as possible.

How to make it faster

  • Typical lead time: 2.5 to 4.5 weeks.
  • Express: from receipt of your files to the part approx. 2 calendar weeks; with a drawing or binding dimensions for post-processing, finished in 2 to 3.5 calendar weeks. Express orders cost more because we have to coordinate the work closely.
  • All details in your first enquiry – series material, quantity, colour, surface, deadline.

Frequently asked questions about injection-moulding prototypes

As a rough, non-binding range: master model and silicone mould cost approx. 300–3,500 € depending on size; the unit price is below 50 € for small parts, approx. 50–200 € for medium-sized parts and approx. 900–3,000 € for large parts. As a rough guide, this is usually less than a tenth of an injection mould.

Typically 2.5 to 4.5 weeks. For express orders, it takes approx. 2 calendar weeks to the part; with post-processing 2 to 3.5 calendar weeks. Express orders cost more.

All common types of plastic, for example ABS, PP, PA, PA-GF, PC, PC/ABS, PMMA, POM, TPE and silicone-like materials. We choose the casting resin that best represents your series material and match the properties to it.

Depending on the part, a silicone mould lasts for approx. 20–25 castings. For larger quantities we make further moulds – in medical technology we even supply series parts in quantities of 30 to 50 sets per year this way.

Bundle quantities so that the silicone mould is used to capacity, specify tolerances and post-processing only where needed, and consider colouring instead of painting. For repeat orders with an existing mould, usually only set-up costs apply.

PU casting resins simulate the series plastic but are not the same material – we match the properties to the series. The service life of a silicone mould is limited. And geometry changes after the mould has been cast usually require a new mould.

For a preliminary estimate, files of a similar part are enough. For a quotation we need 3D files as STEP or IGES; a drawing is not required. Helpful are series material, quantity, colour, surface and deadline.

The earlier, the easier: before the silicone mould is cast, changes to the master model are easy to incorporate. Once the mould has been cast, a geometry change usually requires an adapted master model and a new mould. Changes to post-processing are easy to implement at any time.

How to reach your goal

Contact us via our contact page with the subject “Price estimate” and include STEP or IGES files, series material, quantity, deadline and requirements. We are happy to sign non-disclosure agreements.

More: PU vacuum casting · Guide prices and enquiries · Test your die-cast part

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