Vacuum casting (elastomers)
Oh hi there! Have you ever seen a toy made out of rubber or silicone? Well, these toys are made using a special process called vacuum casting with elastomers.
First, the grown-ups make a copy or a mold of the toy they want to make. They do this by putting the original toy into a special material that will harden around it. Then they take away the original toy and they are left with a mold that looks just like it!
Next, the grown-ups mix a special liquid rubber or silicone called elastomers. They carefully pour this into the mold, making sure to get it into all the tiny spaces. Then they put the mold into a machine that sucks out all the air and creates a vacuum. This helps the elastomers fill up the mold evenly.
The mold with the elastomers inside is then put into an oven to bake or to cure. This means they leave it in there for a while until it gets hard and solid like the toy they want to make. Once it's done, they take out the mold and carefully remove the new toy. Ta-da! They now have a new toy that looks just like the original!
This method is really useful because they can make lots of copies of the same toy without having to make a new mold each time. It's also great for making really detailed toys or things that need to be flexible or stretchy like rubber bands or phone cases.
So there you have it, that's how vacuum casting with elastomers works!
First, the grown-ups make a copy or a mold of the toy they want to make. They do this by putting the original toy into a special material that will harden around it. Then they take away the original toy and they are left with a mold that looks just like it!
Next, the grown-ups mix a special liquid rubber or silicone called elastomers. They carefully pour this into the mold, making sure to get it into all the tiny spaces. Then they put the mold into a machine that sucks out all the air and creates a vacuum. This helps the elastomers fill up the mold evenly.
The mold with the elastomers inside is then put into an oven to bake or to cure. This means they leave it in there for a while until it gets hard and solid like the toy they want to make. Once it's done, they take out the mold and carefully remove the new toy. Ta-da! They now have a new toy that looks just like the original!
This method is really useful because they can make lots of copies of the same toy without having to make a new mold each time. It's also great for making really detailed toys or things that need to be flexible or stretchy like rubber bands or phone cases.
So there you have it, that's how vacuum casting with elastomers works!