Simtec Boosts Molding of LSR

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Simtec Silicone Parts (Madison, WI) has acquired production units from Europe for two-shot injection molding of liquid silicone rubber (LSR). The processing technology enables serial production of integrated components. It is suitable “for the manufacturing of medical devices, instruments, and consumables that require high precision, low tolerances, consistency, and ergonomic consideration,” says Enrique Camacho, president of Simtec. The process can also be used to integrate several parts that are made from different raw materials into one component.

By bringing this process to the United States, Simtec says that it is challenging the practice of manufacturing two-shot components in Europe. Both the appreciation of the euro and the comparatively high production costs in Europe make it very expensive for U.S. companies to use the technology, Camacho says.
Traditionally, integration of parts in the United States has been done by using costly assembly lines. These previous investments have created a barrier for the adoption of two-shot technology, Camacho says, but the pressure to reduce in-house manufacturing and outsourcing costs “is making more companies aware that costs can be reduced without compromising the component's quality or safety.”
The integration of several parts into a single component reduces assembly costs because only one component requires validation rather than multiple parts, materials, production units, and vendors. Additionally, by manufacturing all components at one U.S. location, Simtec says that it is able to run a very efficient operation.
The company has acquired an additional two-shot injection unit this year and it is continuing to negotiate new contracts. The first of Simtec's components will be launched by its partners during the last quarter of 2009, Camacho says.
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