SLA MOULDS & MASTERS — MOULD MASTERS & CASTING
SLA 3D printed masters for silicone moulding and polyurethane casting.
SLA 3D printed masters for silicone moulding and polyurethane casting. Mirror-smooth surfaces that transfer directly into your moulds — no sanding, no layer lines. We use this workflow daily for automotive replacement parts and short-run production.
Beyond silicone masters, SLA opens up short-run hard tooling: mould inserts printed directly in Rigid 10K (ceramic-stiff, glass-filled) or High Temp (heat deflection to 238°C) stand up to the heat and pressure of injection, thermoforming and casting for low-volume runs — tooling in days, not weeks, without a machine shop.
THE IDEAL MASTER PATTERN TECHNOLOGY
SLA's mirror-smooth surface finish makes it the ideal technology for creating mould masters. Unlike FDM parts that transfer layer lines into your mould, SLA masters produce silicone moulds with smooth cavity surfaces — meaning your cast parts need minimal finishing.
We already use this workflow for automotive replacement parts, producing SLA masters that go straight into silicone mould boxes for polyurethane casting. The process: SLA print, silicone mould, cast polyurethane or resin parts. This gives you production-quality parts in quantities of 5 to 500 without the cost of injection mould tooling.
Perfect for short-run production, bridge manufacturing while waiting for tooling, or products where volumes don't justify injection moulding. One SLA master can produce multiple silicone moulds, and each mould can cast dozens of parts — giving you a scalable, cost-effective production route.
FROM DESIGN TO CAST PARTS
Supply your CAD file or we design from scratch. We optimise geometry for mould release and casting.
We print a smooth, accurate master pattern on our Formlabs Form 4. Surface finish is near injection-mould quality.
Master is moulded in silicone rubber. The smooth SLA surface transfers directly into the mould cavity.
Polyurethane or resin parts cast from the mould. Multiple parts from a single mould, production-ready.
MASTER PATTERN RESINS
| MATERIAL | TAG | DESCRIPTION | PROP 1 | PROP 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORMLABS STANDARD BLACK V5 | MOST POPULAR | Smooth surface, good for most mould masters. Excellent detail reproduction and easy to finish. In stock. | SURFACE: MIRROR-SMOOTH | DETAIL: EXCELLENT |
| FORMLABS RIGID 4000 | GLASS-FILLED | Glass-filled and stiff — for masters that need to withstand the mould-making process. Dimensionally stable and in stock. | STIFFNESS: VERY HIGH | STABILITY: EXCELLENT |
| FORMLABS HIGH TEMP | HEAT RESISTANT | For masters used with high-temperature moulding compounds. Maintains rigidity under heat and pressure. Special order — any surcharge shown upfront at quote. | HDT: UP TO 200°C | RIGIDITY: HIGH |
MOULD MASTER PRICING
Mould master pricing depends on part size, complexity, and finish level. Masters from £15. Full master + silicone mould + initial cast run packages available.
Price your masters instantly online — multiple masters uploaded together share one build plate and cost less each. For full mould-making advice, contact us and we'll recommend the best approach.
GET INSTANT QUOTEWHAT WE MOULD
Replacement trim, vents, knobs, and custom components. We already produce these regularly for classic and modern vehicles.
Short-run consumer product enclosures. Perfect for startups and limited editions where injection moulding isn't viable.
Badges, emblems, ornamental details. High-fidelity reproduction of intricate surface detail from a single master.
Masters for flexible silicone parts. Cast in soft polyurethane or silicone for functional sealing applications.
Production parts while waiting for injection mould tooling. Get to market faster with cast parts from SLA masters.
Limited edition reproductions from a single master. Cast in resin, pigmented, and finished to exhibition quality.
START YOUR MOULDING PROJECT
From a single master to hundreds of cast parts. Tell us what you need and we'll guide you through the entire process.