Industries · Silicones, Inc.
Where our silicones work
RTV-2 silicone rubber earns its place wherever parts must capture detail, seal dependably, or release cleanly. These are the application areas we supply, and what usually matters in each.
Mold Making and Casting
Production molds, master patterns, and prototype tooling.
Mold making is where RTV-2 silicone does its most visible work. Poured over a master, the rubber captures surface detail down to tool marks and releases cleanly from concrete, plaster, resins, wax, and low-melt alloys.
Tin cure systems are the general-purpose choice for most molds. Platinum cure steps in when tolerances are tight or a mold needs to keep its dimensions over a long library life.
What matters here
Tear strength governs how a mold survives demolding, and Shore A hardness sets how easily it flexes off undercuts. Viscosity decides whether the rubber pours into fine detail on its own or needs degassing.
Electronics and Electrical
Potting, encapsulation, and conformal sealing.
Silicone rubber protects electronics by surrounding them. Potting and encapsulation cushion components against vibration and thermal cycling while keeping moisture out.
Platinum cure systems are the usual fit here. They cure without byproducts, so nothing evaporates inside a sealed housing, and lower mixed viscosities flow around components and into tight cavities.
What matters here
Cure chemistry and mixed viscosity lead the decision. A clean-curing system that flows around components matters more than hardness in most potting work.
Aerospace and Defense
Precision tooling and sealing for demanding service.
Aerospace and defense work is unforgiving of dimensional drift. Tooling that must hold its shape across production runs favors platinum cure systems, which cure with near-zero shrinkage.
We manufacture in High Point, North Carolina, and our materials are made in the USA, which matters for programs with domestic sourcing requirements.
What matters here
Dimensional stability comes first. Platinum cure holds tolerances; hardness and tear strength are then chosen for the specific tool or seal.
Industrial Manufacturing
Gaskets, seals, and repeatable production parts.
On a production floor, silicone earns its keep through repeatability. Cast gaskets and seals conform to imperfect surfaces and stand up to repeated compression cycles.
Firmer grades hold their geometry under load, and high tear strength keeps parts and molds in service through repeated use.
What matters here
Shore A hardness and tear strength drive most industrial choices. Firm, high-tear grades stand up to load and handling; softer grades conform and seal.
Prototyping and Art
Reproduction, sculpture, and short-run casting.
Sculptors, prop makers, and product designers use RTV-2 silicone to move from a one-off original to a short run of faithful copies. The rubber picks up every tool mark and texture the maker left behind.
Softer, forgiving tin cure systems are the usual starting point. They cure dependably against found objects, clays, and mixed-media originals.
What matters here
Softer Shore A grades flex off delicate originals without damage, and tin cure tolerates the unpredictable surfaces that art and prototype work brings.
Tooling and Pattern Shops
Durable patterns and fixtures for the shop floor.
Pattern shops put silicone to work making the tools that make everything else: patterns, core boxes, fixtures, and casting aids that live on the shop floor.
Durability is the currency here. High tear strength keeps working surfaces intact through daily handling, and dimensional stability keeps patterns true from the first pull to the last.
What matters here
Tear strength is the headline number for shop tooling. Grades at 150 ppi and above take repeated handling; hardness is then matched to how much flex the pattern needs.
Not sure where your application fits?
Tell us what you are building.
Describe the part, the surface, and the finish you need. Our team works in these materials every day and will point you to the right product.