Do's and Don'ts for Overmolding Liquid Silicone onto Thermoplastics

摘要

Hard/soft overmolding has become a fundamental technique for injection molders in recent years, and a growing number of molders are extending that technology thermoset/thermoplastic combinations. In some applications, liquid silicone rubber (LSR) offers advantages over TPEs in its heat resistance, extreme low-temperature flexibility, chemical resistance, and inherent lubricity. While good long-term adhesion can be an issue in overmolding TPEs onto rigid thermoplastic substrates, the challenge is even greater with LSR on thermoplastics.