THE STUFF THAT MOULDS ARE MADE OF

In previous posts, we have mainly talked about our duranity casting compounds. Today, we are putting the spotlight on another important material without which we would not be able to manufacture climbing holds: silicone. This is what the moulds are made of.

As you know, the environment is very important to us. This includes trying to work as efficiently as possible in terms of material consumption and enabling our customers to do the same. That is why our Silicone 25 is designed to support this goal.

What does this mean in concrete terms for climbing hold manufacturing?

First, let's look at the aspect of durability: Unfortunately, a silicone mould does not last forever. With each casting, some isocyanate, a component of our duranity polyurethane casting compounds, penetrates the surface. During the next casting, the fresh casting compound then reacts with the residues. This is not a problem for a long time, but eventually the surface structure becomes so brittle that it is destroyed and sticks to the cast handle. At this point, it is time to replace the mould. The silicone we have specially developed and recommend for climbing hold production is very durable. Depending on the geometry, it can be used to make 60 or 80, and in some cases even 100 moulds. That's a lot!

Silicone mould using block casting process.

Another advantage of our Silicone 25 is its low viscosity, which means it is thin and easy to pour. Whereas moulds used to be cast as solid blocks, the trend is increasingly moving towards thin-walled moulds. Thanks to its optimal properties, our silicone is ideally suited for this purpose. This saves material and therefore money, and reduces waste. With our improved version, Silicone 30, which is now available, the effect is even greater. Try it out!

A few more words about working with silicone: As with the duranity casting compound, silicone also consists of two components. For production, these are weighed and then mixed thoroughly. To avoid air bubbles, which later cause unsightly and unwanted effects on the climbing holds, the mixture is evacuated in a chamber using a suitable pump, i.e. the air is extracted. Caution: During this process, the mixture foams up considerably – this must be taken into account when choosing the container.

Thin-walled silicone mould.

But as always, you are not alone in your first steps. Come to me or Clemens if you have any questions. We will support you in the implementation of your projects. This, of course, also applies to the processing of silicone.

Best regards

Gregor gfranzen@ebalta.com

By the way: All photos were taken at our allHOLDS partner VirginGrip.