DFM & Design for Manufacturability Guide
Design for manufacturability guidelines that help you cut cost, speed up tooling and get consistent silicone parts — from the very first draft. Includes tolerances, draft angles, undercuts and shrinkage.
Wall Thickness
Keep wall thickness as uniform as possible — typically 0.5 mm to 5 mm for most silicone parts. Avoid abrupt changes and thick sections, which cause sink marks, uneven curing and longer cycle times.
Draft Angles
Add a draft angle of 1° to 3° on vertical faces to make demolding easier and reduce tearing. Higher draft is recommended for deep cavities and textured surfaces.
Undercuts & Parting Lines
Minimize undercuts where possible — they require side actions or hand demolding that add tooling cost. Plan the parting line early so it lands in a low-visibility area.
Tolerances
Silicone is flexible, so use generous tolerances where you can. Standard linear tolerance is typically ±0.1 mm to ±0.3 mm depending on part size; tighter tolerances (down to ±0.05 mm) are achievable with LSR injection and precision multi-cavity tooling.
Fillets & Radii
Add fillets to sharp internal corners to reduce stress concentration and tearing. Avoid sharp edges that can catch during demolding or in use.
Shrinkage & Overmolding
Account for material shrinkage (typically 2%–4%) in the mold design. For overmolded or multi-material parts, keep bonding surfaces clean and specify the substrate material clearly.
Better Design, Lower Cost
Faster Tooling
DFM-ready designs reduce mold revisions and shorten lead time.
Lower Unit Cost
Efficient molds and shorter cycle times cut per-part cost.
Consistent Quality
Designing for molding reduces defects and rejects.
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