How Silicone Manufacturers Handle Custom Product Development

Let us talk about something that does not get enough attention in sourcing forums. How Silicone Manufacturers Handle Custom Product Development looks straightforward on paper, but the reality on the factory floor is quite different. We have seen enough projects to know what works and what does not.

Liquid silicone (LSR) and solid silicone are not interchangeable, no matter what some salespeople will tell you. LSR runs faster and holds tighter tolerances, but the tooling costs more upfront. Solid silicone is better for thicker parts and lower volumes. Matching the process to the product is half the battle.

Most factories will tell you they do compression molding. Fewer will admit that the actual curing time varies by operator, shift, and even time of day. We standardized our curing cycles back in 2018 and saw defect rates drop by 40 percent within two quarters. That is the kind of number that does not show up in a glossy factory brochure.

Every brand we work with had a first order, and most of them made mistakes on it. The ones that succeed are the ones who learn from those mistakes and build better processes. Lemeng Silicone is here to help you skip some of the more expensive lessons. Get in touch when you are ready.