Posts tagged ‘Molding and Casting’

Five Benefits of Precast Concrete Products

A recent study predicts that the global precast concrete market is expected to reach $130.11 Billion by 2025.

Precast concrete is a construction product that uses a reusable mold during the manufacturing process to form concrete into its desired shape. This method has many benefits over traditional methods.

It Saves Money

Traditionally concrete has been cast using steel or wood molds that take a long time to build, increasing labor costs. Most of the time these molds are used once and then discarded. Precast molds are commonly made from rubber and can be used hundreds of times before being replaced.

Versatility 

With multiple types of rubber, shore hardness and pot life options precast concrete products can be used in multiple applications. These applications include but are not limited to architectural concrete, cast veneer, stone, flexible form liners, sound walls, retaining walls and many more!

Control

Precast concrete pieces that are poured off-site are able to be manufactured in controlled environments, limiting the effects of bad weather and producing a more consistent product.

Aesthetics

Precast concrete products are more than just functional, they can be decorative too. These products can be molded into different configurations and shapes that can enhance your building project. Some design elements that can be incorporated into precast concrete products are stone patterns, masonry patterns, arches, cornices and many more!

Efficiency 

Products made using precast methods arrive on the job site ready to be installed. This eliminates the need to order raw materials, eliminates the time to set up forms and lowers labor cost.

Volatile Free, Inc. ® has noticed an increased demand for precast concrete products from its customer base and has created the 3100 Series line of rubbers to service those needs.

If your company is involved in precast concrete make sure to stop by booth S12453 at the World of Concrete. Not attending World of Concrete? No problem you can still request more information and samples of our 3100 Series by calling 800-307-9218.

Determining Shore Hardness of Rubbers & Plastics

Shore Hardness is the resistance a material has to indentation. Determining a materials Shore Hardness requires the use of a durometer, which is a device that measures the depth of an indentation in the material by creating force through a presser foot.

In order for people to have a point of reference on how hard a material is different shore hardness scales have been created. There are 12 different Shore Hardness scales depending on the type of material that is being measured.

When dealing with rubbers and plastics two scales are used. The A Shore Hardness scale is used to measure flexible rubbers commonly used in molds. Hard rubbers, semi-rigid plastics and hard plastics are measured using the D Shore Hardness Scale.

Both of these scales have ranges from 0-100. The lower the Shore Hardness is on the scale the softer and more flexible the material will be. As you increase upwards on the scale materials become stiffer and less flexible.

When selecting a rubber or plastic to use for your mold making needs there are a couple of things that should be taken into consideration.

How delicate is the item that you’re molding. 

If you’re making a mold of an item that has sharp undercuts, thin parts or protrusions it is recommended to use a material that provides greater flexibility and stretches easily. This will insure that you’re able to extract your model from the mold without it breaking.

How much detail is needed for your project.

When using rubbers and plastics detail is directly related to the hardness of the material that you’re using. The harder a material is the greater casting detail it will provide. For example, if you were making a mold for a stone back splash you would want to use a harder material to pick up textural detail within the rocks.

Abrasion Resistance

Abrasion resistance refers to a materials ability to withstand any method of wearing down or rubbing away by means of friction. This point should be taken into consideration if you are planning to use a rubber or plastic mold for construction applications. Some of these application would include architectural precast concrete, cast veneer and flexible form liners. In construction applications you want your material to provide enough flexibility, while being durable and insuring a long useful life.

Have an upcoming project? Have questions or need assistance selecting the right material for your job? Give us a call at 800-307-9218. Our team of technical experts and sales representatives are happy to help!

Different Types of Concrete Stamps Require Different Materials

Concrete stamps can take a basic concrete project and bring it to the next level. These stamps are used to enhance a surface and make it look decorative by providing a textured detail imitating stone, brick, wood and much more. They are most often used to create decorative walkways, courtyards, patios, decks and on decorative vertical concrete applications.

Most stamps are made out of urethane rubbers as this material provides a range of Shore Hardness options, while remaining flexible and providing maximum abrasion resistance.

Producing stamps can be expensive, that’s why it’s important to understand how to pick the correct rubber for your needs. Stamps come in numerous types and flexibilities ranging from floppy to rigid. Three common types of stamps are stamp rollers, texturing skins and concrete mats.

Stamp rollers are used as imprinting tools on large scale projects, on slab corners and boarders where detail is not as critical. These stamps are popular with contractors because of their ease of use and can cover a lot of ground quickly.

It’s important to have an understanding of what to look for in regards to the type of rubber your stamp roller is made out of. Rollers work best when the concrete is still very soft. Because of the roller application, a harder durometer rubber is needed to imprint detail quickly. VFI would recommend our 3170 or 3180, for this application. This will help to insure maximum detail will be transferred to your project’s surface.

Texturing skins are used in vertical and decorative applications where flexibility would be necessary. These stamps are usually thin to reduce weight and make them more maneuverable on the job-site. Semi-rigid rubbers are used to allow the stamp to be more pliable and capture the curvature of a structure. These skins work best on surfaces with undulations, sloped areas and in flare ups like driveway aprons. VFI-3150 and 3160 provide the perfect amount of flexibility for challenging applications while still providing great casting detail.

Concrete mats are rigid and extremely firm. These mats are very large, and most of the time will have handles to help contractors lift and move them into place. The rigidity of concrete mats will help to leave a highly detailed impression. The polyurethane used in these stamps will range from a Shore A Hardness of 80 or higher (VFI-3180). Interested in making your own concrete stamps? VFI has Technical Service Representatives willing to answer all of your stamping questions. Contact the VFI team at 1-800-307-9218.