Planet Cast™ - Your path to initial volumes

Planet Cast high-quality parts are made of polyurethane that is cast into silicone molds. The patterns for those molds are made from PolyJet or SLA patterns. This process provides quick turn for low-volume to mid-volume components with minimal tooling costs.

Planet Proto uses polyurethane to quickly mold prototypes, low-volume components and production parts for companies nationwide. The processes used by the Planet Proto team have been developed by designers and engineers to assure their management that their new technology products could be first on the market annually. The team refined the process for more than 16 years, giving us the high-quality, modest-cost processes we use today.

Cast polyurethanes used in Planet Cast systems have mechanical properties similar to injection molded materials. There are 12 stock materials Planet Proto uses to create quick turn quantities of injection molded like parts without the expense of injection molding tooling. Dozens of other materials are available for a custom material charge. Please contact Planet Proto if one of our standard materials does not have the performance characteristics you need. Call us at 1-877-34PROTO with any questions.

Applications

The Planet Cast processes highly detailed parts – much smaller than your hand and larger than the hood of a small car or a large panel of a spacecraft mock-up. Most of the parts we make are for desktop type systems and medical devices. Our team also makes fenders for small vehicles, bumper skins, large diesel air cleaner housings, riding lawn mower hoods and fenders. We make cast enclosures for hundreds of electronic devices and medical tools and components. The Planet Proto team makes toys and promotional items, military assemblies and animal tracking device enclosures as seen on the Discovery Channel. Initial volumes of all these products have been made through the Planet Cast system. We make computer and accessory enclosures for most of the name brand computer companies in the U.S. We also have prototyped fishing lures and recreational products.

We also make parts and bits and pieces for kitchen tools and baby items using our FDA-approved materials.

Planet Cast Process Overview

Development of a pattern – patterns are developed using high resolution Objet PolyJet or SLA technology. These patterns are carefully hand finished. A texture is then applied as specified. We do an outstanding job with surface textures. It is still a hand process and there may be very subtle variations from components of one geometry to that of another geometry.

Planet Cast Materials

Planet Proto can provide clear parts or molded-in color. Planet Proto provides parts made from a range of plastic materials that approximate the application characteristics of many injection molded plastics.

Planet Proto has provided car hood-sized parts down to parts best reviewed under magnification.

Painted Developmental Prototype

Material Application Information and Datasheets Include:

Rigid and Near Rigid Materials

Ultimate 71 is a near rigid material with properties similar to polypropylene. A datasheet can be downloaded through this link. Ultimate 71 is a tough material with excellent impact resistance and abrasion resistance.

Ultimate 52 is a rigid material with properties similar to ABS with 78 Shore D hardness. It produces high impact parts The base material is white and opaque. It accepts color well. A datasheet can be downloaded through this link.

Ultimate FR 85 is a high impact rigid 78 Shore D material with properties similar to Flame Retardant ABS. Commonly used for electronic enclosure parts, electrical housings and components. Ultimate FR85 has a UL 94 VO Flammability Rating at 0.125" thickness A datasheet can be downloaded through this link.

Ultimate Radio Clear (custom) is a visually opaque rigid material with good impact resistance and with properties similar to ABS. Ultimate Radio Clear is typically used for RF transparent applications. You need to evaluate the material for the appropriate radio transparent qualities in your application. Recent applications have included MRI machine panels and coil covers.

Ultimate Radio Clear (custom) is a Planet Cast material that can run in higher volumes. This can provide our customers a high value, low tooling cost opportunity for special applications.

Ultimate Radio Clear is a custom material order with special requirements. The material is U.L. 94v0 registered flame retardant polyurethane Its natural uncolored color is opaque amber. It accepts color well within a limited range. Imagine that because material has a base amber color options are affected. Many of these parts are ordered painted. A datasheet can be downloaded through this link.

Ultimate 57 Water Clear with clarity similar to polycarbonate is a water clear, rigid material used for any clear rigid moderate impact application. Please keep in mind that a “Glass Smooth” texture must be selected to make a truly clear part! A translucent part can be run with this material in the same mold that runs an opaque part. Call you Planet Proto representative for more information on which clear material may be best for your application.

Hydroclear is a water clear, rigid material used for any clear rigid low impact application like light pipes. Please keep in mind that a “Glass Smooth” texture must be selected to make a clear part! Customers may have normally opaque devices molded in this material if "Glass Smooth" texture is selected. Call you Planet Proto representative for more information on which clear material may be best for your application.

Flexible Materials & Durometer

All of the following materials have a durometer rating. Durometer is the measure of hardness of a resin or elastomeric material. It is named for instrument maker Albert F. Shore, who developed a measurement device called a durometer in the 1920s.

The term durometer is often used to refer to the measurement, as well as the instrument itself. Durometer is typically used as a measure of hardness in polymers, elastomers and rubbers.

Engineers Definition

Durometer measures the depth of an indentation in the material created by a given force on a standardized presser foot. This depth is dependent on the hardness of the material, its viscoelastic properties, the shape of the presser foot, and the duration of the test. ASTM D2240 durometers allows for a measurement of the initial hardness, or the indentation hardness after a given period of time. The basic test requires applying the force in a consistent manner, without shock measuring the hardness (depth of the indentation). If a timed hardness is desired, force is applied for the required time and then read. The material under test should be a minimum of 6.4 mm (.25 inch) thick.

These are three types of Shore Ratings:

    Type A (Shore) Soft Rubber and Plastics
    Type D (Shore) Hard rubber and Plastics
    Type 00 (Shore) Sponge and Foams

Flex 80 is a Shore A 80 durometer semirigid material. The base material is white and opaque. It accepts color well. Hydraulic O-Rings have a durometer between 70-80 Shore A. A shoe heal is about a 70.

Flex 64 is a Shore A 64 durometer semirigid material. The base material is white and opaque. It accepts color well. A door seal mayhave a durometer near 60 Shore A.



Flex 42 is a Shore A 42 durometer semirigid material. The base material is white and opaque. It accepts color well. A silicone pad printing pad has a durometer of about 40.

Flex 25 is a Shore A 25 durometer elastomeric material. The base material is white and opaque. It accepts color well. A Rubber band has a Shore A Durometer of 25.

If the application properties you need are not found in our standard set of materials please call 1-877-34PROTO [1-877-347-7686]. We can help you find the right material for a custom material fee.

Download a spec sheet of the mechanical and chemical properties for Planet Cast™ materials and colors. Planet cast materials have performance qualities similar to commodity and engineering injection molding resins.