Proto Labs Ltd, a manufacturer of custom parts and prototypes, has added optical-grade liquid silicone rubber (LSR) to its existing line-up of mouldable plastic and LSR materials. High-performance optical LSR is superbly clear, extremely flexible and is already replacing glass in many optical applications.
The engineering-grade thermoset offers a host of benefits for those developing components and products inside the lighting industry. Optical LSR does not discolour or lose transparency with age or with exposure to heat or UV light; it is significantly lighter than glass and most other plastics; and it is scratch and crack resistant, among many other advantages.
One of the more exciting aspects that optical silicone presents to a designer is its ability to reduce the bill of materials in a final assembly.
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“In a lighting application, for example, you have a lens and seal that would traditionally be two parts. With optical LSR, you can combine the two into a single part, which reduces cost and overall inventory,” said Lee Ball, Proto Labs’ Operations Director. “In addition to this, the durability of optical LSR and its resistance to discolouration, and heat remove many limitations designers and product developers face with glass or plastic.”
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