| Item | LIM | Compression Molding | |
| Molding Machine | Liquid Injection Molding Machine (For LIM) | Compression Molding Machine | |
| Machine Costs Higher | Machine Costs Lower than LIM | ||
| Mold | Cooling System | Yes | N.A. |
| Temperature Adjustment | Heating Pipe | Machine Temperature | |
| Mold Structure | Yes・No 2 Types | Yes・No 2 Types | |
| Costs | 2 Base Plates, the mold costs is higher. | Mold costs is cheaper than LIM. | |
| LT | Simple Structure 25～30 Days | Simple Structure 20～25 Days | |
| Complicated Structure 40～45 Days ※2 Base Plates, lead time is longer | Complicated Structure 35～40 Days | ||
| Plating | Yes・N.A. 2 Types | Yes・N.A. 2 Types | |
| Material | Material | Polymer Silicone | Polymer Silicone |
| Shape | Liquid | Solid | |
| Curing Method | Additional Reaction | Compression Reaction | |
| Pre-processing | Color matching if necessary | Color matching, mixing, cutting | |
| Validity | Specified by Raw Materials Supplier | About 2 Weeks after Mixing | |
| Color | ・Material Supplier do the Color Matching | Using various color agents, to adjust different colors | |
| ・When customer specified the color, material supplier do the color matching, purchasing unit is from 0.5 to 1T. | |||
| Hardness | ・Common materials at 40～60 Shore A ・Different from solid silicone materials, it’s unable to adjust hardness with different hardness materials | ・Common materials 30～70 Shore A ・Can adjust to the ideal hardness with different hardness materials | |
| Kinds of Materials | LIM is a further material, the types is less than solid silicone’s | All kinds of materials | |
| Cost（Normal Material） | ・Japan Manufacturer・・・2-3 Times of Solid Silicone ・China Manufacturer・・・1.3-1.5 Times of Solid Silicone | - | |
| LT | ・Normal Materials in Stock, 7-14 days ・Out of stock, 30-60 days ※Depends on suppliers | ・Normal Materials in Stock, 7-14 days ・Out of stock, 30 days ※Depends on suppliers | |
| Molding Method | Mold Temperature Control | Using the heating pipe in the mold | Using the molding machine heating |
| Molding Temperature | 100～130℃ | 160℃～200℃ | |
| Mold Release | Yes | Yes | |
| Material Filling Method | LIM after mold closed | Put materials after mold opening | |
| Material Filling Quantity | Machine Program Control | Pre-processing Weight Control | |
| Venting | When filling materials/ Vacuum Pumping Equipment | Using Vacuum Equipment or Vacuum Pumping Equipment | |
| Curing Time Cycle Time | ・Additional reaction, harden by heating, molding time is half of compression molding. ※Thin and simple structure product, about 120 seconds ・When a base plate is in curing, the other is in demoulding, won’t waste time. ・It’s necessary for large mass production, cycle time can be controlled. | ・Harden by heating, the molding time is twice as long as LIM. ※Thin and simple structure products, about 360 to 420 seconds. | |
| ・Time wasted while in taking products ・Small production, mold costs to be controlled | |||
| Demoulding | Take out by hand/Manipulator | Take out by hand | |
| Further Processing | Second Curing | If necessary, assisted method | Must |
| Deflashing Method | Easier and more stable than compression molding. | - | |
| Others | Material Regrind | N.A. | Pre-molding materials, can be reused with vulcanizing agent. |
| If materials are normal ones, suggest no to reuse. | |||
| Foreign Objects | Without mixing, materials are injected, no foreign objects. | Foreign objects might be found while in mixing and putting materials into mold. | |
| Appearance | Lifetime of texture is better | Lifetime of texture is worse | |
| Dimensions Precision/ Deviation | Small dimension deviation | Material shrinkage is large. | |
| Comparing to designed dimensions, the product’s can be control with ±0.2% | Comparing to designed dimensions, the product’s in controlled within ±0.6% | ||
| Hardness Difference | Small | Depends on hardness of material lots | |
| Disruptive Strength | Better than solid silicone（Middle Level） | Normal（Can be heightened according to materials grades） | |
| Flash | Little（Depends on mold precision） | Depends on molding time and condition | |
| LMW | Little | Much | |
| Product Lifetime・Durability | No difference, depends on materials grades | ||
| Static | No difference, depends on materials grades | ||
| Strength | No difference, depends on materials grades | ||
