The Difference Between Liquid Silicone and Gumstock Throughout history, scientists and inventors have created new solutions to everyday problems. Often times, the original method is only used until a superior solution comes along. At first we used a mechanical printing press, now your local print shop can process an order of 1,000 copies in a matter of minutes. The vehicles that we drive every day have seen vast improvements in safety and durability compared to previous models. In the same way, the silicone molding process has also undergone changes. Gumstock molding is a more traditional method, but Liquid Silicone has surpassed it in several ways, here are a few of the differences between the two types of silicone:Liquid Silicone vs. Gum Stock Gum Stock Silicone, or High Consistency Rubber (HCR) is a type of silicone that has the consistency of a thick putty or dough. It is often used in compression molding by placing the silicone into an open air molding press to form products. This process is fairly labor intensive compared to Liquid Injection Molding, especially when you are creating a product that requires specific customization. On the other hand, Liquid Silicone has a consistency similar to petroleum jelly and it is made using a two-part system that is mixed as it is used. Liquid Injection Molding makes it much easier and less expensive to create custom features. At Si-Tech, we use silicone injection molding for all of our customers because it offers many distinct advantages. Liquid Silicone Injection has made the process of customization much easier compared to Gum-Stock Silicone. Because liquid silicone is injected into two part molding system, customization is simple. Insert molding is achieved by having two molds, one mold to make the inserts such as colored keys, clear windows, or light pipes. Once the inserts are molded, they are placed into the keypad mold. Liquid silicone uses a cross-link bond, making keypads more durable than gum-stock. As keypads undergo significant use, liquid silicone keypads have held up much better over time. Overall, Liquid silicone is a far less labor-intensive process, which means it is also less expensive. The main difference is that the cure time for liquid silicone is about 1/3 less than gum stock. Due to the way the different materials are processed, it can be much more time efficient to use liquid silicone molding – saving you time and money. At SiTECH, we only use liquid silicone for all of our products, allowing us to be more dependable in duplicating our processes. We have made silicone products for many industries, and we would love to help you with your next product, contact us today! When to Use Silicone LubricantSilicone lubricant has many forms, and even more uses to its name! As such, understanding when to use a silicone lubricant vs. when you should be using a dry lubricant for example is important in the effectiveness of the overall lubrication task. Silicone lubricant can be used in the forms of an oil, which is non-reactive to most substances, maintains it's greasiness in extreme temperature conditions and does not oxidize, or a silicone spray which is not only water resistant, but also allows you to lubricate those hard to reach places like mechanisms or bearings. This article will explore when to use Silicone lubricants specifically, the main uses of a silicone lubricant, knowing what materials to use a silicone lubricant on as well as how to waterproof using a silicone lubricant. The main uses for silicone spray lubricant As we mentioned earlier, silicone lubricant spray uses are plentiful. Whether you're a professional tradesman, handy man, or someone who uses tools in your day-to-day life, you understand how important it is to keep your tools and equipment working in top condition. Part of that means keeping your tools well lubricated and clean. A silicone lubricant spray is an excellent product to use on tools because it of course lubricates, but also reduces friction and helps to drive out moisture. In fact, silicone lubricants are especially handy for wooden tools by preventing the wood from drying out and splintering. On the other hand, silicone lubricant sprays can also be used on a wide range of home applications that you may not have thought of! Try lubricating the sliding door track with silicone spray to keep it moving, or extent the life of zippers on clothing, backpacks, sleeping bags, etc. and keep everything moving smoothly. When to use silicone spray on rubber parts The many uses of silicone spray don't stop there! In fact, the question isn't “what is silicone grease used for?” but rather “what isn't silicone grease used for?”. Silicone grease is especially effective at sealing rubber parts, but what's the best silicone spray for rubber? We'll get to that later. Have you ever considered how many rubber parts are in your car? Or perhaps your dishwasher? Many day-to-day items that we've all come to rely on are comprised of thousands of rubber parts in varying shapes and sizes. Rubber is everywhere! Due to rubbers naturally slip resistant nature making it difficult to install, it's not unusual for rubber parts to slip during assembly where an o-ring may get twisted, a heater hose may not be fully inserted, or a gap appears in a waterproof seam. Coating rubber parts prior to assembly helps to avoid some of the aforementioned problems. One of the most common uses of silicone spray on rubber parts is that of replacing car window rubber seals. To do so, simply remove the rubber with a flathead screwdriver, scrub the glue with a solvent and sand the metal. How often should you use silicone lubricant? We've answered the question of “what is silicone grease used for”, but how often should you use it? Truthfully, the frequency at which you should lubricate your equipment depends on the equipment itself. A high quality silicone lubricant will displace moisture, provide excellent lubrication for rubber, protect and extend the life of your equipment, doesn't allow dust, dirt, oil and grime to stick, as well as prevent parts from sticking and binding. For optimal lubrication, most manufacturers will recommend that you keep on top of lubricating your tools and equipment and treating them before they become sticky, or worse – stuck! In fact, silicone is the most slippery of all lubricants, so it's a great choice for items that slide against one another. A silicone lubricant can be used to lubricant metal, wood, rubber and plastic – however, dirt and dust tent to stick to the silicone lubricant, so make sure you use it sparingly or use a “dry” version in dirty environments. Waterproofing parts with Silicone Lubricant Now that we've discussed when to use silicone lubricant, the best lubricant for plastic parts, let's talk about waterproofing using Silicone lubricant. Silicone lubricant is a great product for lubricating rubber surfaces, protecting and extending the life of your tools and equipment, does not allow dust, dirt, oil and grime to stick and of course prevents parts from sticking and binding. Further to this, silicone lubricant also displaces moisture to not only help prevent tools and machines from corrosion, but also helps to waterproof parts. WD-40 Specialist High Performance Silicone is your go-to silicone based lubricant spray that works well on all tools, rubber pipes, window seals, linkages, valves, locks, doors, plumbing fittings and belts. With just one coat of Silicone Lubricant, you can be sure that your tools and machinery remain clean and conditioned, and functioning smoother for longer. Because it works in all kinds of challenging conditions, you can be sure WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant will perform in most types of weather, all year round. It also comes with a smart straw applicator – simply flip the flip straw up for hard to reach areas, then flip it down to use the wide angle spray for wider coverage. Whichever way you spray, you can count on the clever 360o valve to work efficiently, even when the can is turned upside down. Prevent your parts from sticking with WD-40 Specialist range There you have it – silicone lubricant really does have seemingly endless uses! Staying ahead of the curve and ensuring you're on top of your maintenance is essential for successful running of your machinery. And because your tools and machinery are so important, they demand high quality products to keep them working smoothly. For those more demanding jobs that just need to be done right, add WD-40 Specialist to your toolbox. For a high quality lubricant that works well on all high-pressured equipment like tools, rubber pipes, window seals, linkages, valves, locks, doors, plumbing fittings and belts, reach for WD-40 Specialist High Performance Lubricant. No matter which specialist product you reach for, the decades of science behind WD-40 products and formulas deliver the superior performance you need. Reasons Why People Avoid Silicones in Skin Care As the crusade for cleaner beauty products continues, skin care ingredients that were once considered standard are rightfully being called into question. Take parabens, for example. Now that we know the once-popular preservatives are also potentially carcinogenic endocrine disruptors, beauty brands are removing them from their formulations and slapping “paraben-free” stickers on everything. The same for phthalates, sulfates, formaldehydes, and a whole host of other possibly dangerous ingredients. While most experts support the removal of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and more from skin care, one group of ingredients that’s made the “free from” lists is still up for debate: silicones. On one side of the argument, you have those who say silicones make skin look healthier without actually contributing to its overall health. On the other side, you have those who say silicones aren’t technically harmful, so there’s no harm in keeping them in skin care products. Which side is science on? Well, both. Kind of. It’s complicated. “Silicones are a group of semi-liquid substances derived from silica,” Dr. Joshua Zeichner, a board certified dermatologist with Zeichner Dermatology in New York City, tells Healthline. Silica is the main component of sand, but that doesn’t mean that silicones fall under the “natural” umbrella. Silica has to go through a significant chemical process to become silicone. Silicones are best known for their occlusive properties, which is a fancy way of saying that they form a barrier-like coating on the skin that’s resistant to both water and air. Zeichner likens it to a “breathable film.” “Used medically, silicones have been provenTrusted Source to help heal wounds and improve scarring,” says Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, a board certified dermatologist and member of the Healthline advisory board. “They have long been used in burn units because they can uniquely heal and protect while allowing the wound to ‘breathe.’” Basically, their occlusive nature blocks lacerations from interacting with the outside environment, ensuring that the wound stays in its own little healing “bubble.” “They also have a unique texture, giving skin care products a slick feel,” Zeichner says. This sums up the main role of silicones in serums and moisturizers: They make for easy application, lend a velvety texture, and often leave skin looking plump and smooth, thanks to that filmy coating. Silicone vs Plastic, Which is Better for the Environment? Plastic isn’t all that fantastic. From the 500 plus years it takes to break down, to the increasing presence of microplastics in the ocean, there are so many reasons why we should reduce our use of plastic. More households are now thinking about how they can find alternatives and use less plastic. One such alternative that has gained popularity is silicone. But there’s an ongoing debate on the benefits of silicone vs plastic. Is silicone more environmentally friendly than plastic? Is silicone plastic in a different form? And is silicone the answer to leading a more sustainable life? Although silicone looks like plastic in many ways, its chemical composition is different. Silicone is derived from silicon, which is a naturally occurring element. Silicon dioxide, for example, can be found in sand and quartz. However, there is an important distinction between silicon and silicone. Silicon is a naturally occurring element. Silicone is synthetic. Silicone is made by combining the element silicon with other elements, such as oxygen. Silicone comes in many different forms, such as silicone oil, rubber and resin. There’s lots to learn about the chemical makeup of silicone and how it differs to silicon. Live Science has more technical details about the differences between the two materials. There’s a reason why the battle of silicone vs plastic has been quietly gathering pace. And why silicone has become so popular as an alternative to plastic over the years: Silicone can be moulded into a variety of shapes – like some plastics. Silicone is highly durable, making it great to use as an adhesive, sealant or as insulation. Silicone is capable of withstanding both high and low temperatures. Plumbers Grease Vs Silicone Grease (Compared) When it's time to lubricate plumbing components, it's essential to know what to use and what to avoid. The market is flooded with products and each one promises a set of advantages. The two types of grease you will come across are – plumbers grease & silicone grease. This can often lead to a comparison of plumbers grease vs silicone grease. Plumbers grease is commonly used for non-consumed water sources in plumbing setups. In comparison, if there is potable water being ingested from the plumbing fixture, it’s recommended to use silicone grease. This is due to the toxic chemicals found in plumbers grease that should not be consumed by humans. For the most part, both types of grease are effective at lubricating the fixture. However, it comes down to your safety.This article will dive deeper into the subject by comparing plumbers grease vs silicone grease.