Prototyping & Inventing

Prototyping & Inventing

Product Concept - Prototype Development - Production

It all starts with an idea for an invention or product that you think has commercial potential. On your way to developing your idea, you will need a three dimensional physical representation before you go to production and that's where Smooth-On rubber, plastic and foam materials come in. Smooth-On materials have been the tools used to make prototype models for over 60 years and are still instrumental today in bringing the world's most amazing products to market.

Who Uses Smooth-On Materials To Make Prototype Models?

Our prototyping client list includes Apple Computer, Dell Computer, NASA, SONY, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, The US Army, Boeing, Advanced Medical Devices, Martin Guitar, Disney, Bose, Moen and thousands of other industry leaders around the world.

If you can imagine it, you can create it using Smooth-On rubbers, plastics and foams.

Featured Step-by-Step How-To's

How To Make a 1 Piece Silicone Cut Mold

How To Make a 1 Piece Silicone Cut Mold

Mold Star® 15 is perfect for experienced mold makers or people just starting out.

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How To Make a 2 Part Silicone Mold Using Mold Star™ 15

How To Make a 2 Part Silicone Mold Using Mold Star™ 15

This video outlines the 2-part block mold making technique using silicone rubber.

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How To Make a 2 Piece Silicone Mold Using OOMOO™

How To Make a 2 Piece Silicone Mold Using OOMOO™

Mold box construction, model preparation and release agent application for a 2 part pour on mold are covered in this video.

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How To Make a Custom Foam Storage Insert

How To Make a Custom Foam Storage Insert

A Custom Made Foam Insert for Electronics or Other Delicate Equipment

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How To Make a Prototype Impact-Resistant Rectangular Sifting Mat

How To Make a Prototype Impact-Resistant Rectangular Sifting Mat

Watch how a CNC routed prototype turns into a durable urethane finished product

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How To Make Custom Foam Hollow Rocks for Outdoor Speakers

How To Make Custom Foam Hollow Rocks for Outdoor Speakers

E-Z Spray® Expandable Foam Is Used To Create 'Hollow Rocks' to House Outdoor Speakers.

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How To Vent a Silicone Mold to Eliminate Bubbles In Casting

How To Vent a Silicone Mold to Eliminate Bubbles In Casting

This sequence chronicles Mr. Ross's process in successfully reproducing this model using an advanced mold making technique.

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How To Add Color Effects To a 3D Printed Part Using XTC-3D™

How To Add Color Effects To a 3D Printed Part Using XTC-3D™

This video demonstrates how to use XTC-3D epoxy coating to smooth and apply color to a 3D printed architectural model.

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How To Smooth the Surface of a 3D Printed Model Using XTC-3D™

How To Smooth the Surface of a 3D Printed Model Using XTC-3D™

In this video, XTC-3D® Epoxy is used to coat a 3D piece printed in PLA.

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What People Have Done With These Materials

Custom Paw Pad Soap Mold from Prototype to Production

Custom Paw Pad Soap Mold from Prototype to Production

In order to grow the business, Jen realized she needed a custom branded soap mold.

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Reeling in Customers with OOMOO Silicone Rubber

Reeling in Customers with OOMOO Silicone Rubber

Jason and Jenny Wilhelm, owners of Dope on a Rope Soaps proudly share their mold making and casting process with us.

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RepRap 3D Printer Parts Made with Smooth-Cast® ONYX™

RepRap 3D Printer Parts Made with Smooth-Cast® ONYX™

3D printer parts made with Smooth-Cast ONYX and Mold Star 15 molds.

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Moen Uses Smooth-On To Spark Development

Moen Uses Smooth-On To Spark Development

Moen uses the full spectrum of Smooth-On tin and platinum-based silicone rubbers to develop and refine proposed design

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Horse Hoof Treatment Using Equinox™ Silicone Putties

Horse Hoof Treatment Using Equinox™ Silicone Putties

Equine Digital Support System, Inc. is a company that specializes treating lower limb equine problems

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The 'Royal Assault Team 357' Robot

The 'Royal Assault Team 357' Robot

Assisting School Age Kids To Excel In Science Competition With Smooth-On Materials

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A Unique Application for Smooth-Cast™ 326 Liquid Plastic

A Unique Application for Smooth-Cast™ 326 Liquid Plastic

Rapid Technique LLC of England recently solved a daunting problem by using Smooth-Cast® 326 liquid plastic as a coating for their 3D prototypes.

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How To Make a Vacuum Forming Mold Using TASK™ 18 Urethane Resin

How To Make a Vacuum Forming Mold Using TASK™ 18 Urethane Resin

Parts that are thermoformed touch our lives every day including consumer packaging and advertising signs.

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Crystal Clear® Resin used to Develop Trailer Hitch Novelty Item

Crystal Clear® Resin used to Develop Trailer Hitch Novelty Item

Inventor Mike Gershwin of Evansville, IN, sat in traffic one day staring at the trailer hitch attached to the truck in front of him.

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Red Buses of Glacier National Park Restored with Crystal Clear®

Red Buses of Glacier National Park Restored with Crystal Clear®

A recent Crystal Clear™ industrial application involved Ford Motor Company's restoration of "The Red Buses Of Glacier National Park" in Montana.

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Reaching for New Heights with Smooth-Cast™ 320 Liquid Plastic

Reaching for New Heights with Smooth-Cast™ 320 Liquid Plastic

Smooth-On has been a supplier to manufacturers of sports and recreational equipment for years. An example of such products involves Indoor Rock Climbing Gyms.

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From Prototype to Reality: Concrete Finishing Slicks Success Story

From Prototype to Reality: Concrete Finishing Slicks Success Story

After pouring thousands of tons of concrete to make a floor or platform, concrete finishers are called on to finish the concrete surface by smoothing out all surfaces.

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A Pillow for the Masses

A Pillow for the Masses

AC Worx Orthopedic, LLC of Crookston, Minnesota develops a concept for an orthopedic pillow.

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Customer Spotlight – Sami Rahman

Customer Spotlight – Sami Rahman

Father Sami Rahman creates contouring seat for son’s wheelchair.

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The Amazing

The Amazing "Magic Bus", The Ultimate Audio Experience

Learn How Free Form™ AIR Was Used The Amazing "Magic Bus", The Ultimate Audio Experience

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