Silicone Mold DFM Review: Draft, Islands, and Undercuts Before CAD Lock
A pretty STL that cannot leave the cavity is not a mold. DFM is the gate that names draft, island width, and whether a split is required - before you pay for a master that only looks good on screen.
2018
Shenzhen shop
MOQ 20
Per design
3-7 days
After CAD lock
~24h
Complete RFQ
What this DFM service is (and is not)
Buyers send jewelry STLs with hooked bails and expect a one-piece cookie-tray demold. Soft Shore does not delete a hook. This page is the DFM review service: we screenshot the lock risk, recommend fillet, flatten, or split, then you lock CAD.
RUUIPON has cut custom silicone molds in Shenzhen since 2018 for brand and Shopify runs. MOQ 20 trays per design. Prototype commonly 3-7 business days after CAD lock. Quote about 24 hours on a complete RFQ. Drawing deposit about $50 USD when we must model cavities.
This is not the manufacturer hub and not a high-volume starch-mogul / steel-first plant quote. Same topic family as other factories is fine. Same outline as a sister brand is not.
Gates we check before we cut a master
We would rather reopen a screenshot than ship a tray you will hate on restock. CAD lock starts the prototype clock. Hidden hooks discovered on demold 1 are a CAD reopen, not a free Shore nudge.
| Gate | Why it stops a bad tool |
|---|---|
| Demold vector | If the part cannot leave, Shore will not save it |
| Island width mm | Letter islands tear on pull 3-5 |
| Undercut budget | Split, flatten, or redesign |
| Pour chemistry + peak C | Shore comes after this, not before |
| Food-contact vs craft | Docs path is a different quote |
Files that start the ~24 hour quote clock
STEP or watertight STL in millimetres, or ruler photos in the plane of the part. Pour family and peak C if heat. Target OD or grams. Whether the listing photo can lose 0.3-0.5 mm of undercut. Ship-to country if food-contact is in scope.
A marble flat-lay without a ruler does not start the clock. Complete RFQ definition lives on a separate URL.
What we will not rubber-stamp
Licensed characters we cannot tool. FDA-approved factory language. A tin hobby kit Shore copied onto a production sheet. Guessing inches when the STL is silent on units.
If the job is a steel mogul line or depositor nest at plant scale, that is a different lane. We quote soft trays for brands who need MOQ 20 and a prototype they can pour.
FAQ
Is DFM the same as the prototype service hub?
No. Prototype is a later clock after CAD lock. DFM is the review that decides whether CAD is honest.
MOQ for DFM only?
DFM is part of the quote. Production trays are still MOQ 20 per design.
Can you copy a purchased mold?
No. We tool from your IP, files, or a master you own.
Related process pages
- ServiceVacuum platinum traysPlatinum-cure production sheets with vacuum degassing for brand restock. MOQ 20, Shenzhen since 2018. Not a tin kit and not a plant mogul tool.
- ServiceMulti-cavity productionProduction multi-cavity silicone trays for brand yield. Spacing, web mm, pack math. MOQ 20. Not a one-cavity hobby tool.
- ServiceFood-contact quotingQuote food-contact silicone molds with FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 and LFGB sections 30/31 on request. No FDA-approved factory language. MOQ 20. Brand lane, not plant mogul.
- ServiceCAD from sampleRUUIPON models cavities from a master you own: calipers, depth, islands. Drawing deposit about $50. MOQ 20. Not a clone of a purchased tray.
Send the files for this process
Send your design, target material, and quantity. We confirm silicone grade, hardness, and certification needs - usually within 24 hours.