Premium Transparent Platinum Silicone for Professional Mold and Prototyping Applications
Wacker ELASTOSIL® VARIO 40 Normal is a 2-component, addition-curing (platinum-cure) pourable silicone with Shore A 40 hardness and fully transparent color, specially developed for molds where visibility of the cast object is essential. The Normal variant offers a pot life of 60 minutes and a demolding time of 6 hours at 20°C – ideal for careful processing of complex molds without time pressure. This professional silicone combines excellent flowability (10,000 mPa·s), high tensile strength (8 N/mm²), food safety, and broad chemical resistance with unique adaptability via the VARIO system. Mixing ratio 10:1 (A:B).
Key Benefits
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Fully transparent: The cast object remains visible in the mold for precise and correctly positioned cutting – ideal for prototyping and complex geometries
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60 minutes pot life (Normal): Ample processing time for careful pouring, degassing, and positioning of complex molds
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Adjustable hardness via VARIO system: Mix VARIO 15 and VARIO 40 A-components for any desired Shore A hardness between 15 and 40
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Adjustable curing speed: Combine Normal and Fast B-component for any desired curing time – total B always 10% of A-weight
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Food-contact compliant: Platinum-cure technology without by-products, compliant with BfR XV and FDA 21 CFR 177.2600, suitable for culinary molds
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High mechanical strength: 8 N/mm² tensile strength and 15 N/mm tear strength for durable, long-lasting molds
Typical Applications
- Prototyping and rapid tooling: transparent molds for precise cutting of complex models
- Culinary molds for chocolate, confectionery, and food-safe applications (FDA compliant)
- Stamps and pad printing industry: high detail reproduction and chemical resistance
- Podiatry and medical simulation: molds and anatomical models
- Molds for polyurethane, polyester, epoxy, and acrylic resin
- Robotics, animatronics and set building: flexible silicone objects
Processing Instructions:
- Mix A and B components in a 10:1 ratio by weight
- Mix slowly in a figure-8 motion to minimize air entrapment
- Optional: vacuum immediately after mixing to remove air bubbles
- Pour within 60 minutes pot life
- Allow 6 hours to cure at 20°C (or accelerated in an oven)
- Recommended: post-bake at 100°C for 2-3 hours for complete outgassing
Customization Options:
🧪 EL ASTOSIL VARIO MIX
Mixing Calculator for Your Perfect Silicone
Calculate exactly how much Elastosil Vario 15, Vario 40, Catalyst Vario F (fast) and Normal you need.
All values at 20 °C. Temperature has a big influence!
Disclaimer: This calculator is merely a tool and provides an estimate based on the graph from the manual. Actual pot life and curing time may vary due to temperature, mixing technique, humidity, or other factors. Siliconesandmore accepts no liability for divergent results. Always perform a small test mix first and consult the official manual.
Tip: Buy the kits separately if you want to adjust both hardness and speed.
Wacker Chemie is a global leader in silicone technologies for professional mold making, prototyping, and food-safe applications with over 100 years of expertise.
Important Warning: Inhibition in Addition-Curing Silicones
Please note: This is an addition-curing (platinum-cure) silicone. These silicones can be inhibited by sulfur, nitrogen, amino compounds, and metal salts. If you are unsure whether the products you are using (including gloves, spatulas, and cups) contain these ingredients, please perform a small test first. These substances can be found in many latex gloves, some plastilines, paints and glues, condensation-curing silicones, 1-component silicone sealants, natural rubbers, and 3D printing material (especially stereolithography). If you wish to use these, you will need to apply a protective layer of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
⚠️ What the compliance statements do and do not say
Wacker states compliance for this product for food contact: EC 1935/2004, BfR XV Silicones (volatiles max 0.5 %, extractables max 0.5 %) and FDA 21 CFR 175.300 and 177.2600. Wacker further declares that phthalates, bisphenols, PVC, PFAS, SCCP, heavy metals, latex and fragrances, among others, are not intentionally introduced, that the product is not of animal or human origin, is not derived from GMOs and does not undergo irradiation, and that the substances listed in the toy standards EN 71-3 and EN 71-9 and in CPSIA are not intentionally introduced.
This is not a statement about skin contact or biocompatibility. We do not use the term skin-friendly as a certification, because no such certification exists at raw material level. Wacker itself notes that regulatory sanctioning of the ingredients does not imply the finished product is considered safe, and that responsibility for the finished article and for migration, extraction and volatile testing rests with its manufacturer.
Note for body-contact applications: the WACKER SILICONES HEALTH CARE POLICY generally does not permit use in contact with the genital mucosa, generally excludes applications of more than 30 days, and assesses contraceptive and reproductive devices case by case. If you are working on such a product, contact us before ordering.
Professional Support
Our technical specialists advise on hardness mixing, curing speed, vacuum techniques, and optimal results for your specific mold, prototype, or stamp application. Contact us for technical datasheets, processing instructions, or advice on the VARIO system.
