Prototyping Lockwaste Smart Bin Lock for Australia with 3D Printing, Vacuum Casting, and a Matte Finish

A secure bin lock built for real-world use

How do you build an outdoor smart lock housing that is tamper-resistant, weather-ready, and still fast to iterate in small batches?

Lockwaste is an Australia-based team developing a smart bin lock to reduce common kerbside issues. The product is designed to work with no padlocks and no keys, using app-based access control. It also supports automatic unlocking during collection and hands-free locking when the bin moves from the property to the kerbside. The project required production-like prototypes for field trials, with a consistent matte appearance, stable assembly, and easy installation on standard bins without complicated wiring.

                    Full prototype set.

Production-like prototypes without production tooling

The key challenge was delivering production-like prototypes: clean part fit, reliable screw joints, and a consistent surface finish that holds up in outdoor use.

Mastars built a small-batch workflow using 3D-printed master patterns, silicone tooling, and PU vacuum casting to produce repeatable housings and covers. Threaded brass inserts were integrated to support dependable assembly and repeated service. After trimming and inspection, the parts went through spray painting and a matte coating process to achieve a uniform look and feel for demos and field testing. Mastars can also scale the same design into low-volume production when needed, as a one-stop manufacturing partner.

Faster field trials with repeatable fit and finish

Customer core value: faster, field-testable prototypes that reduce iteration cycles and keep the product ready for outdoor trials.

✅ Tooling-free iteration for small batches

✅ Stable assembly enabled by threaded inserts

✅ Uniform matte finish for demos and field trials

✅ Repeatable fit across housings and covers

✅ A smoother path from prototype to low-volume builds

Mastars, the most trusted and reliable one-stop services partner for low-volume digital manufacturing worldwide!