Tuesday 3 December 2013

The Making of Custom Molded Rubber Components

Rubber components have been in use for ages by every person, organization and industry. Custom made rubber components are rubberized parts created to be used in varied and specific applications. Examples of these are rubber washers, valves, tubes, etc. Such components are used practically by every industry worldwide.

There are many reasons why these products are important. The elastic material makes molded rubber components ideal for various applications due to its longevity, resistance to abrasions, flexibility, and its ability to resist environmental changes.

But how are these custom molded rubber products made? Here is where you will find the answer.
There are basically three types of methods used to create the components:


  • Compression molding
  •  Injection molding
  •  Extrusion


Compression Molding: This process involves changing a rubber compound into a specific shape using pressure and heat. The process begins with an uncured rubber compound, i.e., a hardened piece of the material. The compound is placed into a pre-shaped mold. This mold is closed, and using pressure and heat, the rubber compound melts and forms the shape of the desired component


Injection Molding: This process is one of the older processes, as it was invented during the 1960s. Here, the rubber compound is melted into a liquid form. A mold, which has been pre-shaped for a particular component is placed into a press. The liquid rubber is then injected into the mold while the press applies pressure at the same time. This helps to create the basic finished product.


Extrusion: This process is basically used to create long rubberized components such as tubes, pipes, or wheels. The liquid rubber is passed through a die, which forms the shaped of the finished product.


A little knowledge can go a long way. So the next time you are using a custom made rubber product, you may feel satisfied to know the process from which it came.


For more details visit www.valleyseal.com.