Keys To Choosing Materials When Making Molded Rubber Products

7 October 2021
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog

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If you feel that rubber is the best material to use when making parts, then molding is probably the best fabrication technique you can use. It lets you create a lot of things. Just make sure you use these key tips when selecting a particular rubber compound for amazing molding results. 

Review Activities Relevant to Rubber Products 

Whatever rubber product you're attempting to make through molding processes, it will be subject to certain activities. Maybe it's reducing vibration for a moving system or filling up space for sealing purposes. These activities need to be considered in order to choose a compatible rubber material that doesn't break down as easily.

You can see what tolerances the rubber type needs to have so that at the end of your rubber product molding, you have long-lasting parts that you and your clients can put all of your faith in over the years.

Determine if Chemical Exposure is Relevant or Not

There are a lot of different rubber compounds that can be used in molding to make products. But to feel good about the specific rubber compound you choose, assess the probability of chemical exposure. Will there be any chance of your rubber molded products coming in contact with chemicals? If so, then you'll need to be very specific with the chemical-resistant properties provided. For example, the rubber compound known as Viton might be appropriate because it has an amazing chemical-resistant makeup. These calculations are paramount to get right for long-lasting rubber products.

Decide Between General-Purpose and Specific Design

There are some rubber compounds used in molding processes that can support a lot of different things. Then you have compounds that are only meant to be used for a couple of purposes. Figure out what's going to help support your projects the best. For instance, if you have multiple intentions for molded rubber parts, a general-purpose compound that can support a lot of projects might be best. Whereas, if you're working with a specific type of client base that expects a certain material property, then you may need to go with the specific-support design.

If you want to make sure rubber product molding is set up to be a smooth and meaningful process when making products, you need to have a firm understanding of which rubber compounds to use. Whether it's nitrile or silicone, knowing what material to use in this molding process can save you money and future molding adjustments. 

Reach out to a local molded rubber products service near you to learn more tips.