A basic introduction to Rubber Moulding
Rubber moulding is the process by which rubber is moulded into shape to fit a custom product. Some popular methods include rubber injection moulding and rubber compression moulding. These mouldings are used to make rubber products. Read on for more information about mouldings in rubber.
Flexibility in Mouldings
Rubber mouldings can vary in terms of material, design, size and manufacture methods. It is possible to get a volume manufacture service or smaller services with custom designs. These can be created for prototypes and development, or they can be for specific projects.
Injection moulding machines can take 1-litre capacity, around 20 transfers and any product weight, from fractions of a gram to 5kg. Machines are improving all the time with developments in moulding, so you can be sure of finding the ideal solution for any moulding requirements.
Types of Materials
There are many materials available in this line of work, including common compound materials such as neoprene, natural rubber, nitrile and silicone.
You can also find elastomers which are ideal for high performance solutions with popular options including Aflas, hydrogenated nitrile, Viton and perfluoroelastomer.
Custom Compounds and Solutions
In addition to the regular moulding options you can also find customer solutions. This is ideal if you are looking for something for a specific purpose and require a technical service with design issues that need solving.
Customised solutions can include the use of specialist rubber grommets, bellows and bushes, gaskets, coupling rubbers, O rings and rubber seals. Other options include rubber to metal bonding solutions, bespoke tailored parts and rubber moulding products prototypes.
The best companies can provide fast turnaround times for mouldings. There are many services to choose from with specialists such as Meadex offering a range of solutions alongside their mouldings.
Applications
Rubber as a material is hugely versatile and highly popular for many purposes and industries. It has changed industry across the world across so many areas, including sport and health. Its elastic properties have been used to change the world. Natural rubber grows inside trees but there are many compounds and synthetic rubbers that can also be used to take advantage of its properties.
Common applications for a rubber moulding solution include: aerospace, motor sport, health and medicine, marine conservation, telecommunications, energy and defence. There is a global market for mouldings with both standard and customized solutions available.
