Engineered Rubber Products

Silicone Gaskets with High Flex-Fatigue Resistance

Flex Fatigue ResistanceElasto Proxy custom-fabricates silicone gaskets with high flex-fatigue resistance. These specialty gaskets are made of materials that meet the A-A-59588 3B specification for 50, 60, and 70-durometer silicones.

Silicone gaskets have many desirable properties. They’re chemically inert, resistant to ozone and ultraviolet light, offer thermal stability over a wide temperature range, and can repel water and form watertight seals. Silicone rubber is used in a variety of sealing and insulation applications, but some silicones have inadequate flex-fatigue resistance – a measure of a material’s ability to withstand repeated flexing or bending without cracking.

In some industries, however, flex-fatigue resistance is required. For example, aerospace engineers need silicones with high flex-fatigue resistance for door seals, window seals, and vibration-isolating mounts used with alternators, compressors, and assembly bolts. Members of the mobile equipment industry need crack-resistant silicones for engine mounts and exhaust hangers. Designers of aerospace and defense electronics need silicones that can flex without cracking in high-performance keypads. (more…)

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What’s the Shelf Life of Rubber Gaskets?

Shelf LlifeDoes your company keep rubber gaskets in inventory for long periods of time? Buying and storing large quantities of gaskets can help to reduce unit costs, but rubber doesn’t last forever. Shelf life, the storage period prior to gasket installation, varies by material type. Temperature, humidity, ozone, and exposure to ultraviolet light (UV) can also affect the shelf life of rubber products. By understanding these factors and evaluating all of your options for ordering seals, you can make stronger procurement decisions. (more…)

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Three Types of Custom Silicone Gaskets

Custom Silicone GasketsCustom silicone gaskets provide strong environmental sealing and excellent temperature stability. They resist water, ozone, sunlight, weathering, and aging; withstand high temperatures; and maintain their flexibility at low temperatures. Silicone rubber is also chemically inert and provides good dielectric properties. Custom silicone gaskets can be categorized in various ways, but there are three basic types: solid, sponge, and foam.

For product designers and technical buyers, it’s important to understand the differences between these three types so that you can choose the right one for your application. Type is just one of many specifications you’ll need to consider, but it’s a good place to start. For example, depending on your application, you may need to choose a silicone that’s UL listed for flame-resistance or FDA approved for medical or food processing applications.

For over 25 years, Elasto Proxy has been helping companies like yours get the custom silicone gaskets that they really need. In addition to design assistance and help with compound selection, we provide gasket fabrication services that are fast, dependable, and cost-effective. From prototyping and custom fabrication to warehousing and shipping, Elasto Proxy saves you time and money. (more…)

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Rubber Hatch Seal Case Study

military vehiclesRubber hatch seals for military vehicles don’t just keep out wind, water, dirt, and mud. They need to withstand extreme temperatures and various weather conditions. Hatch seals must avoid compression set, too. If a vehicle’s hatch causes a rubber seal to over-compress, the part won’t provide proper sealing. Ultimately, this permanent deformation creates a gap and causes seal failure. That’s bad news for military vehicles and the highly-trained personnel who operate them.

In this case study from Elasto Proxy, you’ll learn how we solved a sealing challenge for a manufacturer of military vehicles. The rubber hatch seals that we supply resist over-compression and demonstrate the value that we add to defense contracts. For our 25 years, Elasto Proxy has been an important link in the military supply chain. Elasto Proxyalso holds a Controlled Good Certificate (CGC) and works closely with trade groups such as the Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries (CADSI). (more…)

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Armored Vehicle Gaskets

Armored vehicles play an essential role in projecting military power and protecting  service personnel. Metal plating and weapons systems are what most observers notice, but closer inspection reveals that rubber parts also help support the mission. In this technical article from Elasto Proxy, you’ll learn about the six types of custom-fabricated components that we supply for a military vehicle that’s been an important part of U.S. and Coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. (more…)

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Silicone Hatch Seals Resist Compression and Temperature

Silicone Hatch Seals | ST-375-23-SM
Silicone Sponge ST-375-23-SM

Elasto Proxy custom-fabricates silicone hatch seals for demanding applications. These specialty gaskets support superior sealing with good compression set and temperature resistance.

Gasket designers want rubber hatch seals that are as tough as the vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure that need them. If a hatch seal can’t withstand compression, it may over-compress and admit wind, water, dirt, or mud. If a hatch seal can’t withstand a wide range of temperatures and outdoor environmental conditions, seal failure can result, too. If you need hatch seals for military vehicles, mobile equipment, marine applications, or HVAC systems, there’s plenty to think about. Fortunately, help is available.

For every hatch seal design, compound selection is critical. As readers of this blog learned last March, choosing the right rubber won’t stop enemy fire, but choosing the wrong rubber can result in over-compressed hatch seals on military vehicles. That’s why although neoprene rubber offers an excellent balance of material properties, this elastomer wasn’t the best choice for the military gaskets that Elasto Proxy inspected. After examining the results of over-compression, we recommended silicone sponge rubber seals instead. Is this same elastomer right for your application, too? (more…)

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Military Vehicle Gasket Materials

Have you ever wondered why the military uses so many acronyms? It’s because soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines need to convey information quickly, accurately, and efficiently. That’s why suppliers to the defense industry are also more likely to hear a term such as “MRAP” than the phrase “mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle”.  For defense contractors who want to win new business, mastering these acronyms can be like learning a new language.

Like any specialized discipline, gasket design has its own language, too. For example, many rubber gaskets are made of synthetic elastomers with names such as Buna-N and EPDM. Published specifications such as ASTM D2000 use letters and numbers to “call out” the properties of vulcanized rubber in a highly-structured way. Units of measure such as durometer (hardness) are sometimes unfamiliar, so buyers and designers may need assistance in order to translate the language of rubber into project specifications. That’s just part of how Elasto Proxy can help. (more…)

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Closed Cell Sponge Rubber Gaskets

closed cell sponge rubber gaskets

Closed cell sponge rubber gaskets from Elasto Proxy don’t just meet your application requirements for sealing and insulation. They meet your business requirements for a value-added solution.   

Closed cell sponge rubber gaskets prevent the flow of liquids and gases to and from the environment. They contain nitrogen-filled cells and provide reliable sealing, cushioning, gap filling, and insulation. Most sponge or expanded rubber is lightweight, flexible, and compressible. Over-compression can cause gasket failure, however, so compound selection is critical.

As an experienced gasket fabricator, Elasto Proxy helps you choose the right rubber for your application. We then custom-fabricate gaskets that save you time and money. Many types of closed cell sponge rubber are available, and different compounds provide particular properties. These sheet materials and rubber extrusions also support water jet cutting, adhesive bonding or splicing, and taping for peel-and-stick gaskets. (more…)

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Custom Skylight Seals Case Study

Custom Skylight SealCustom skylight seals need to meet demanding environmental and load testing requirements. When a skylight company faced a sealing challenge, Elasto Proxy provided the perfect solution on a tight timetable.

Skylights are specialized windows that builders install in a roof or ceiling. They admit natural light, provide a visual connection to the outdoor environment, and support passive solar heating. Skylights can help reduce energy costs, but their benefits go beyond sustainability. For example, the giant domed skylights found atop some commercial buildings are designed to enhance the occupants’ overall experience. By combining art with infrastructure, these complex structures truly illustrate the art of sealing. If a skylight fails, however, property damage and personal injury may result. (more…)

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