Gasket Shapes for Extruded Rubber Seals

Shapes for SealsThere are four common shapes for extruded rubber seals. Do you know which shape is the right choice for your gasket application? Engineers and seal designers can choose P-shapes, D-shapes, E-shapes, and lip seals. Purchasing agents can either order cut lengths or buy spliced gaskets.

In this article from Elasto Proxy, you’ll learn when to choose and how to use the four common shapes for extruded rubber seals. We also invite you to stay tuned for a series of short videos that will explain what you need to know about P-seals, D-seals, E-seals, and lip seals. (more…)

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Rubber Bulb Trim Selection Tips

Bulb Trim Bulb trim provides sealing and insulation for doors, hatches, and enclosures with rounded corners. These industrial rubber products have separate bulb and retainer sections, each of which can have a different durometer or hardness. The bulb forms a seal under low-to-medium closure force. The retainer or trim is pressed into place over a flange and may have an integral tongue or metal clips to promote attachment.

Elasto Proxy supplies a wide variety of bulb trim seals and can custom-fabricate finished gaskets that save time and money on your assembly line. In this article, you’ll learn how to choose the right bulb trim for your application. Whether you work in engineering, procurement, or production, compound selection and part dimensions are critical. Product features vary, too. (more…)

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Specialty Rubber Products You Didn’t Know That Elasto Proxy Supplies

Five ProductsElasto Proxy supplies industrial products that you probably didn’t know we offered. Why does this matter to you? Engineers need reliable parts that support larger product designs. Components that don’t work, won’t fit, fail in the field, or wear out too soon can cause project delays and cost overruns. If your current supplier can’t support your application, Elasto Proxy may offer an alternative.

Purchasing personnel also need suppliers who meet business and technical requirements. For purchasing agents, sticking with the same vendor may seem like the easiest way to do business. Yet it’s not always the best way, as sourcing managers can attest. As companies consolidate vendor lists to reduce operational expenses, they’re also buying more parts from suppliers with strong vendor scorecards.

In this article from Elasto Proxy, you’ll learn about five products that we offer that you probably didn’t know we did. Do you need rubber that’s bonded to metal, silicone hose, metallic-colored extrusions, molded plastic parts, or sewn products? If your company is buying these products from another supplier, you could save time and money by ordering them from Elasto Proxy instead. (more…)

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Four Ways to Cut Rubber Products

Cut Rubber ProductsWhat’s the best way to cut industrial rubber products like seals, gaskets, and insulation? Manual cutting, die cutting, water jet cutting, and abrasive water jet cutting each offer advantages. They also meet different business and technical requirements. As this article from Elasto Proxy explains, choosing the right cutting method for your application requires a complete and careful analysis. (more…)

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Noise Control and Acoustic Insulation: Sound Sources and Frequencies

Noise Control and Acoustic InsulationAcoustic insulation absorbs, transmits, or redirects sound – a form of energy that travels in waves. Unwanted sounds, or noise, aren’t just unpleasant to hear. They can harm human health, jeopardize worker safety, and contribute to structural fatigue. The consequences of noise can be severe, but its characteristics are sometimes misunderstood.

In Part 1 of this series, Elasto Proxy shared a surprising example of two machines running at different decibel (dB) levels in the same room. In Part 2, we’ll examine some other sources of noise in the industries we serve. Importantly, you’ll learn why acoustic insulation must account for more than just a sound’s source. Frequency, the speed of the change of the sound, is a key design consideration for noise control. (more…)

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Four Core Values That Define Elasto Proxy

Core ValuesCore values describe what we believe and guide the way that we act. These deeply-held values also serve as a mirror of sorts. When a company’s behavior reflects its core values, employees see this consistency. Customers and vendors recognize integrity, too. Inside and out, a company needs to be true in both word and deed. That’s why at Elasto Proxy, we don’t just talk about our core values. We show you who we are in all that we do.

Maybe you’ve done business with Elasto Proxy for years. Maybe you’re a new customer or vendor.  Regardless, we’d like you to know more about who we are and what our core values mean for you. Elasto Proxy is a growing, global company that’s powered by problem solvers. We’re also engaged, professional, and loyal. Regular readers of our blog have come to appreciate our application knowledge and technical expertise. But do you know how our core values support your success? (more…)

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Nitrile Rubber Products for Sealing and Insulation

Nitrile RubberWhen is nitrile rubber the right choice for sealing and insulation? This common elastomer is known by many names, including Buna-N, NBR, and acrylonitrile butadiene. There are plenty of trade names for nitrile, too. No matter what you call it, nitrile rubber offers good resistance to oils, fuels, and chemicals. Temperature and environmental conditions are limiting factors, however, and may require the selection of a more expensive material such as Viton™.

In this article from Elasto Proxy, you’ll learn about nitrile’s advantages and disadvantages. You’ll also examine NBR compounds, compare commercial and specialty Buna-N, and consider some typical nitrile applications. Elasto Proxy supplies specialty nitrile products to a variety of industries and can create a custom sealing solution that meets your specific requirements. Nitrile isn’t the only oil-resistant elastomer, but it’s a cost-effective choice compared to some other compounds.

Nitrile Advantages and Disadvantages

Nitrile rubber provides good-to-excellent resistance to many oils and solvents. Examples include:

  • animal and vegetable oils
  • crude petroleum oil
  • kerosene and gasoline
  • liquified petroleum (LP) gases
  • motor oils
  • mineral oil based hydraulic fluids
  • silicone greases and oils

For engineers and buyers, it’s important to understand that nitrile’s resistance to petroleum oils is limited by temperature. According to most chemical resistance charts, nitrile resists petroleum oil at temperatures up to 250° F (121° C). If your application requires both oil resistance and higher temperature resistance, a fluorocarbon such as Viton™ may be required instead. Nitrile is also unsuitable for highly polar solvents such as acetone, which is used in some food processing and medical applications.

Nitrile’s advantages include good physical properties such as resistance to compression set, tearing, and abrasion. Typically, NBR or Buna-N comes in durometers (Shore A) ranging from 20 to 95 for applications that require a softer or harder rubber. Nitrile resists water, but provides poor resistance to weather, ozone, and aging. Acrylonitrile butadiene is also unsuitable for some applications because Buna-N won’t withstand temperatures that are colder than -40° F (-40° C).

Nitrile Compounds and Specialty Grades

Through compounding, material suppliers have developed different types of nitrile with enhanced material properties. For example, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) can withstand slightly higher temperatures than NBR and provides improved resistance to polar fluids. Carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber (XNBR) has a higher compression set than Buna-N and offers improved tear and abrasion resistance. Nitrile can also be blended with polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

For engineers and buyers, choosing the right type of nitrile may involve comparing commercial rubber to specialty grades. Commercial grades generally cost less and are available in higher minimum order quantities (MOQs). Specialty grades generally cost more and have larger MOQs, but they’re custom compounds with improved properties. ASTM D2000 provides a standard way to describe elastomers and uses the designations BF, BG, BK, and CH with both standard and specialty nitrile. (more…)

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Commercial Grade Rubber vs. Specialty Rubber: Make the Right Choice

Commercial Grade RubberCommercial grade rubber provides sealing and insulation for a wide variety of applications. Compounds such as commercial grade EPDM, silicone, and neoprene also cost less than specialty rubber materials that meet standards, approvals, or regulatory requirements from organizations such as ASTM International, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For engineers, choosing the right rubber means understanding when a specialty material is required, and when a commercial grade rubber is sufficient. Engineers want to make sure that the products they design meet application requirements, but over-specifying an elastomer can incur unnecessary costs. In addition to paying more per unit of material, you may have to buy greater minimum order quantities (MOQs).

In this article from Elasto Proxy, we’ll consider the differences between commercial grade rubber and specialty rubber in terms of some real-world examples. You’ll also learn about some best practices that can strengthen your seal designs. (more…)

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