Hot Splicing vs. Vulcanizing for Rubber Gaskets
Hot splicing and vulcanizing for rubber gaskets are bonding techniques that use heat, pressure, and a film splice or uncured rubber to join the ends of profiles. Hot splicing uses thin polyethylene (PE) film and either a conventional heating source or infrared (IR) light. Vulcanization uses an uncured rubber compound, along with heat and pressure. Both hot splicing and vulcanization create chemical bonds at the molecular level.
For engineers, choosing a splicing method for rubber gaskets is an important manufacturing decision. By balancing costs against capabilities, you can get the sealing and insulation solutions that you really need. Traditional hot splicing, infrared or IR splicing, and vulcanization all have their advantages, but they also have their differences. In this article, the first in a series from Elasto Proxy, we’ll examine each of these bonding techniques in detail. Future articles will cover molded corners and cold bonding. (more…)
Flame retardant rubber helps to protect people and property from the devastating effects of fire. By stopping or slowing the spread of flame, these elastomers reduce the rate and intensity of burning. They can also limit the release of smoke and toxins while increasing the amount of time that people have to escape from life-threatening situations. Applications for these specialized compounds include electronic enclosures and the interiors of buses, trains, and subways.
FDA gasket materials are used in food contact applications such as commercial kitchens. They meet strict standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a regulatory agency that’s responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety and quality of many food products. The FDA’s jurisdiction is limited to the United States, but FDA standards are followed worldwide.
NSF gasket materials are used in commercial food service equipment, water treatment or distribution systems, and other applications that can affect human health and safety. Rubber compounds that are registered with NSF International (formerly the National Sanitary Foundation) must pass rigorous tests to ensure that potentially harmful substances won’t migrate from the gasket material when in contact with food or drinking water.
UL gasket materials can provide flame resistance, ingress protection, or other specialized properties. For engineers, it’s important to understand what the different standards from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) mean. It’s also worth knowing if UL gasket materials are truly required in your component-level designs. Otherwise, you may “over-engineer” your gaskets and pay too much for materials.
Do you know how to install rubber gaskets for optimal sealing and insulation? If rubber seals are installed improperly, small leaks can admit air, water, dust, light, and sound. That’s a big problem for assembly and maintenance personnel who work in industries like mobile equipment, defense, aerospace, stainless steel and food equipment, infrastructure, and medical and health.
Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) need rubber UGV gaskets that can help protect sensitive electronics from high heat. UGVs also need weather-resistant door and hatch seals, and custom gaskets for cameras and LED lights that can handle extreme temperatures while keeping out water and dust. Manufacturers of UGV electronics, vehicle bodies, and imaging systems must meet different requirements, but custom fabrication can solve sealing and insulation challenges across the UGV supply chain.
