What are the top three rubber profiles that people want right now? Bulb seals, rubber trim seals, and D sections are in demand. Elasto Proxy is an essential business that’s open during the COVID-19 crisis with hundreds of feet of rubber profiles in stock. Here’s some of what we have.
Bulb Seals
Bulb seals (bulb trims, bulb trim seals) provide sealing and insulation for doors, hatches, and enclosures. They have bulb and retainer sections that are made of different materials. The bulb section provides sealing and insulation under compressive force. The trim or retainer presses onto a flange or substrate. To support proper compression, each section of the bulb seal has a different durometer or hardness.
To select the right bulb seals for your application, start with compound selection. The bulb portion is usually made of EPDM sponge rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), but bulb seals are also available in neoprene and nitrile. Note that the bulb can be located on the side or the end of the seal. The retainer or trim portion is usually made of PVC, a material that’s strong, lightweight, and impact resistant.
Bulb seals have three key part dimensions: bulb size, gap or edge thickness, and minimum bend radius. To determine the bulb size, measure the distance between the door and the jam when the door is closed. Then add 25% to 50% to account for compression. Next, select a bulb seal with a gap that equals the size of the flange. Finally, specify a minimum bend radius that won’t allow leaking.
Most bulb seals are black, but they’re also available in white, off-white, beige, tan, and gray. Some bulb seals have a texture that’s flat and smooth, but bulb trims with coarse, pebbled, and ribbed finishes are available. The retainer section of a bulb seal can contain metal wire or cores for impact resistance and internal tongues for gripping. Bulb seals can also support the use of hot-melt adhesives for fastening.
Rubber Trim Seals
Rubber trim seals (edge trims, trim seals) protect exposed edges and the people who come into contact with them. They provide sealing, insulation, and a finished appearance to the metal doors on vehicles, machinery, and equipment. Rubber trim seals are available in many different materials and carry specifications for dimensions, product color and texture, and features for gripping and impact resistance.
Standard rubber trim seals come in EPDM, neoprene, PVC, TPE, and silicone. During product selection, measure the thickness of the edge to cover and select a rubber trim seal with the same thickness as the edge. Then specify the leg length. As a rule, shallower flanges require shorter leg lengths. If the edge you need to cover is curved, compare the bend radius to the minimum bend radius for potential trim seals.
Most rubber trim seals are black, but specialty edge trims are available in silver and white. Like bulb seals, decorative trim can also have a smooth or textured finish. Edge trim is also available with interior tongues for gripping, and metal reinforcements for added impact resistance. Rubber trim seals that are custom-fabricated have smoother edges than edge trim that’s cut with hand tools.
D Sections
D sections (D shapes, D seals, half rounds, D gaskets) have a half-moon bulb and a flat bottom. The bulb provides sealing under pressure and is usually made of sponge rubber. The flat part of the D section attaches with an adhesive instead of mechanical fasteners. Fasteners are durable, but taped D sections support peel-and-stick installation.
D sections are great for sealing the gap between a long piece of sheet metal and another surface, such as the edge of a door. Long pieces of thin-gauge sheet metal may look perfectly straight, but they’re not. Often, there’s some bowing along the length of the metal. This bowing creates gaps of different sizes between the sheet metal and the surface that you’re sealing.
D shapes fill these gaps and withstand “pressure points” where compression is greater because the gap is narrower. Applications for D sections include the doors to mobile equipment cabins and machine enclosures. D seals, D gaskets, and half rounds are available in a wide variety of rubber materials and carry specifications for height, width, outside diameter, inside diameter, and base thickness.
Get The Top Three Rubber Profiles That People Want Right Now
Elasto Proxy is an essential business that’s open during the COVID-19 crisis with hundreds of feet of rubber profiles in stock. Whether you need coils of rubber, cut lengths, or finished gaskets, we’re ready to supply you with bulb seals, rubber trim seals, and D sections. To get started, contact us.
