Do You Have an Application That Requires Custom Rubber Gaskets?

Whether the application at hand requires an effective seal or an effective barrier, custom rubber gaskets often provide the ideal solutions. Have you and your team been planning a shift in production and working to implement rubber gaskets or seals for your next project?

These pieces play essential roles across multiple industries. However, they can only provide the right function when a team chooses the right material and partners with the right rubber fabrication company. You and your team should remember that it is more expensive to replace a gasket than it is to purchase a part at the outset. So, once you know the relevant factors to consider before committing to a partnership and design, you can get the right start to your project.

What purposes can a rubber gasket serve? What are some application examples? Rubber gaskets are especially useful for preventing the entry of fluids into a larger unit. They can supplement doors on HVAC units, form seals for refrigerators, and more. See below to learn about just some of the most critical factors to consider when customizing rubber gaskets for a project.

What does making these parts involve? While a fabrication team can cut gaskets by hand, it is common for a team to customize these parts through transfer molding or compression molding.

Transfer molding refers to the process by which rubber fabricators use a heated plunger to move a rubber preform in a chamber from the top of a mold down to sprues in a mold. The plunger stays in place and the heat shapes the rubber material.  On the other hand, compression molding involves the placement of a starting piece of rubber material into an open preheated mold. Once the mold closes, the rubber undergoes pressure and moves to fill the mold completely and cure.

What is the Nature of Your Application? What Are Your Basic Requirements?

As you plan your customization, you should take the time to know the environment of your application as well as possible. What temperature extremes may your gaskets encounter? How much pressure will outside forces exert upon your gaskets? How often could the conditions of your application vary?

What about gasket tolerances? In most cases, the external specifications of a rubber gasket are not relevant unless the piece requires placement within a channel. However, no matter the necessary positioning of the final product, you and your team should account for the internal shape of the gasket and the placements and measurements of holes for fasteners.

rubber gasket tolerance micrometer

Outside micrometer, inside micrometer, and depth micrometer.

Selecting the Right Rubber Gasket Material

The right rubber fabrication team will have an understanding of how different materials interact with different forces and break down under stress. You should be able to count on fabrication professionals to provide expert insight when it comes to the material selection process.

Different rubber compounds react to stress in different ways. For example, nitrile rubber is notable for its resistance to fats, oils and petroleum substances. This makes nitrile rubber gaskets particularly effective for automotive applications and the processing of animal products. In addition, neoprene rubber is useful for withstanding extreme temperatures. This makes the material excellent for refrigeration applications

What Makes a Quality Rubber Gasket?

How can you and your team tell if you are getting the right product quality for your investment? While every project is different, there are some general points to consider when evaluating the quality of your finished custom products. Rubber manufacturers such as Ohio’s Qualiform Rubber Molding Company, know the importance of meeting and exceeding the standards and tolerances for custom rubber gaskets.

custom rubber gasket seal

When your finished products arrive, consider how clean each component is. It is important to remember that any remaining debris can allow room for leaks. You and your team should also evaluate the state of the parts following shipping.

Do you notice any torn or light-damaged parts? Whenever possible, you should also confirm the manufacturer used the material you specified at the beginning of your project.

Be sure to check your gasket edges. Any remaining strands of rubber material can obstruct the movement of material.

Most importantly, you should confirm your components have the right fit. Make sure the manufacturer met all dimensional requirements.

Connect With the Team From Qualiform Today and Get Your Next Project Going

When you want to get the most out of your custom rubber gaskets, Wadsworth, Ohio’s own Qualiform should be your first choice. Why choose Qualiform for custom rubber gaskets? Customers choose Qualiform ahead of the competition because when it comes to the fabrication of special compounds and to industry-leading design capabilities, Qualiform truly delivers.

Along with custom rubber gaskets, customers look to the Qualiform team to fabricate a diverse range of rubber parts. Count on Qualiform for premier rubber extrusion, injection molding, transfer molding, compression molding and rubber to metal bonding. To find out how you and your team could add the right custom rubber gaskets to your next project, just visit https://qualiformrubbermolding.com/ today.

By Published On: March 8, 2021Categories: Rubber Manufacturers

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