Technical
Rubber technology has come a long way since it was first discovered more than two centuries ago. It has now branch out into many different types of rubber with each has its own unique properties. There is no one rubber that can be consider the best in every situation. Therefore, choosing the right type of rubber material is the first step during the product design stage. Choosing the wrong material might not give the desired performance or even worst damaging the system or product that might cost a couple of thousand if not millions just to rectify the problem.
Natural Rubber (NR)
Natural Rubber comes from the tree named Hevea brasiliensis. It is collected by making incision into the bark of the tree and then collecting the latex. This process is called tapping. It is then later process into natural rubber by adding chemical and also going through the process of filtration to take out impurities during the tapping process. Natural Rubber has very high tensile strength, elongation, abrasion strength, flex strength and so on. It is used in gasket, grommets, bellows, bumpers, footings and more.
Styrene Butadien Rubber (SBR)
This rubber has almost the same properties like Natural Rubber. It is considered as the synthetic version of Natural Rubber as some countries do not have Natural Rubber plantation. This rubber is a synthetic rubber made from oil. It is used to replace Natural Rubber and also uses in place where impact is considered an important factor as SBR has better impact resistance compare to NR.
Nitrile Butadien Rubber (NBR)
Nitrile rubber is an oil resistance based rubber. It has good resistance against oil, greases, liquid fuels, low gas permeability, low compression set and can operate under the temperature ranging from -40°C to 108°C. It is often used in hydraulic hoses, o-rings, washer, gasket, seals, brake linings, rice rollers, conveyor belts, and more.
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber (EPDM)
EPDM rubber has excellent weatherability resistance. It is not easily oxidized nor degrade when expose to UV sunlight. EPDM is the first choice when it comes to outdoor application. Automotive, window seals, roof membrane, pond liners are some of the uses of EPDM rubber.
Silicone
Silicone has one of the best properties among all. It has excellent weather resistance, moderate oil resistance, heat resistance, vibration damping and long lifespan. The only drawback is that it does not have good mechanical properties. It is therefore not suitable to be used in places where mechanical force will be applied to. Silicone can be found in a wide range of product such as gasket, seals, tubes, hoses, house hold product, cooking ware, medical devices and many more.
Polychloroprene Rubber (CR)
CR rubber is considered a specialty rubber. It is better known as Neoprene, the tradename which is given by Dupont. It is similar to Natural Rubber which impart good mechanical strength but with outstanding properties like high ozone and weather resistance, good aging properties, moderate oil resistance, good chemical resistance, low flammability and more. Its application is widely spread into cable, transmission belts, conveyor belts, window seals, washers, bridge bearing pad, o-rings, vibration mounts and more.
Polyurethene Rubber (PU)
PU has a wide range usage such as roller in printing industries, bushes in automotive, foam in insulation, mounting in machines as it has high load capacity, cut resistance, abrasion resistance, impact resistance, tear resistance, oil resistance and ozone resistance. PU is light in colour in its original form. Therefore, it is easily pigmented for a beautiful finishing.
Fluoro Rubbers (FKM)
FKM is popularly known as Viton produced by DuPont Performance Elastomers. It is by far the most premium rubber in the rubber industries. It has the basic properties of chemical resistance, heat resistance, resistance to compression set, low temperature flexibility and also flame resistance. Due to the nature of its properties, it is usually made into O-rings, seals, gaskets and others for the aircraft industries, automotive and industrial.
Let Us Help You Decide
At Winsell, our attention to detail and commitment to excellence for every project, coupled with our experience and knowledge of the industries we serve, ensures that your rubber products will meet or exceed your expectations.