Rubber Extrusion Services

Vulcanization is a biochemical process for curing rubber that improves its durability. During the vulcanization process, rubber in its natural harvested state is combined with sulfur and subjected to pressure and heat, which improves the properties of the rubber and generates a usable material for manufacturing.

The vulcanization process makes natural rubber much more suitable for a wider range of applications. To shrink the product that comes out of the extruder to the appropriate size, Custom Gasket Mfg. uses a variety of vulcanization techniques, such as:

. Steam Curing

Steam curing is mainly used for smaller batches and when the material being used contains non-black compounds. Curing with steam rather than with chemical cures is advantageous because it is considered a safer way to vulcanize rubber. Through steam curing, materials have significant wear performance properties, especially when using bonding in future installations.

. Continuous Curing

Continuous curing is used on larger quantities or larger physical sizes of products. This technique uses microwaves or salt bath processes to gradually cure the rubber. Continuous curing is a low-energy technique because only a small amount of energy is applied over time. This process also ensures a greater consistency of the profile of the end product.

. Cutting-To-Length

Cutting-to-length is used to cut material away to achieve the desired shape of the end product for close tolerances. Lathes, high-speed cutters, and rotating cutters are used on longer runs and larger physical sizes of products. Other cutters can be used on long continuous runs and guillotine cutters are used on long-length and larger cross-sections.

Splicing is used as a more cost-effective way to produce an endless loop product with an extruded profile or other products with complex corners because it requires no expensive custom tooling or dies.

The process starts by utilizing our other methods of production to make the components of the final product. These components are cured using one of our curing techniques and cut, if needed, for final assembly. Depending on the desired shape of the final product, the materials can be spliced using cold bonding or splice molding.

Custom Gasket Mfg. uses the hot splicing/vulcanizing process to facilitate a chemical connection between the ends of a rubber extrusion, creating a full and connected seal that improves the strength of gaskets and enhances their resistances to weather and other environmental factors.

The lathe cutting process involves extruding a tube of rubber, cutting it to a specified length, and sliding it on to a mandrel. The part is then grinded at high speed on the outside diameter (OD) using a lathe. Custom Gasket Mfg. uses advanced grinding and lathing machinery to ensure that the OD of the tube matches the customer’s specified tolerances.

Washers and gaskets requiring precision or high-precision tolerances are ideal for lathe cutting. Most rubber materials available today are compatible with the lathe cutting process. The benefits offered by lathe cutting include substantially reduced material waste, no tooling costs, improved sealing surface, and no hour glassing from die cuts.

Custom Gasket Mfg. offers extruded rubber profiles and products in a comprehensive range of lengths, shapes, and sizes. Some of our most popular standard profiles include:

• D-strip (solid & hollow)
• L-strip
• P-strip
• T-shape
• C-channel
• E-channel
• H-channel
• U-channel
• U-channel (including bulb)
• Circular channel

Custom Gasket Mfg. has an extensive selection of rubber compounds to choose from. We offer custom-shaped profiles in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, durometers, and colors. The most common (solid and sponge) rubber compounds we use include:

Custom Gasket Mfg. has the ability to custom formulate compounds for your specific applications. Custom color compounding is available upon request.

Please visit our gasket materials page for more information on our extensive selection of materials.