Rubber coating is the process of coating a metal or plastic substrate with a protective outer surface layer of elastomeric material. Rubber offers many advantages as a coating material since it has the mechanical property of being able to undergo a significant amount of elastic deformation of stress.
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There are two main categories of rubber: natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Various types of synthetic rubber such as silicone and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) are more commonly used as rubber coatings than natural rubber is. Additionally, as a coating rubber offers the benefits of being a protective coating from abrasion as well as an exceptional sealant from any liquid forms such as rain water or spilled chemicals. Due to both the many benefits of rubber coatings and the wide range of elastomeric materials that can be used to create rubber coatings, they are utilized in diverse applications and industries, including: industrial manufacturing, for the coating of processing equipment components such as rubber rollers in conveyor systems; automotive, in order to coat vehicle parts frequently exposed to the elements such as the undercarriage; marine, for use as a protective coating for electrical marine equipment; and electronics, for the coating of electrical devices such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) and power cables.
Rubber coating services are typically performed using rubber that exists in a liquid form, although foam rubber also appears to be used in coating although it is much rarer. In its liquid form, silicone rubber is likely the most common type of rubber used in rubber coating processes due to its ability to adhere to any surface. The ability to adhere well to various substances is essential when it comes to rubber coating because rubber coating is typically applied by means of spraying, similar to conformal coating, or brushing rather than an electrochemical or chemical bath immersion method. The application of rubber coatings through spraying is much more common in industrial applications because it is much more efficient for large production volumes in addition to providing a more uniform finish. Brush coating, on the other hand, is more often seen in commercial and residential applications. As a result, it is not recommended for large volumes, and does not provide a smooth or uniform finish. In addition, the application of the coating is difficult to reproduce, making the rubber coating unique on each individual part using this method to apply coating. Another type of rubber used in rubber coating application is neoprene, which is a type of synthetic rubber that is particularly resistant to oils as well as aging.
