Rubber sheets are rubber products whose defining characteristic is flatness. Rubber sheets, unlike many other rubber products like grommets, seals and diaphragms, are easily recognizable in many settings. Ridged or textured rubber sheets are widely used as stairwell treads and door mats because they provide traction for people who might otherwise slip on smooth surfaces; they are especially helpful in this way during wet or snowy weather.
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Rubber sheets can also be used as permanent flooring in children's play areas, gymnasiums, in auto dealerships and in many other contexts. Driving ranges often make use of textured rubber sheets as driving surfaces. Very small rubber sheets are used in many mouse pad designs, and larger, textured rubber sheets are frequently used as vehicle floor mats. Thick rubber sheets, in industrial contexts, may be placed beneath machinery in order to reduce noise and vibration, and thin rubber sheets may have applications in healthcare settings. EPDM is very widely used in roofing applications to prevent seepage of moisture and to help maintain building temperatures. Rubber sheets are some of the most widely used rubber products in existence.
Rubber sheets can be manufactured using a variety of rubber product fabrication methods, but the overwhelming majority of rubber sheets are produced through extrusion. The rubber extrusion process begins with a collection of raw rubber material in a hopper suspended above a conveyance channel. Once released into the channel, a long screw forces the raw rubber material toward a die at the end of the channel. A die is a tool used to turn a raw material into a usable product. In the case of rubber sheet extrusion dies, the die would be a long, narrow slot set in a metal plate. As the material approaches the die, friction caused by the turning of the screw causes the rubber to become molten. When the rubber reaches the appropriate temperature, it is forced through the die, which causes the rubber to take its new, flat shape. When it emerges on the other side of the die, the raw rubber has become newly extruded rubber sheeting. At this point, the sheeting is allowed to cool and harden. It is then cut to length, cleansed of flashes and imperfections if necessary and prepared for shipment or further processing.