Rubber Profiles
Rubber profiles are finished or semi-finished stock forms of extruded rubber and are considered the most popular range of products in rubber extruding. These shapes are highly elastic, easy to process and have a long life span. Used in the aerospace, lighting, appliance, electronics, construction, medical, marine, military and tooling industries, rubber profiles are components of many different machines, systems and commercial products. Those used in the medical, pharmaceutical and food processing applications must meet FDA and USDA requirements. Their shapes include sheeting, tubing, plates, channels, bars and films, and their cross-sections may be square, round, rectangular, tubular, I-shaped, T-shaped, U-shaped or hollow. Because rubber profiles exhibit high electrical conductivity, they are parts in generators, transformers, circuit breakers and motor assemblies.
Almost all rubber profiles contain some form of additive, including acrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone and vinyl. To cut the cost or to add strength, fillers such as plastic, glass, metal and carbon graphite or powder are mixed in with the pure rubber before processing. Many different types of rubber are used to produce profiles, and are chosen based on their many different aspects and properties. Neoprene, silicone rubber, natural rubber, nitrile rubber, and styrene butadiene rubber are all used to make many different types of profiles, including solid, sponge, co-extruded, flocked and metal-inserted. Often, rubber profiles go through post-forming processes after extrusion takes place. They may be cut, coiled, spooled or coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive.