Aluminum Bonding

Aluminum Bonding

Aluminum is a light weight metal with superior ductility and corrosion resistance. It is able to handle the high pressure and high temperatures involved in the rubber bonding process. Aluminum bonded parts are commonly employed as sound and vibration dampening products in industrial settings where loud machinery is a problem for workers. They also often control the intense shaking caused by machines when they are in use, which helps to keep them working longer. Aluminum bonded products are also used in the automotive industry as a variety of internal car parts because they are so light weight yet strong; they also dampen vibration when vehicles are in motion on bumpy roads. Medical instruments, specifically reusable tools for surgeries and implants, are made of aluminum bonded to rubber, specifically silicone, because its surface is easily cleaned and can handle undergoing regular autoclave sterilizations.

Using aluminum in rubber to metal bonding is becoming increasingly popular because it is cost effective due to its abundance and light weight. After the metal component, called the substrate, has been fabricated and formed, it must undergo heavy amounts of cleaning. All oil, grease and lubricants are removed from the surface, often by a shot blast and degreaser. If the metal surface is not completely clean and rid of all substances and contaminants, the bonding process will be interrupted and the rubber will not adhere evenly or as tightly. Next, heat treating is accomplished in an oven to produce oxide on the aluminum's surface. The bonding adhesives, called primers, are then coated or sprayed evenly onto the metal part. Finally, the molding process takes place. Many manufacturers employ injection molding to obtain a mold of the desired rubber component, which is formed around the metal substrate and left to cure. This process is usually done in high volumes, and depending on the type of heat treating and rubber used to mold, could take over an hour to complete.