What factors to consider while choosing a rubber sheet?
Rubber is there everywhere around us and most often products made from this material go unnoticed. Right from appliances at home to parts of big machineries in industries, you can easily find custom molded rubber products.
One such widely used product made from rubber is the rubber sheet. To help you choose the right rubber sheet, here are the factors to consider,
Thickness - Thickness of the sheet is paramount when you are choosing it for gaskets and oil seals.
Temperature - The temperature to which you are going to expose the rubber matters a lot. If the temperatures are too high and the rubber can’t handle it, it will melt. On the other hand, if the temperatures are lower than its minimum tolerance capacity, the rubber will start cracking.
Resistance to abrasion - This refers to the rubber’s resistance to rubbing, scraping or erosion.
Resistance to ozone/UV - When exposed to ozone and UV, many types of rubbers break down which is why you should consider this factor.
Resistance to oil - It is common for rubber to get affected by oil so you have to see whether the rubber sheets you choose can withstand oil or not.
Resistance to acid - Not all rubbers can withstand acids. If you are going to use the rubber in acidic environments, Vitron is one of the best options.
Hardness - You should check for the hardness of the rubber prior to selecting it especially for sealing purposes.
You may use rubber sheets for vibration mounts or conveyor belts but do consider the above factors.
The factors to consider while choosing the right rubber sheet are thickness, temperature, hardness, resistance to abrasion, ozone/UV, oil and acid.