Elastomer | FIT Additive Manufacturing Group

Elastomer manufacturing − description of the process

Vulcanization of rubber is a process of improvement of the rubber properties (elasticity, strength, etc.) by heating it in the presence of sulfur, which results in three-dimensional cross-linking of the chain rubber molecules. The material has to be shaped, either by pressing or casting, before the heating. The tools for molded rubber parts are created by our own tool manufacturing department.

Benefits

Short lead times (10 − 20 working days)
Use of original series material
High precision
Better part properties than by 3D-printed elastomers
Ideal for small batch manufacturing
Production performance is about 1,000 − 100,000 parts per mold.

Machine capacities

1 x REP B56
250 tons clamp force / 2,000 cm³ injection volume

1 x REP V39
100 tons clamp force / 400 cm³ injection volume

1 x REP V49
160 tons clamp force / 1.200 cm³ injection volume

1 x REP V59
250 tons clamp force / 2.000 cm³ injection volume

1 x REP M46
140 tons clamp force / 650 cm³ injection volume

1 x LWB Steinl GIB2500
250 tons clamp force / 2.000 cm³ injection volume

1x LWB Steinl VRE1000
100 tons clamp force / 600 cm³ injection volume

4x compression presses
40 - 250 tons clamp force

Available materials

All common elastomers (natural and synthetic rubber), e.g.

Viton®
Natural rubber
Isoprene rubber
Styrene-butadiene rubber
Butadiene rubber
Isobutene-isoprene rubber
Butyl rubber
Ethylene-propylene-diene rubber
Acrylate rubber
Nitrile butadiene rubber
Hydrogenated nitrile rubber
Epichlorohydrin
Chloroprene rubber
Chlorosulfonated polyethylene
Polyurethane rubber
Silicone rubber
Fluororubber
Fluoro silicone rubber

Post-processing options

Assembly
Blast deburring

Applications

Prototypes
Small batch series