Elastech Solutions offers its customers 3 different types of rubber molding methods. The method that you use will vary based upon the application of the product, the type of specific material that you use, and a variety of additional factors. Our support specialist can help you decide on these factors and walk you through which is best for you. Below we have included some information about the 3 specific molding methods.
Compression Molding:
The process involves compressing preformed rubber in a mold with a press. During the compression process, rubber is forced into the mold cavity to form the final product.
Rubber Compression Molding offers advantages over other methods by providing:
- Tooling savings
- Short setup time (saves on short production runs)
- The capacity to process stiff, high durometer materials
- Least amount of waste
Transfer Molding:
Rubber Transfer Molding combines the advantages of injection molding with the ease of compression molding. The process of transfer molding involves placing rubber in a chamber at the top of the mold and then pushing through sprues into a heated mold.
Transfer molding offers several advantages over other methods by providing:
- Shorter production cycles
- Maintains closer dimensional tolerances than compression molding
- Provides uniformity
- Fast mold setup
Injection Molding:
The process involves rapidly injecting an exact amount of rubber from a tube/cylinder into a closed, heated mold.
Rubber Injection Molding offers economical advantages including:
- Short molding cycle
- Lower unit cost
- High dimensional tolerances
- Absence of flash
- Little scrap/waste