Do You Want Extrusion or Bonding for Vibration Isolation?

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Rubber is an excellent material to use if you need to dampen or isolate vibration in machinery and if you need to prevent two parts made of harder materials from damaging each other. Moulding rubber into the shapes you need for this vibration isolation can be done through two different processes: metal bonding or rubber extrusion. Both produce good-quality parts, but each is better for addressing specific issues.

Generic Versus Custom Shapes

When you mould rubber to a metal part, you're making one final piece where the rubber attaches to the metal perfectly (or almost perfectly as there usually is some allowable leeway). Extrusion produces parts that fit a mould, not necessarily parts that fit the metal or plastic item that the parts need to fit against. For example, if you want a generic rubber washer to place under a bold head, you could use extrusion to create the washer. If you want a layer of rubber to line a specific metal part in an engine to create a custom part, you'd use metal bonding.

More Efficiency at Assembly Time

Metal bonding produces one part with both rubber and metal, so if you want a slightly faster assembly process, metal bonding would win. But given that the two processes are better for different parts, and rubber extrusion would work just fine for many parts that can be generic, that's not much of savings in time. It's better to look at the type of part needed rather than worrying that it may take you a couple of seconds more to line up a washer and bolt, for example.

Ability to Be Swapped Out

If you want the ability to change out the rubber part at will, then you'd want an extruded part. With a metal-bonded part, you'd have to change out the metal portion as well as the rubber portion. So, if you want to create these rubber parts that are easy to change, having the part made through rubber extrusion is better. Of course, you can change out bonded rubber and metal parts, but if you're not planning to change the metal portion, there's no need to use those types of parts.

If you're not sure which type of moulding process would be better for your project, you can discuss this with a representative from the rubber manufacturing companies you're considering. They'll point you toward the more appropriate process.

For more information about custom rubber moulding products, contact a local company. 

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