Do You Need High Performance Silicone Rubber Parts?

If you’ve read some of our previous blog posts, you’ll know that we have talked about the various ways that silicone rubber outperforms standard rubber. This holds true with all kinds of parts, too – from washers through to gaskets and various other items, such as tubing and even silicone rubber sheets.

Yet not all silicone rubber parts are identical in terms of the rubber used. You can buy many parts off the shelf. That might mean standard shapes or sizes, such as O rings, for example. In other cases, something more specific may be required. This could refer to an unusual shape or design, yet it could also refer to the composition of the silicone rubber.

Examples of assorted silicone rubber compositions

While there are standard formulas used to create silicone rubber parts, these standard parts don’t always stand up to the conditions they could find themselves in. Certain industries require more specific formulas. For example, those used in the medical industry may need to be steam resistant if the parts can be cleaned and reused. In the food industry, any silicone rubber parts would likely need to be metal detectable. If they weren’t, they could find their way into jars and foodstuffs.

Another example is any situation where the parts would be exposed to extremes of temperature. This could mean high or low temperatures or even both, in some cases. The best example of this would be in an aeroplane. On the ground, the plane may be in a country that is experiencing a heatwave. Once up in the air though, those temperatures are going to be far lower once it reaches altitude.

How are you going to use your silicone rubber parts?

You can see there are many scenarios where the specific use for the parts must be considered. In fact, we’d recommend thinking about this with every part. Does it need to be able to withstand chemicals or oils? Does it need to be able to perform well in consistently high – or low – temperatures? Does it need to be safe to use in a medical setting?

If you’re unsure about any of this, you can speak to an expert to find out whether your silicone rubber parts would give a better performance with a tweak to their composition. In some cases, two or more aspects may be considered before creating the parts, to make sure they perform well in all circumstances.

The good news is that once you have the parts that are right for the job, you can expect them to last far longer than if you bought standard silicone rubber parts. This can save you the hassle of replacement later – or the hassle your customers might experience if they are the ones affected by that situation.

There are many high-performance silicone rubber parts out there. Being able to request a specific performance to suit any situation is part of the appeal of ordering these parts. If you need assistance, speak to us today.