How the Environment Determines Whether to Use Silicone Rubber

For many people, the word environment relates to the world around them. Yet an environment can be something on a much smaller scale.

Instead of referring to environmental conditions in a country or even a region, we’re referring to the conditions experienced while using a product. Sounds confusing? Let’s start by supplying some examples, so we can see how understanding the environment will suggest whether silicone rubber parts are the best ones to choose.

An environment could mean anything from a plane to a kitchen

Think of it as a local environment – local to the silicone rubber parts that are going to be used there. An aeroplane in flight is going to experience unique demands and pressures it would not experience on the ground. No one wants a rubber gasket or other part to fail at 35,000 feet, hence why silicone rubber parts are designed to withstand the specific pressures placed on them in that situation.

A kitchen may seem far less dangerous than being on a plane at that height. It presents its own risks and danger zones, though. And it isn’t even just about risk. Think about your oven door and how important it is that the seal is perfect when your oven is on and working. If that seal fails, heat is going to escape. Your oven won’t cook properly, and you stand a far higher chance of burning yourself on the door.

Understanding the environmental demands

If you need to order silicone rubber parts for a product you are creating, it is important to consider the demands that are going to be placed on those parts. You must think about the environment the parts are going to be used in.

With the oven example we mentioned above, the parts are clearly going to be exposed to regular periods of intense heat. So, the parts must be able to withstand that heat over the longest possible period. This doesn’t just mean having the oven on for two or three hours to cook a casserole. It also means regular periods of heat over the course of the oven’s life.

Cheaper door seals are going to fail because they aren’t designed to work well in that environment. And since customers are going to be frustrated with that, a cheaper option won’t do much for your bottom line or customer satisfaction levels.

Matching silicone rubber parts to the environmental demands

The better you are at doing this, the more successful your product will be. Of course, most people don’t have extensive knowledge of silicone rubber or how it could be used.

The best bet is to discuss your requirements with an expert who regularly creates assorted silicone rubber items for many industries. This gives you insight and experience – two crucial elements that will help you get the parts you need and the performance you want.

Since silicone rubber is used in far more environments and circumstances than you might think, whatever you want it for, you can likely use it.