How to Use Silicone Rubber Sheeting: What’s It For?

Silicone rubber is a versatile material. It is found in many places, from aircraft to medical settings. It can be used to form various items too. One such item is sheeting.

So, what can this sheeting be used for? In truth, it has many purposes. It can be created in different thicknesses too, from solid sheets to thin rolls of sheeting.

The varying properties of silicone rubber sheeting

To understand how this sheeting can be used, it is necessary to understand how its properties can change. For example, when the sheeting is created, it can be made as standard or have one or more fillers included to change its properties.

A basic example would be to add colour to the sheet. One example of use would be for packing purposes to provide protection to goods being transported. In this case, different colours could be used for different items.

In other examples, properties can be altered to provide sheeting that is resistant to abrasion or to a greater extreme of temperature.

You can see that while two sheets may look identical, they may exhibit vastly different qualities essential to the purpose they are to be used for.

How is it used?

Perhaps the most familiar use of silicone rubber sheeting is as a starting point for making gaskets and similar items. These are pressed out of a larger sheet by a machine. The sheet is provided on a roll and fed into the machine to create the parts.

It’s worth mentioning that the sheeting can be supplied in various thicknesses. This means gaskets and similar items can be made to the exact thickness required.

The varying thicknesses and properties also make it a popular choice for use in the aerospace industry. Indeed, many silicone parts find their way into planes, from the engine to the cabin.

The sheets are ideal to use whenever you need to reduce vibration, for example where moving parts are concerned. The sheets also limit the amount of noise that is heard, since the sheets can muffle the sound.

You’ll also find plenty of silicone rubber sheeting used throughout the food industry. It can be produced to food safe standards, meaning it can come into direct contact with food and liquids and not present a health hazard. The same inertness that makes it the ideal choice in medical settings is perfect for ensuring safety in this industry too.

Protection, insulation, and resistance

Just three of the basic features you can expect to see in all types and thicknesses of silicone rubber sheeting. Since various fillers can be added during creation, these sheets offer more versatility than many people would believe, too.

You might be surprised to learn how often silicone rubber sheeting is found in the world around us. You may not always be able to see it in action, but you can certainly be sure it is there. It can protect, insulate against extreme temperatures, and resist damage – to name only a few features.