Silicone Rubber Comes Into its Own in the Aerospace Industry

If you ever board an aeroplane, do you think about the various materials used to create it and keep it running safely? Few people do. They just want to reach their destination safely and on time.

Yet we can all understand how important it is that the materials used always give their best performance. If there are even a few minor issues, they could compromise the safety of the flight.

If you know a little about silicone rubber parts, you won’t be surprised to hear they are used throughout many aircraft. Silicone rubber has the properties needed to make sure the parts last a long time and supply the high-quality performance needed to keep the plane safe.

Coping with extremes of temperature

Let’s say you are waiting to board a plane having been on holiday in a hot country for a week. The temperature on the ground is 30 degrees Celsius. Once you’re on board and the plane has climbed to 35,000 feet, the temperature outside would have dropped to around -50 degrees Celsius or more. It varies according to the ground temperature.

However, you can see there is a huge difference at altitude compared with the temperature on the ground. Fortunately, silicone rubber parts are designed to withstand such extremes without compromising their performance.

Where can you find silicone rubber parts in a plane?

The most accurate answer is… all over the place. No doubt you’re aware of how important it is to have proper seals for all the windows and doors on a plane. The consequences of a failed seal wouldn’t bear thinking about if the plane were in flight.

Yet silicone rubber creeps into use in many other areas as well. For instance, a plane uses gaskets in its engines just as they’re used in cars. And the increased performance of silicone rubber makes it the ideal choice for this role.

Of course, silicone rubber can also be moulded into many shapes. While it is common to find many standard gaskets, seals, and trims, it’s also possible to create a new design for a new purpose. The quality of the rubber also means you can create a perfect seal for any shape or size of door, window, or other item.

Are all purposes essential for security and safety?

Not all, no. In some cases, silicone rubber may simply be moulded to create a barrier between two objects that would otherwise vibrate against each other. There are many things that could do this in the cabin, not least the lockers supplied for your hand luggage. Imagine if those constantly vibrated during a long flight… you’d be glad of silicone rubber seals in that instance.

You can see that silicone rubber has many roles to play in making every plane journey safe and enjoyable. There is no need to be aware of each of its roles, but you can certainly feel glad it is there, using all its properties to keep planes in flight.