In fabricating products for automotive and industrial uses, Canada Rubber Group Inc. (CRGI) works with a variety of foams, sheet rubbers, plastics, felts and other materials. Fabricating products from molded foam rubber is an important aspect of our business, especially for our automotive customers who value the versatility of these advanced materials.
In fabricating molded foam rubber products, we use closed cell foam made from PVC and EVA materials. Closed cell foam is manufactured so that the bubbles of the foam are completely encompassed within the liquid foam before it sets. When the liquid sets, the gases are entirely encapsulated within each individual bubble, creating a solid yet lightweight foam structure.
Closed cell foam rubber can be either compression or injection molded to produce a variety of products.
Compression molding is similar to transfer molding except that a foam sheet charge is placed directly into the lower mold cavity. The upper mold is then closed upon the lower mold, heating and compressing the charge to fill the mold cavities.
Injection molding of rubber works best for higher-volume production and where tight tolerances and over-molding may be required. In injection molding, a controlled amount of liquid foam is fed into the injection unit. In the injection unit, the compound is heated to a specified temperature. Once the specified temperature is achieved, the material is then injected into the mold cavity where it is held under temperature and pressure in cycle to achieve a complete cure.
Because injection molding can be a highly automated process, piece price costs can be lower than with either transfer or compression molding. Injection molding is also highly suited for parts that must be consistently produced to very high tolerances – the consistency and repeatability of injection molding is a decided advantage. In addition, injection molding is the preferred process for parts possessing complex geometries and shapes. Finally, injection molding works well in parts production which requires metal-to-rubber bonding. The disadvantage of injection molding is in that the tooling costs are significantly higher than that of compression or transfer molding. Low-volume orders may not justify the expenditure in an expensive automated tool.
Molded foam rubber parts that we can supply using either compression or injection molding include NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) parts and applications (both automotive and industrial), gaskets and seals, and other miscellaneous products.
Customers interested in molded foam rubber products for automotive applications will be pleased to learn that CRGI has over 25 years’ experience in supplying automotive rubber parts and products. In addition to our global sourcing and supply, CRGI’s capabilities for supply extend to planning, distribution and logistics, and data sharing. All aspects of our operations conform to the ISO 9001:2008 standard, and we have a proven capability in supplying products which meet ASTM D2000 line call-outs, as well as the material specifications of major automakers. In those cases where a new specification is required, we work with our supply chain partners to develop an appropriate solution that meets or exceeds all requirements.
To find out more about the molded foam rubber products we can supply for both automotive and industrial uses, please contact our sales department at crg@canadarubbergroup.com.