Plastic and Rubber Services for the Automotive Industry

Rubber is a popular material in the automotive industry since it’s lightweight and provides shock absorption. At Clark Rubber and Plastic, we offer rubber molding for engines, brakes, seals, steering, and solenoid valves. We used certified rubber materials to manufacture high-quality products.

What Is Rubber Molding?

Rubber molding is a manufacturing process used to produce rubber parts and components. Our skilled technicians fill rubber inside a mold cavity, applying pressure and heat to form the desired shape and size. We incorporate cutting-edge technologies to handle a variety of materials, such as:

• Natural rubber
• Nitrile
• Neoprene
• Viton
• Silicone
• Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)
• Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)

Our manufacturing process entails inspection using optical comparators to check rubber quality. We also test rubber materials using durometer gauges to review hardness value. Our experts use the right rubber materials to make different automotive components. Neoprene can be suitable for making tubing for engine fluids, while nitrile rubber can work well for sealing components.

Types of Rubber Molding

We use different techniques to mold rubber into functional automotive components. Here are some types of rubber molding that we utilize at Clark Rubber and Plastic:

Injection Molding

In this process, our technicians inject rubber material into the mold cavity under high pressure. We use injection molding for manufacturing designs with complex geometry like sharp contours, holes, and curvature. Due to sufficient curing time and pressure, the final product can last longer.

Injection molding can produce small- to medium-sized rubber parts in different sizes and shapes. We use this process to manufacture cable grommets, O-rings, diaphragms, anti-vibration mounts, seals, and gaskets. Injection molding can also produce bushings, rubber hoses, and tubes.

Transfer Molding

During transfer molding, our experts place the rubber material in a transfer pot and then move it to the mold cavity using a plunger. Transfer molding requires heat and pressure to produce durable automotive parts. The mold design can create large cavities with ease.

This molding process can produce automotive components with high precision and excellent mechanical properties. Transfer molding can be effective for making bellows, rubber-to-metal bonded parts, and vibration dampers. We use transfer molding to manufacture shock-absorber bushing with reliable resistance to environmental conditions.

Compression Molding

In this process, we place rubber material into a heated mold cavity and use a hydraulic press to get the desired shape. Compression molding doesn’t rely on material flow, meaning it can handle different rubber materials. This process can produce many parts simultaneously, reducing manufacturing time and costs.

We use compression molding to produce different automotive parts, such as electrical insulators, dust covers, and engine covers. This process can also manufacture suspension bushings and brake pads. Compression molding can make engine mounts in many shapes and sizes.

Get Quality Rubber Molding Services

Rubber molding is versatile and can produce a variety of automotive components. Our facilities incorporate advanced equipment to produce high-quality products in high or low quantities. At Clark Rubber and Plastic, we have horizontal presses for fabricating parts to produce exceptional finishes and tolerances.