Rubber molded parts-bellows molded hoses | Rubber bellows

Rubber bellows are similar to an accordion, folded hoses. They are mainly used to protect machine parts from general soiling, weather influences, dust, etc. and at the same time seal against their environment. Elastomers (rubber) are the most common material used for bellows because of their safety, elasticity and long service life.

Bellows from Vibraplast AG are only manufactured according to customer drawings. Vibraplast AG has no standard range of bellows. For the production of bellows, a vulcanization tool is required, which can be delivered from approx. 800 and with a delivery time of approx. 6 weeks, depending on the bellows size. We would be pleased to advise you on the individual design of your bellows.

Silicone rubbers have the highest reliability and outstanding properties among elastomers. Silicone rubbers can be used even in the most adverse conditions and can be stored for long periods of time without compromising their properties. The unique silicone rubber surpasses conventional rubber qualities in many respects. Thanks to the excellent properties of silicone rubber, it is used in many applications where a conventional rubber grade would not work.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration), is an American supervisory authority, which is responsible for the control of all goods placed on the market in the USA. This includes all imports into the USA, therefore the regulations of the FDA authority are also important for European manufacturers. These regulations are binding for exporters to the USA. The FDA sets extremely strict requirements in the food sector where a large number of rubber and plastic products are used and as a result come into contact with food or drinking water. The materials must not release any ingredients into the food. As a result, all plastics that come into contact with food should be FDA-compliant.

Neoprene is a brand of the DuPont company and is a CR chloroprene synthetic rubber. The abbreviation of chloroprene rubber is CR. Vibraplast AG has no CR neoprene in its product range but a comparable commercial CR rubber with similar quality characteristics. Consult our technical data sheet in our online shop and compare the properties of our CR rubber quality.

Different types of adhesive can be used for bonding rubber. The choice of the right adhesive for rubber depends on the mixture of the respective rubber, therefore it is advisable to test it on a small area before gluing the rubber over the entire surface. In our online shop page https://www.vibraplast.ch/de/gummi-kunststofftechnik/Klebstoffe you will find a range of superglues for gluing rubber to each other or for bonding with different material combinations. The following elastomers/rubbers have proven to be suitable for bonding with superglue: EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber) NR (natural rubber) CR (Cloroprene rubber neoprene) IIR (isobutylene-isoprene rubber) SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) Rubber bondings with superglue have the advantage that it hardens in a few seconds and the adhesive bond can be loaded immediately. The following advice for bonding rubber should be observed: clean surface no double-sided adhesive application a glueing gap as thin as possible in the case of mitre-cut gluing or butt gluing, ensure a straight, smooth and fresh cut skin contact should be avoided if possible, wear latex gloves if possible

Hardness testing of elastomers (rubber) The hardness test of elastomers (rubber) which is most commonly used is the Shore hardness test according to DIN ISO 7619-1. The Shore hardness is the resistance of a rubber sample to the penetration of a conical body of certain dimensions under a defined compressive force. Depending on the design of the measuring body, a distinction is made between Shore A for softer elastomer compounds and Shore D for harder elastomer compounds. For a perfect measurement of Shore hardness, the standard specifies a sample thickness of 6.0 mm. If measurements are carried out on finished products with smaller wall thicknesses, they usually lead to incorrect results. Commercially available elastomer compounds for technical rubber mouldings have a hardness range of 20-90 Shore A