Silicone seals are used to form a tight seal around instruments while allowing smooth instrument insertion and motion during minimally invasive procedures. Seals containing liquid silicone rubber (LSR) are particularly effective in these settings, with uses in various medical components, including laparoscopic tools and vent masks. This article will look at the unique benefits LSR seals offer and the specific high-quality silicone solutions available from Jefferson Rubber Works (JRW).
The Importance of Silicone Seals in Laparoscopic Tools
Laparoscopic tools must provide superior functionality and quality while maintaining sterility in medical settings. Using high-quality, sterile, and biocompatible silicone seals in laparoscopic tools offers multiple benefits:
High Sterility. Silicone seals protect against potential contamination to keep the environment sterile during surgical procedures.
Greater Flexibility. Medical-grade silicone offers sufficient elasticity so seals can adapt to movement without the risk of breakage and inadequate sealing.
Improved Safety. Reliable silicone seals mitigate the risk of leaks of gases or liquids, which is essential in pressurized spaces.
Laparoscopic tools ultimately depend on high-quality seals to keep them working optimally and support positive surgical outcomes.
What Makes Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) an Ideal Material
LSR offers several benefits for medical molding solutions, including durability, biocompatibility, and easy sterilization.
Exceptional Biocompatibility
One major advantage of LSR is its biocompatibility. Medical-grade LSR is safe to use when conducting procedures that involve direct contact with human fluids and tissue. It is also hypoallergenic, making it ideal for surgical environments that must avoid contamination.
Unmatched Durability and Flexibility
LSR also holds up to various movements and repeat use, helping to maintain the integrity of laparoscopic tools. LSR’s elasticity allows it to continue working properly under mechanical strain, minimizing unnecessary interruptions during surgical work.
Resistance to Sterilization
Because of LSR’s resistance to potentially corrosive chemicals and extreme temperatures, it can withstand various sterilization processes without losing its core physical properties. This is a critical step in surgical applications, including laparoscopic procedures.
Key Applications of Silicone Seals in Minimally Invasive Surgery
The following are a few of the primary applications for silicone seals:
Laparoscopic Ports. Silicone seals are integral for laparoscopic ports, as they block fluids and gases from leaking while still enabling the passing of instruments. The result is consistently dependable operation through a flexible but secure seal.
Trocar Seals. Laparoscopic trocars also need silicone seals to contain insufflation gases while creating an access point for surgical instruments. LSR specifically benefits these applications due to its superior precision and durability.
Vent Masks. Medical-grade silicone can provide a secure, comfortable seal when used in vent masks for patients. They are also ideal for maintaining sterility in surgical environments.
Advanced Manufacturing Techniques for High-Precision LSR Medical Components
The team at Jefferson Rubber Works employs advanced manufacturing techniques and technologies to produce medical-grade LSR seals and other critical components.
State-of-the-Art Molding Technology
We provide liquid silicone molding for medical applications with superior precision. Using advanced manufacturing methods, we can create intricate designs that meet tight tolerances for superior functionality and sealing. This level of precision is crucial for medical applications that require peak performance from components to avoid potentially costly issues.
Scalable Production for Large-Scale Medical Needs
Our manufacturing capabilities allow us to handle large-scale production of components to meet our customers’ growing needs. At the same time, we maintain the highest quality standards to meet the medical industry’s stringent requirements. In turn, medical device manufacturers benefit from leak-proof and consistently dependable solutions, regardless of production scale.
Partner With Jefferson Rubber Works for Reliable Medical Sealing Solution
Jefferson Rubber Works is a trusted manufacturing partner for reliable medical sealing solutions. We provide highly effective stoppers and plugs made with LSR materials for sustained durability, flexibility, and sterility. We’re always working to maintain consistently great quality regardless of the scale of each project, with custom solutions that can meet your individual standards as well as those of the medical industry.
Contact us today to discuss your unique needs with our team, and let us help you create the ideal medical device for your application.
High-quality plugs and stoppers are critical components for medical devices that depend on leakproof operation, such as tubing and catheters. That’s why medical-grade liquid silicone is a preferred choice for medical manufacturers seeking more effective and versatile sealing materials for their products. Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) in particular features the most important material properties to ensure full device functionality, zero leakage, and sterility.
Why Leakproof Plugs and Stoppers Are Crucial in Medical Equipment
To prevent fluid leaks and contamination, components such as tubing and catheters must maintain perfect seals. Even small leaks and contaminants could pose a great risk to patients, so medical manufacturers must comply with very strict industry standards for quality, sterility, and performance. Robust seals are also important to protect sensitive equipment from damage.
The Role of Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR)
Medical-grade silicone is one of the most effective choices for a variety of sealing applications. From a manufacturing standpoint, liquid silicone molding for medical parts enhances final product quality, consistency, and design complexity.
What Makes LSR Ideal for Medical Applications? (LSR)
LSR’s unique material properties make it ideal for medical applications:
Biocompatible: Medical-grade liquid silicone is a biocompatible material, making it safe to use with bodily tissues and fluids.
Temperature and chemical resistance: Liquid silicone rubber also features exceptional resistance to temperature extremes and a wide variety of chemicals, so the material can withstand intensive sterilization techniques.
Elasticity: LSR’s high elasticity allows manufacturers to achieve tight, leakproof seals for medical stoppers and plugs.
The Benefits of Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) for Catheters and Tubing
Catheters and medical tubing often undergo rigorous handling, so it’s important to use a strong yet flexible material. Liquid silicone rubber creates tight seals and minimizes the risk of blockages, maintaining consistent delivery of fluids or medications. LSR is also durable enough to withstand high sterilization temperatures as well as the physical stresses of repeated insertion and use. These properties make LSR catheters and tubing the optimal choice for these applications where failure is unacceptable.
Advanced Manufacturing Techniques for High-Precision LSR Medical Components
State-of-the-Art Molding Technology
Jefferson Rubber Works (JRW) is at the leading edge of liquid silicone rubber molding technology. Our advanced rubber molding services achieve tight tolerance windows and superior product consistency. In an industry where lives depend on precision, we provide highly replicable medical-grade silicone molded parts that heed exact dimensional and design requirements.
Scalable Production for Large-Scale Medical Needs
To meet the increasing demand for high-quality medical seals, our manufacturing infrastructure centers around high-volume production. For every part produced, our rubber molding experts apply stringent quality controls to maintain product consistency even at a mass scale. As a reliable source for medical molding, we’ve earned the trust of medical device manufacturers seeking leakproof sealing solutions fully compliant with medical manufacturing standards.
Partner with Jefferson Rubber Works for Reliable Medical Sealing Solutions
The medical industry relies on leakproof, precision-engineered seals made with the highest-quality materials. For medical-grade liquid silicone rubber stoppers and plugs, turn to Jefferson Rubber Works. As an ISO 13485:2016 certified manufacturer, we are dedicated to supplying medical manufacturers with long-lasting, fully compliant rubber products. Whether you need LSR components for medical tubing, surgical instruments, or wearables, we can fulfill small to large order volumes to meet your specific requirements.
To learn more about our medical-grade silicone molding capabilities, contact us today.
Medical device manufacturing requires precision, attention to detail, and safeguards to prevent contamination. A variety of techniques and materials are used for different device components, including liquid injection molding (LIM) with platinum-cured liquid silicone rubber, or LSR. This material is valuable in medical applications due to its high tensile and tear strength, biocompatibility, temperature and chemical resistance, and durability.
LIM is an efficient, cost-effective, and low-waste method for medium to high-volume manufacturing. LSR is injected into the cavity of a mold, then the mold is clamped closed while the material cures. Molds are opened after curing and finished parts are ejected. It’s also possible to mold LSR over or around other metal or plastic components in a process called overmolding. LIM is largely automated, limiting human error and accidental contamination.
Part drawings created with CAD tools make it possible to assess part manufacturability, feature dimensions, and tolerances with virtual modeling and testing. The drawings are also used to manufacture the molds that are used to create finished parts.
2. Mold Production
Molds are made from steel or aluminum, depending on the complexity of the part and volume of production. CNC machining or EDM tools are used to create the hollow mold cavity that will hold the LSR as it cures. Another mold component called a core pushes on the finished part to eject it from the mold automatically without human assistance. Molds can also incorporate vents, sensors, and other components to achieve complex or intricate shapes.
3. Liquid Injection Molding
LSR material is a thermoset that is often made from a mixture of platinum catalyst and crosslinking methyl hydrogen siloxane. These two components are held separately in tanks and mix when injected into a hot mold. Injection pressure is high enough that the material fills the mold cavity completely. Pigments can also be added to color the part. The mold is clamped shut to apply pressure as the thermoset LSR cures.
In contrast to thermoset LSR, which forms a shape permanently and cannot be melted again, thermoplastics are melted prior to being injected into the mold, and can be remelted and reformed repeatedly.
After parts are ejected, any excess material, called flash, is trimmed and any additional finishing or assembly is performed.
Medical Injection Mold Benefits and Applications
Injection-molded goods have several advantages over goods produced through other processes. In medical device and healthcare manufacturing, it is critical to achieve consistent parts without defects or contamination.
At Jefferson Rubber Works, Inc., we use medical-grade materials and maintain a Class 8 cleanroom for producing medical devices. We also have experience with many biocompatible and FDA-compliant materials, including LSR.
Additional benefits of medical injection mold manufacturing are:
Durability. Injection molds are machined to the exact dimensions and geometry of the parts being made. As a result, they make contiguous parts with few or no joints or points of assembly. This improves durability and helps maintain tolerances.
Precision Manufacturing. Injection molds are machined to match the tight tolerances of medical parts for accuracy and minimal variation between parts and batches.
Automation. LIM processes are automated and largely hands-free, meaning there is less contact with humans and potential contaminants during manufacturing.
Versatility. LIM can be used for both prototyping and large-scale production once revisions are finalized. Pre-formed components made from metal or plastic can also be overmolded with this process as well.
Superior Mechanical Properties. Injection molded silicones like LSR are strong, resist tearing, and withstand extreme temperatures. They also return to their original shape after compression and are chemical resistant. As a result, they can be used for sealing applications and exposure to body fluids and pharmaceuticals.
Injection Molded Medical Components From Jefferson Rubber Works, Inc.
At Jefferson Rubber Works, Inc. we serve the medical industry with high-quality liquid injection mold manufacturing, outperforming compression molding in terms of both speed and accuracy. Our facility includes a Class 8 cleanroom for molding, and we are ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9002:2015 certified.
Liquid silicone rubber, or LSR, is a popular material for healthcare products and devices. It’s a safe option for caregiver and patient handling or use, and it offers superior purity, strength, resistance capabilities, and compatibility with the sterilization processes that are critical to medical cleanliness standards.
At Jefferson Rubber Works, Inc., we offer LSR injection molding to rapidly create high-performance components for clients in the medical sector and more. Read on to learn about LSR and its advantages to help you determine whether it’s ideal for your medical application.
What Is Liquid Silicone Rubber?
A type of inorganic polymer, liquid silicone rubber is composed of such elements as silicon, hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen. Siloxane, which is made with oxygen and silicon, forms the foundational chemical chain for LSR. The siloxane bond is largely responsible for LSR’s overall mechanical strength, versatility, and performance characteristics, as this inorganic backbone makes the material well-suited to organic chemical combination and nonreactive to biological materials.
Throughout the curing procedure, manufacturers add catalysts to develop crosslinks, which are chemical bonds that form between the siloxane backbones and enhance LSR’s properties. While one common rubber-curing catalyst is peroxide, LSR uses another — platinum — as its curing agent. Platinum-cured silicone rubbers tend to be more advantageous than their peroxide-cured counterparts, delivering the following:
Enhanced clarity
Superior tensile and tear strength
Greater consistency
Lack of peroxide-based residue
Liquid Silicone Rubber Properties
Safety is paramount in the medical sector, and LSR’s exceptional biocompatibility lends the material to ideal uses in the industry. LSR is a highly stable material option, given its mechanical properties and chemical resistance abilities. This durable yet flexible material is highly resistant to the heat, chemicals, and cleaners to which medical applications might expose it. LSR offers high thermal stability, holding up well against temperatures ranging from -76 °F to 482 °F (-60 °C to 250 °C), and it’s also electrically insulative.
LSR’s moldability enables us to form it into diverse shapes while minimizing material waste. In liquid form during molding, LSR easily fills every crevice of the mold cavity, allowing our team to create medical parts with intricately detailed designs. As LSR is transparent, we can even add your preferred coloring, helping the material better match a patient’s skin tone.
Benefits of Using Liquid Silicone Rubber in Medical Applications
LSR offers several key advantages for medical products like internal and external prosthetics and implants, syringe stoppers, catheter seals, pumps, flow control valves, diaphragms, lab and diagnostic equipment, and much more. These benefits include:
Physical and chemical resistance capabilities. LSR resists aging, oxidation, corrosion, and degradation, being able to withstand substances ranging from moisture to chemicals. The material’s structure also minimizes the growth of bacteria on its surfaces, and it offers good thermal stability.
Compatibility with sterilization processes. A particular benefit for medical applications, it’s possible to sterilize LSR using multiple techniques. You can heat products consisting of LSR within an autoclave, utilize e-beam or gamma radiation for sterilization, or disinfect with ethylene oxide gas.
Biocompatibility. Not only is it soft enough to make comfortable components for patients’ long-term use, but LSR with medical-grade silicone is typically safe for direct contact with the human body as it’s biocompatible and chemically inert.
Material purity. Compared to alternate elastomers, silicone offers superior purity. It’s devoid of plasticizers and other organic additives that might otherwise leach into a product or patient.
Flexibility. LSR’s flexibility allows fabricators like Jefferson Rubber to mold it into complex shapes. It’s a versatile material, ranging in hardness from 10 to 80 Shore A, and self-adhesive additives lend LSR the ability to form chemical bonds along with or in place of mechanical ones. We also have the option of combining flexibility with rigidity in LSR component designs, molding the rubber onto plastic or metal materials for products like housings.
Liquid Silicone Rubber Injection Molding From Jefferson Rubber Works
If you’re seeking a trusted injection molding services provider for a healthcare application, the Medical Products Group at Jefferson Rubber has the experience, resources, and skilled staff necessary to produce custom-molded LSR parts based on your unique specifications. Our ISO 13485:2016-certified company makes high-quality, contaminant-free LSR products for the medical industry, with Class 8 cleanroom molding capabilities. We emphasize precision, safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in each of our medical projects.
From design assistance and prototyping to part finishing and assembly, the Jefferson Rubber team is here to help with turnkey services for your next LSR injection molding project. Contact us today, and we’ll connect you with one of our experts to discuss a potential collaboration.
Rubber materials, such as EPDM, neoprene, nitrile, natural rubber, silicone, and others can be readily molded to create components with high precision. Gaskets, seals, grommets, tank diaphragms, valves, caps, and isolators are all examples of parts that can be molded.
Jefferson Molding Works is a leading manufacturer of molded rubber products with decades of experience. Here, we’ll take a closer look at three common molding techniques: injection molding, transfer molding, and compression molding. We’ll discuss how each of these processes works and some of their advantages.
Injection Molding
Often associated with plastics, injection molding can also be used with rubber materials. The material is processed into strips and conveyed into a closed mold with a screw feeder. Because of its viscosity, greater pressure is needed to inject rubber than most plastic materials.
Types of Parts Suitable for Injection Molding
Injection molding can be used for many types of parts, including those with highly complex geometries like holes, undercuts, thin walls, or intricate details. It can also be used for overmolding, in which rubber material is molded around or over another component made of a different material, like metal or plastic. Cycle times vary based on the size of the part and the curing time of the rubber material being molded.
Injection Molding Cost Considerations
The largest cost associated with injection molding is design and manufacturing of custom tooling, especially for intricate or complicated part designs. However, once molds and tooling are created they can be used for the entire production lifecycle.
In contrast to tool and mold making, part production is cost-efficient. This process is well-suited to high-volume production because it is largely automated, with machines running most of the steps from injection to part ejection. This reduces labor time and costs.
Because the same tooling is used for each part, there is minimal variation between parts throughout the production run, and little wasted material. This results in less finishing work and very little scrap.
Advantages of Injection Molding
The main benefits of injection molding include:
High-Speed Production. The injection molding process is quick, which means material is forced into the mold and cures rapidly for short cycle times.
Consistency and Precision. Injection molded parts have minimal variation because they are made with highly precise molds and high-pressure material injection to fill cavities completely.
Automation Capabilities. Injection, cure time, and ejection or removal are all controlled by machines, which move efficiently and continuously for rapid, high-volume, high-precision production.
Cost-Effectiveness. Because a high volume of parts can be made very quickly, the initial investment in tooling and material costs are spread out, making it cost-effective.
Transfer Molding
In transfer molding, rubber material is pre-weighed to measure the correct amount for each part. The material is then heated and placed in a transfer bowl, and poured into the closed mold. The mold is then held at a designated pressure and temperature for a prescribed amount of time as the material cures. This process can produce a smooth surface finish for a more polished-looking product.
Transfer molding is more labor-intensive than injection molding and is therefore well-suited to low- or medium-volume production and parts that are small or extremely detailed. It may not be as cost-effective as injection molding for high-volume production.
Compression Molding
In compression molding, the rubber material is pre-formed by weighing out the required amount and shaping it into an approximation of the finished shape and size. Then, it is placed in a mold, the mold is closed, and the piece cures under a constant pressure and temperature for a specified amount of time. Depending on the size and complexity of the component, results may not be as consistent as with other molding methods.
Because it is a more labor-intensive process than injection molding, compression molding may be more suitable for low-volume production or large quantities of relatively simple parts. It is also more difficult to control flashing with this method because the mold is closed after the material is added to it, making it easier for small amounts of material to escape. As a result, additional finishing may be required to remove flashing.
Custom Rubber Molding Techniques from Jefferson Rubber Works
Consider the following when choosing the best molding method for an application:
Part Geometry and Complexity. When selecting the ideal rubber molding method, it’s important to consider the size, shape, and intricacies of the design.
Production Volume. More labor-intensive methods, such as compression and transfer molding, may not be cost-effective for large production runs; however, simple shapes can be produced at scale with compression molding.
Material Properties. These include requirements for hardness, temperature resistance, and elasticity. Material options include EPDM, silicone, SBR, nitrile, NBR, natural rubber, neoprene, polyisoprene, butyl, and chlorobutyl.
Cost. Certain techniques will cost more due to the expenses associated with equipment, tooling, and labor.
Learn more about rubber molding from Jefferson Rubber Works on our website, or contact us today to get started on your next project.
Medical device manufacturers rely on medical silicone rubber for its many beneficial properties, including biocompatibility, low tissue reaction, heat resistance, and flexibility. Manufacturers use this long-lasting, reliable material to mold everything from airways and balloon catheters to feeding tubes and electrosurgical tools. Learn more about the features of silicone rubber molding, the benefits of liquid silicone rubber (LSR), and its common applications.
Silicone Rubber in Medical Device Molding
Any material used in medical device manufacturing needs to fulfill strict regulatory requirements to ensure product safety and performance. In healthcare, failing to meet these strict standards can be a matter of life or death.
Medical devices, instruments, and the components that comprise them need to be sturdy enough to withstand high heat, pressure, and chemical exposure. At the same time, they must be comfortable enough for physical contact with patients and healthcare workers.
Medical silicone rubber’s characteristics meet the most stringent requirements for many products, with the following material properties:
Flexibility at a broad range of temperatures
Resistance to compression
Chemical inertness
Long service lifespan
Finding the balance between durability and comfort is challenging, but liquid silicone rubber (LSR) can meet the unique needs of medical applications. The thermoset material is durable, flexible, chemically inert, and moldable. To produce medical silicone rubber components, LSR is injected into a molding machine as a liquid resin and then cured into its final solid form.
LSR is more stable than thermoplastics, which tend to soften and weaken under high temperatures. In contrast, LSR maintains its solidity and strength when faced with high temperatures. It can safely undergo repeated heat or radiation sterilization. Additionally, LSR’s resistance to chemical agents makes it a versatile option for transporting liquids and gases.
Applications of Medical Device Injection Molding
LSR has become a preferred material for a wide variety of medical applications thanks to its unique characteristics. LSR components are used in nearly every medical specialty and field, including cardiology, oncology, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, and ear, nose, and throat (ENT). This broad acceptance is a testament to the material’s ability to withstand demanding conditions in healthcare environments.
Some of the most common single- and multi-use applications of silicone rubber in medical device injection molding include:
Dialysis Equipment: LSR is used to produce tubes and connectors due to its flexibility and durability.
Orthodontics: LSR components are ideal for retainers and mouthguards, which require a combination of flexibility and biocompatibility.
Plugs and Pump Parts: Its wear and tear resistance makes silicone rubber a top choice for various pumping mechanisms.
Single-Use Equipment: Single-use pharmaceutical devices, such as tubing assemblies, benefit from the material’s low reactivity and chemical inertness.
Syringes: Silicone rubber is often used in syringe plungers, ensuring a smooth and non-reactive interface for the injection of medications.
These are just a few examples of how LSR can be molded into complex shapes for safe and effective patient care.
Medical Device Molding From Jefferson Rubber Works
At Jefferson Rubber Works, we understand the importance of precision and reliability in medical device injection molding. Our expertise in state-of-the-art liquid silicone rubber (LSR) molding technology delivers high-quality, tailored solutions for all your medical device needs. Whether you need components for dialysis equipment, syringes, specialized surgical tools, or any other medical device application, we are equipped to support your project from concept to completion.
Our team of experts is committed to supporting your project’s success at a competitive price. Contact us today to find out more about our services, or request a quote to get started.
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is a type of silicone elastomer liquid at room temperature and can be molded into various shapes using injection molding techniques. Its unique properties make LSR an essential material in the medical manufacturing industry. This ensures that medical devices and equipment are safe, effective, and durable.
This article will explore the uses of LSR in medical products and the manufacturing process behind it.
Applications of LSR in the Medical Manufacturing Industry
Below are some examples of how LSR is used in the manufacturing industry for medical products and equipment:
Medical Device Components
The flexibility, durability, and biocompatibility of LSR make it the preferred choice for most medical devices. These include catheters, syringes, and medical tubes and containers. It is also frequently used to seal respiratory masks and dental impressions for dental crowns and bridge works. Lastly, it is utilized to manufacture diagnostic equipment, including ultrasound gels and probe covers.
Implants
LSR is a popular material for implantable devices due to its high purity and resistance to heat and chemicals. It can also be molded into various shapes, allowing for the customization of implants to fit individual patient needs. Additionally, it is suitable for long-term implantation, making it ideal for artificial heart valves, breast implants, and cochlear implants.
Surgical Instruments
Using LSR in surgical instruments gives surgeons the tools to perform complex procedures with greater precision and accuracy. Moreover, they can easily be sterilized using various methods, ensuring they are safe and free from harmful bacteria.
Wearable Medical Technology
Wearable medical technology has become increasingly popular, providing patients with real-time health monitoring and data collection capabilities. Examples of this technology include glucose monitoring systems, ECG monitors, and sleep trackers. The use of LSR improves patient outcomes and provides healthcare professionals with valuable data that can be used to optimize patient treatment.
Jefferson Rubber Works’ Certification and Capabilities
Jefferson Rubber Works, a leading supplier of custom rubber products, is pleased to announce that we have been awarded the ISO 13485:2016 certification for our Medical Device Quality Management System (QMS). It is an internationally recognized quality standard specific to the medical device industry that ensures the quality of medical device design, development, and production.
The certification underscores our commitment to providing high-quality rubber-molded products for the industry. In addition, our QMS focuses on delivering devices and related services that consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements. We also ensure our products are safe and meet customer needs through an audit, management review, and continuous improvement processes.
Manufacturing LSR components can often present unforeseen challenges that require creative problem-solving. At Jefferson Rubber Works, we have the expertise to meet these challenges head-on. With the addition of our Class 8 molding and component assembly cleanroom we are expanding our capabilities and strengthening our position in the market.
Partner With Jefferson Rubber Works for High-Quality Rubber Products and Services
With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Jefferson Rubber Works has become a leading supplier of custom rubber products and services! Our capabilities include liquid silicone molding, rubber injection molding, transfer molding, thermoplastic rubber, and composite moldings. We also specialize in meeting customers’ unique needs in various markets, including the medical industry.
The Liquid Silicone Rubber Injection Molding Service Market research study is a professional report with premium insights into the size of the business …
Plastics have become the material of choice for manufacturers using injection molding processes. Generally, plastic has strong, lightweight, and easy-to-mold characteristics suitable for molding required parts and components. However, some plastics, like thermoplastic elastomers, cannot withstand extreme heat and are more prone to distortions when exposed to very high temperatures.
For this reason, manufacturers in a wide range of industries prefer rubber silicone to produce parts efficiently and economically. Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is one great innovation for injection molding. The silicone’s basic structure is made up of duplicating Si-O chains (or polyatomic anions consisting of silicon and oxygen, also called silicate). LSR is highly flexible in nature, providing unique properties such as:
Wide temperature operating range
Good corrosion resistance
Permeability
Bio-inertness
Electrical insulation
Long service life
Advantages Of Using LSR In Injection Molding
The following are some of the benefits of using liquid silicone rubber in silicone rubber injection molding:
Superior Heat Stability
LSRs can withstand temperatures as high as 180℃ without melting or trickling. Due to this, they are common for heavy-duty and automotive applications such as seals and gaskets. LSR is also the preferred material for other industrial applications because of its high thermal ability.
Low-Temperature Flexibility
LSRs can withstand temperatures as low as -50°C. They are an excellent choice for any device that requires a low-temperature operation. This advantage is in contrast with most thermoplastics which become more rigid and brittle when exposed to low temperatures.
Aging Resistance
Aging resistance is critical when selecting a material for your injection molding procedure. LSR materials that have been cured are highly resistant to UV rays, weathering, and aging. They are ideal for applications that require extended outdoor exposure.
Chemical Resistance
LSR has low water absorption and excellent resistance to common chemicals even when exposed to extreme temperatures as compared to most thermoplastics which only offer chemical resistance in moderate temperature ranges.
Low Compression Set
Low compression set materials can withstand structural damage under severe stress. LSRs have a low compression set, typically between 15% and 20%. They retain their elastic properties even when compressed for extended periods of time.
Great Shelf-Life Reliability
The shelf life of liquid silicone rubber is one of the key factors in determining its ease of use in a production line. The majority of LSR products have a shelf life of one year.
Electrical Resistance
Manufacturers of electronic components must ensure that their materials can withstand corona discharge or voltage spikes. LSR has a high electrical stress resistance without affecting the final product’s conductivity.
Precision Made Molded Rubber Parts by Jefferson Rubber
Since the late 1970s, liquid silicone rubber injection molding has been used in various industries, including health care, medical, consumer goods, automotive, devices & electronics, and aerospace. Silicone rubber injection molding has been one of the most efficient and economical processes in molding rubber parts or components.
Jefferson Rubber Works, Inc. manufactures high-quality molded rubber parts and offers various rubber molding capabilities, including liquid silicone injection molding, rubber-to-metal molding, compression molding, transfer molding, and more! We provide a complete solution that includes part design, prototyping, production, finishing, and assembly, all at a quick turnaround time and cost-efficient rate.
With our 40 years of experience in the rubber manufacturing industry, we ensure to eliminate the need to work with multiple vendors. We can serve as your one-stop shop to meet all your custom rubber molding requirements and produce the high-quality products that you need.
Contact us today to learn more about our capabilities or request a quote for your next molded-rubber parts project.
Liquid silicone rubber injection molding, or LSR molding, is one of the most preferred methods for manufacturing precise and delicate components. This process is clean and highly accurate, produces high output, and offers superior strength and efficiency when integrated with the clean manufacturing technique of liquid injection molding.
This article will discuss the properties of LSR that make it suitable for liquid injection molding and the clean manufacturing process.
Characteristics of Liquid Silicone Rubber
Liquid silicone rubber is a high-purity platinum-cured silicone with physical, chemical, and thermal characteristics that make it ideal for products requiring excellent productivity, durability, and efficiency. In addition, LSR has the following properties:
Chemical Inertness
LSR’s silicone-oxygen structure has a higher bond strength than polyethylene or carbon-based materials. It is also resistant to oxidation, UV rays, water, ozone, and radiation damage. Because of its inertness, LSR is an excellent choice for food contact, medical applications, and silicone prototyping.
Hypoallergenic Property
LSR is naturally hypoallergenic and non-toxic and will not irritate or trigger allergic reactions in those with sensitive skin. Thus, it offers a safe and convenient remedy for respiratory products — such as oxygen and CPAP masks — and consumer items like earbuds, hearing aids, and portable monitoring devices worn for long periods.
Biocompatibility
The molecular structure of LSR also plays a role in its biocompatibility; it is odorless and tastes nothing. As a result, it is extensively used in baby products and other food and beverage-related goods because it adheres to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements.
Versatility
The mechanical and thermal stability characteristics of LSR are exceptional, resulting in it being preferred over other elastomeric polymers. In addition, it retains its properties at wide temperature ranges — high and low — varying from -40 ℃ to 200 ℃, depending on the grade.
Clean Manufacturing Process
The most consistent and stable materials utilized in the liquid silicone rubber injection molding process are platinum-cured polymerics. The vulcanization or curing process employs a two-part silicone compound (composed of A and B parts in different containers) attached to the pumping system and delivered to a static mixer at a predetermined ratio. Compound A is usually the base-forming material, whereas Compound B is a catalyst.
The mixture is combined with a platinum cure system before being injected into the mixing chamber. Next, it is added into the closed mold via a runner and gate system. Once cured, the components are removed from the mold cavities, and the process is repeated for the next batch.
Following that, the products may be subjected to post-molding, which includes the following processes:
Deflashing: This method eliminates the residual rubber material used in injection molding. This is done via a centrifugal barrel finishing machine, a quick and cost-effective equipment to deflash multiple components.
Post curing: This process is subject to high temperatures to accelerate curing and optimize some of the material’s physical parameters. This will also speed up the cross-linking process and ensure that the polymer molecules are correctly aligned.
Inspecting: This process generates precise and prompt dimensional data and performance test results for molded parts.
Packaging: This is the final step in preparing the molded parts for shipping after a thorough inspection.
Only the Best and Highest-Quality Molded Parts From Jefferson Rubber Works
Jefferson Rubber Works produces high-quality molded rubber parts and provides a wide range of rubber molding services, including liquid silicone injection molding, rubber-to-metal molding, compression molding, transfer molding, and more. We also offer a complete solution with part design, prototyping, production, finishing, and assembly — all with a quick turnaround and low cost!
