At Apple Rubber, we know how to meet a customer’s needs. Whether it’s low- or high-volume orders, our expert team of engineers works with our advanced tooling capacities to create high-quality rubber seals for our customers. From injection presses to pumping tools and molding, we’re always prepared for whatever size order comes in.
This Is How We Do It
Our conventional tooling capacities help us manufacture low-volume orders with the expected larger runners and lower cavity counts. When order volumes exceed 1 M parts, we transition to cold-runner tooling (the channel directing rubber to the mold cavity) for faster cycle times and higher production rates. This is part of our equipment to tackle higher volume orders, along with liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection presses and LSR pumping tools. Quality control is ensured through automation, selecting parts from the mold.
With LSR injection presses, we use advanced technology for proper control throughout the entire process. Our LSR injection presses allow for precise temperature control, especially for the high requirements for vulcanization. We also use multi-zone heating in the mold and custom heaters. Pumping units also have a big role, as they mix two silicone components together for molding purposes. It’s here that pigment may be added for color repeatability, as LSR can be easily pigmented.
We use liquid injection molding (LIM) to form LSR. It’s a complex process because it’s hard to control. LIM machining must be meticulous and able to handle LSR. Our expert team and advanced processes ensure consistent production of even the most geometrically complex silicone parts and seals. LIM is ideal for high-volume production of intricate parts with tight tolerances, and Apple Rubber is able to provide it to our customers with cost-effectiveness and quick turnaround times.
The Industries We Serve
Through our high-volume tooling capabilities, we serve many industries. For the medical field, we produce large quantities of LSR medical components in a Class 10,000 cleanroom; this allows us to meet customers’ increased demands for cleanroom processing, medical LSR molding, enhanced quality assurance, and the ability to track materials throughout every step of the supply chain. Our medical-grade LSR passes biocompatibility testing, making it an essential material for the industry.
The electronics and aerospace industries also rely on our LSR. The physical properties of LSR, such as compression set (the extent to which a seal fails to return to its original size after being compressed), with and without post-cure, are important. Post-cure materials have very low outgassing (release of trapped gases), which is crucial because many tools in these industries are highly sensitive and require precision. These seals prevent gases from escaping and contaminating sensitive components.
Industrial applications benefit from LSR as well. When LSR undergoes cross-linking at high temperatures, it reveals new properties: flexibility at low temperatures, high resilience, electrical insulation, sterilizability, and resistance to temperature, ultraviolet (UV) light, chemicals, and aging. These qualities make LSR a reliable choice for manufacturing seals and gaskets that meet industry standards.
Now It’s Your Turn
Have an order you want to place? Reach out to us!