Capabilities Prototyping Prototyping with steel tools or alternate materials For the best results in prototyping, Custom Rubber Corp. believes a steel tool that is close to the finished product is best. Turn-around times for this option depend on the complexity of the part, but generally are no more than two weeks. Alternatively, Custom Rubber Corp. can provide rapid prototypes from two processes. Both processes require a three-dimensional model which Custom Rubber Corp. can provide for customers. Cast urethane parts from silicone molds. This requires the creation of a hard plastic SLA prototype. The SLA prototype is then used to make a silicone rubber mold. The last step is to cast liquid urethane into the silicone rubber mold. The result is a urethane rubber part that has similar hardness, tensile strength, and elongation to the rubber used in production. Special SLA-like prototyping using unique materials. The most-often recommended material is a low durometer rubber-like material that has limited elongation and tear strength but can give a customer an accurate touch and feel prior to cutting steel. These are sometimes used for trade shows and initial assemblies. Custom Rubber Corp. has years of experience assisting companies with rubber product development and design. Contact Custom Rubber Corp. for your rubber product prototyping needs.

Prototype bladder for renowned design firm

The small molded rubber bladder shown here is approximately 5.5" long with a very small ID core of less than 0.125" in diameter in some places (Note: This part pictured is NOT in stock or for sale). Custom Rubber Corp. assisted this nationally renowned design firm in perfecting the design to make it manufacturable, and then selecting a material that would work for the end application. In a secondary operation, Custom Rubber Corp. plugs the small diameter end with a piece of the same material and glues it in place. In the end, this small rubber bladder lived up to the designer's expectations and has led to some further development, expanding the possibilities of the finished assembly beyond the original conception.

Silicone rubber grip for rifle scope

Shown below are two production parts in black silicone rubber, and one hard plastic prototype in gray that was used to make a silicone mold for cast urethane prototypes. The silicone rubber gives the soft-touch feel and guaranteed grip required for a high-powered rifle scope used by the military and police force. The silicone rubber grip allows the user to adjust the amount of light entering the scope so it's easy to see and accurate in the brightest sunlight or the darkest night. The customer chose Custom Rubber Corp. because they needed parts for a trade show in just two weeks. Custom Rubber Corp. worked with the customer to finalize the design and then delivered cast urethane parts in just five days—all over the Christmas Holidays. After delivering the cast urethane parts for marketing materials and a trade show, Custom Rubber delivered parts out of a single cavity prototype mold using the actual material selected. The customer put the material and the entire device through significant tests for weather exposure and chemical resistance, and Custom Rubber's part passed without problems.

Custom design and compounding essential to new product launch

The entrepreneur inventors of a new type of golf tee (ref. 105512) for driving range practice came to Custom Rubber Corp. to help make their idea a reality. They know golf, but we know rubber. Over two years, we assisted in engineering designs for their concept and made prototypes. Because it was a totally new product and the entrepreneurs were not experienced in manufacturing, we also helped them work through tooling and production issues.

The material development also proved challenging; the rubber had to be rigid, weather resistant, and strong enough to handle repeated golf strokes, but flexible enough to "give" with the golfer's swing.

Prototyping materials to save effort and cost

Custom Rubber—together with our strategic partners—is also expert at helping to identify the most cost effective material for an application. Many of our parts have undergone material trials during the development phase, and this has allowed our customers to "dial-in" the right elastic, insulating, and/or electrical response. In addition, on many occasions we've reviewed the materials originally specified and have been able to recommend choices that work as well and cost less.

After trying urethane molds, customer turns to Custom Rubber for robust prototypes

A communications company has a number of different, complex rubber components in its assemblies and the first component was prototyped using urethane molds. The lead time for the first part was very short, but when the company needed 25 to run a pilot study, the cost and lead time went through the roof. The company's second part was prototyped by Custom Rubber. Modifications were still able to be made to the tool and lead times were only 10-20% longer. But, when the time came for a 50 piece trial run, the cost per piece stayed consistent and lead time dropped. The other advantage was that the assembly process didn't have to change because the parts were exactly like production parts: elasticity, hardness and surface finish.

Custom design reduces vibration and noise

The maker of laser printer components contacted Custom Rubber Corp. when their current green tube vibrated noisily. Working with a single mold for cost efficiency, CRC developed, prototyped and tested several custom designs and materials to devise a solution to the problem.

New rubber part makes blasting caps safer

Blasting caps used in salt mines do not always detonate, and the dangerous cap may not get filtered out of the salt. Custom Rubber Corp. developed and prototyped a rubber cover placed on the cap to solve the problem. If the blasting cap detonates, the rubber disintegrates harmlessly. If the blasting cap doesn't detonate, the rubber cover is large enough to be trapped in sifting filters.

No more damaged metal in fuel injector tests

Fuel injectors for train diesel engines are pressure 100% tested by forcing oil into the injectors. A standard O-ring, long used for the job, created a metal-to-metal interface between the testing device and the injector that damaged the injector creating high scrap. Custom Rubber Corp. designed and prototyped a cone-shaped rubber part that sealed as tightly as an O-ring, yet prevented the metal-to-metal interface.

Simplified wire harness cover saves money

Custom Rubber Corp. created and prototyped a mold for a wire harness cover for the automotive industry, simplifying the components from four to two. The new product is designed to save the customer money on materials and also on freight costs to ship the new lighter piece.

Custom rubber formulation enables biochemical application

Custom Rubber developed a highly engineered, tight-tolerance specialty plug for a biochemical testing equipment maker. The rubber needed to be totally free of sulfur, metal and other chemicals that could interfere with the testing reactions. In addition, meticulous batch control and tracking mechanisms assure scrupulous quality control.

Perfect flow mascara starts with custom rubber component

Dispensing just the right of mascara on an applicator brush depends on a rubber shield that the brush passes through as it exits the tube. Custom Rubber prototyped several configurations and durometers of rubber to develop the solution.

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