This month's new column focuses on the heart of our vibration dampers: rubber.

The history of natural rubber dates back to the 1500s. Some Spanish conquistadores reported of a substance which native people obtained from a plant that grew in the rain forests: caoutchuc. Afterwards, rubber became known in Anglo-Saxon countries for its first use, being ideally suited for “erasing” when rubbed, hence the name “rubber”, from the root word “to rub”.

A further step forward was taken by the Scotsman Charles Macintosh, who discovered that benzene might be an excellent solvent for rubber. An important milestone took place in 1839 thanks to Charles Goodyear, the inventor of the vulcanisation process through the use of sulphur. As a result, rubber didn’t undergo mutations with external temperature variations, as well as having a different mechanical stability. After the discovery of vulcanisation, rubber became the leading force in a development process that was unstoppable in many different production sectors. Through modern technology, a variety of compounds are currently created, enabling the production of synthetic rubbers of various kinds.

This material is embedded in the daily activities of many companies and industries. Most of our FLEXO products are made of a rubber compound SBR (Styrene Butadiene); NR (Natural Rubber) or NBR (Nitrile Butadiene).

We will list their main features as follows:

• SBR rubber: it’s oil, petrol and mineral greases resistant, yet doesn’t show good resistance to ageing. Furthermore, it endures temperatures between -10 °C and - 50 °C and water up to 100°. However it isn’t suitable for electrical insulation.
• NR rubber: it has excellent mechanical properties, it's highly elastic and has excellent wear and tear resistance. It isn’t oil resistant and must be ozone-stabilised.
• NBR rubber: it has excellent oil resistance, moderate heat resistance, excellent abrasion, tensile and tear resistant properties.

For further information on our FLEXO products, have a look at our website: https://www.getechsrl.com/en/products/flexo.html