Blog Archives - Page 3 of 5 - ElastaPro Silicone Sheeting

Uncured Silicone Rubber Properties

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Uncured silicone rubber is used by fabricators to convert into cured articles, through typical thermoset methods of compression, transfere, injection, extrusion and calendering.

Here’s what to look for when dealing with uncured silicone rubber so that your projects are finished to the highest quality and safety requirements:

1. Consistency

Uncured silicone rubber consists of silicone rubber and other key additives such as heat stabilizers, flame retardants, process aids, color, and catalysts. Proper dispersion of these ingredients is critical in ensuring the highest quality fabricated part for optimal functional performance and proper appearance.

2. Color

Uncured Silicone compound is available in a variety of colors. When working with uncured silicone, choose the right color for your project. When color matching, it’s important to match the cured material as uncured material may change color after curing.

3. Shelf-Life/Storage

Various catalyst systems are used in uncured silicone rubber compounds. The fabrication methods determine which catalyst to use. Both Peroxides and Platinum are used and either can be used for extrusion, molding or calendering. Typical shelf life periods are from 90 days to 180 days, depending on the catalyst used. Refrigeration typically helps in extending the shelf life by an additional 50%.

4. Cure Time

Cure time depends on what catalyst and cure temperatures are used, along with the thickness of the fabricated part. Rheological Studies are an effective way to determine the optimal time/temperature combination needed to fabricate a part.

5. Preform

To help facilitate part fabrication, various preforms are available to assist the fabricator in loading their equipment. Performs such as “wig-wag” are used for extrusion, along with “pigs” for injection and sheets or pre cut slabs are also an option. It’s best to consult with your mixer to determine the best performance for your fabrication methods.

Trust ElastaPro for All of Your Uncured Silicone Rubber Needs!

If you’re looking for a high-quality uncured silicone rubber compound, ElastaPro is here to help! Our uncured silicone compound combines the advantages of high-quality silicone rubber with exceptional service and technology. Further, our products are proudly made in the USA and come in various grades, catalysts, durometers, sizes, and colors to meet your needs.

ElastaPro’s specifications grade uncured silicone compound meets industry standards and customer callouts, including 3-A, ASTM, AMS, BMS, DMS, FDA/BgVV, MIL, and MIL-SPEC. We can even provide custom colors to support your larger product designs, with formulations ranging from VMQ and FVMQ to PVMQ and hybrids.

Silicone Sheet Manufacturer Selection

Are you looking for a silicone sheet manufacturer? Given the number of available companies, it may be challenging to identify the appropriate one to collaborate with. However, there are several factors that you should consider when searching for a manufacturer to assist with the development and manufacturing of your products.

The very first step is to assess the needs of your company or business to give you a clearer picture of the services you want. Being upfront and as specific as possible about your quality, speed, and communication expectations might help you select a manufacturer that meets your requirements.

Here are some considerations to make before selecting a silicone sheet manufacturer.

Expertise

A reputable silicone manufacturer with a track record of creating high-quality products, parts, and components generally possesses substantial knowledge and expertise. This can be a real advantage for your company or business.

Expertise in construction management and trained personnel also contribute to producing silicone goods of the highest quality.

Location

When selecting a manufacturer for your silicone products, deciding whether to go with a domestic or foreign company is essential. As with any selection, both alternatives have advantages and downsides, but it is vital to evaluate the long-term consequences.

Communication

Communication is essential to the manufacturing process of a product, whether at the initial contact with the manufacturer, during the design phase, or after the product has been manufactured. Therefore, choosing a company that is easy to communicate with is important.

Moreover, selecting a manufacturer within or close to the same time zone might eliminate communication obstacles, particularly in the case of urgent requirements.

History

It is generally a good practice to engage with a silicone manufacturer with a reputation for providing satisfactory results. Selecting a manufacturer who caters specifically to your vertical can prevent you from making potentially expensive errors. Consider asking manufacturers what types of projects they have accomplished and evaluate how your project would fit into their past work.

Why Choose ElastaPro?

ElastaPro offers both standard and customized silicone sheets and uncured silicone compounds. Further, our silicone rubber products are manufactured in the United States using high-quality components and are supported by on-time deliveries and superior bespoke service. We also offer professional calendaring and the silicones of the required grade.

We offer solid silicone sheeting in the following grades:

Make ElastaPro Your Silicone Sheet Manufacturer

ElastaPro Silicone Sheeting offers a wide range of silicone sheets to customers. We have decades of experience, allowing us to give exceptional solutions to our customer partners with diverse industrial needs.

Solid Silicone Materials and Grades

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ElastaPro makes solid silicone sheet in various grades. Solid silicone grades are primarily made from silica, which contains various chemical components such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and silicon. Solid silicone is a pliable elastomer or rubber ideal for a multitude of applications in the medical, aerospace, automotive, electronics, and food processing industries.

ElastaPro Silicone Sheeting offers a broad spectrum of solid silicone sheeting that our clients can use for a variety of purposes. These solid silicone products are extremely versatile, flame-retardant, durable, heat-resistant, high-performing, and have low chemical reactivity, making them perfect for your solid silicone needs. Our products can be supplied in either cured sheet or uncured sheet (which is used by fabricators to make their own part constructions). There is no elastomer better in maintaining its physical properties across a broad temperature spectrum, than silicone.

ElastaPro’s Solid Silicone Grades

At ElastaPro, we provide the finest silicone products by combining the advantages of high-quality silicone rubber with superior service and technology. Our products can be availed in various grades, sizes, colors, and durometers and are proudly made in the USA.

Commercial Grade Solid Silicone Sheet

Ideal for extreme temperature applications, ElastaPro’s commercial-grade silicone sheet provides outstanding gasket and sealing solutions for different industries. This product comes in .010″ to .500″ in thickness and up to 60″ in width. It is available in 20-90 durometer, and colors are customizable.

General Purpose Grade Solid Silicone Sheet

Our general purpose grade silicone sheet has a thickness range of .010″ to .500″ and a width of up to 60″ wide, and meets various key industry specifications. These solid silicone products are designed for general applications and offer extreme temperature resistance and a good compression set. General-purpose grade silicone sheets are available in 25-90 durometer and come in many colors.

FDA Grade (White) Solid Silicone Sheet

This solid silicone product variation is FDA-approved and meets the CFR 177.2600 and European Union requirements, making it ideal for applications involving repetitive food contact. White FDA-grade silicone sheets from ElastraPro have superior gasket and sealing properties, 30-85 in durometer, and have similar thickness and width as other ElastaPro solid silicone products.

FDA Grade (Translucent) Solid Silicone Sheet

Like white FDA-grade silicone, ElastaPro’s FDA translucent silicone sheet follows FDA,CFR 177.2600 and European Union requirements to pass industry standards for food processing applications. Although not clear in appearance, it allows light to pass through its rubber component. This product is perfect as a silicone rubber gasket for applications demanding food-grade materials.

Electronically Conductive Solid Silicone Sheet

Typically used in electrical cabinets, PC boards, and RMI/EFI gaskets, electrically conductive silicone is a low-amperage semi-conductive silicone ideal for electrical applications. Our electronically conductive solid silicone sheet comes in .020″ to .375″ thickness, and its only color availability is black.

Fiberglass Reinforced Solid Silicone Sheet

The fiberglass-reinforced silicone sheet is widely used in aerospace, automotive, and other industries with demanding specifications due to its exceptional weatherability, resistance to various lubricating oils, and can maintain its physical properties over a wide temperature range. This solid silicone sheet comes in two types — specification and commercial-grade fiberglass reinforced.

Fluorosilicone Solid Sheet

With a wide array of available thicknesses and widths, ElastaPro’s fluorosiliconee solid sheet is the perfect silicone product for the aerospace, military, and automotive industries. This silicone variation can weather and dilute numerous chemicals, including acids and alkalines, petroleum oils, hydrocarbon fuels, diester, and silicone oils.

Health Care (USP Class VI & ISO 10993) Solid Silicone Sheet

USP Class VI silicone is specially designed for medical devices and applications that last less than 29 days in the human body and demand additional certification. Our healthcare solid silicone sheets are made-to-order with a range of .010″ to .500″ in thickness and up to 60″ wide.

High Strength Grade Solid Silicone Sheet

High-strength silicone sheet is designed for applications that need more robust physical properties. It has FDA CFR 177.2600 certification that guarantees the product can meet high-strength specifications required by various industries.

Medium Strength Grade Solid Silicone Sheet

Available in 25-85 durometers, medium strength silicone sheets are the perfect choice for applications needing higher physical properties than general-grade silicones. This product has a 60″ width and a thickness range of .010″ to .500″.

Extreme Flame Retardant Solid Silicone Sheet

Our Extreme Flame Retardant Silicone Sheeting is designed for applications needing High Flame Resistance, and a UL 94V0 Yellow Card listed material. It is easily die-cut and provides a superior gasket and sealing solution. Thicknesses from .010” to .500” thick. Widths up to 60” wide. Due to the unique chemistries of this material, the product is black in color.

Extreme High-Temperature Solid Silicone Sheet

Extreme high temperature silicone uses the latest Heat Stabilizer Technology to generate higher temperature endurance than standard and general purpose silicone sheets. Extreme high temperature solid silicone sheet is available in a broad spectrum of colors with a .010″ to .500″ thickness range.

Extreme Low-Temperature Solid Silicone Sheet

Extreme low temperature silicone is applicable for industries with extremely low temperatures, like aerospace, defense, and cryogenics. This is a made-to-order material and comes in many available colors.

High Strength / Extreme Low Temperature

ElastaPro’s high strength extreme low temperature silicone sheet is designed for aerospace, defense, and cryogenics industries that demand high tensile strength and endurance to extremely low temperatures.

Metal Detectable Silicone Sheet

For industry applications that require additional safety — like food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, and others — our metal detectable silicone sheet is the best silicone choice as it boosts safety and lowers downtime by quickly sequestering seal fragments in-process. This product is available in opaque colors.

Need Solid Silicone Grades?

ElastaPro Silicone Sheeting provides a vast array of silicone specifications to our clients worldwide. Our extensive field experience and years of acquired knowledge allowed us to deliver outstanding results to our customer partners with varying industrial requirements.

Whatever your silicone needs are, ElastaPro can help! Contact us today to learn more about our innovative silicone solutions.

Extreme High Temperature Silicone Sheeting

July 2022 was the third-hottest July on record in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Here in Southern California where ElastaPro is located, inland regions have seen temperatures exceed 100°F this August.

Maybe it doesn’t get that hot in your backyard, but there are plenty of places indoors that do – and handling the heat isn’t just a summertime challenge. For example, the gaskets and seals on engines, pumps, compressors, and appliances all need high-temperature resistance.

Standard silicone elastomers are a great choice for temperatures up to 500°F, but what if you need solid sheeting for extreme heat? From automobiles to aerospace and aviation, there are plenty of applications for higher-temperature materials.

Extreme high-temperature grade silicone sheeting from ElastaPro uses high-quality heat stabilizers, including our own ESSHTA technology, which is rated up to 600°F/300°C. These Made in USA materials are great for die cutting and are available in:

55 or 60 durometer
thicknesses from 0.10″ to .500″
widths up to 60″
various color and catalyst options

Download the datasheet to learn more, or contact us with questions.

Enjoy the rest of your summer – and stay cool in the heat.

Silicon: Our Most Valuable Material Isn’t a Precious Metal

Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. From jewelry to electronics, these precious metals are rare and have great economic value. Silicon metal isn’t precious, and its ingredients are commonly found in Earth’s crust. Yet, silicon metal is incredibly valuable because it’s a major ingredient in silicone rubber, solar panels, electric vehicles, semiconductor chips, aluminum, defense technologies – and much more.

Today, China refines 70% of the world’s silicon metal. The United States refines only 5%. Although the U.S. government is recognizing the importance of increasing our refining capacity, it takes years to build silicon metal refineries – and the refining process requires a great deal of energy. Meanwhile, demand for silicon metal is expected to grow 50% over the next 5 to 10 years.

Do we want to depend on China for our supply of silicon metal? For that matter, do we want to depend on overseas suppliers for PDMS, an important member of the silicone family? Most PDMS production has left North America for Asia, but demand for silicone keeps growing. That’s why members of the silicone industry, myself included, are asking the U.S. government to take bold action.

What can you do as a silicone buyer? Whenever possible, please choose products and materials that are Made in USA. Your buying decisions will help spur investments in domestic capacity, and you’ll get quality silicones with ingredients you can trust.

Silicone Lead Times and MOQs

Have you tried to buy silicones lately? These days it seems like everything is in short supply, including good news.

Some of what you need to buy isn’t available, and what you can get takes too long to arrive or ties up too much cash because of high minimum order quantities (MOQs). Meanwhile, the requirements you’re expected to meet keep getting stricter.

Fortunately, doing business with ElastaPro is about flexibility when you need to buy silicones. For stocked items, our lead times are typically as short as one to three days. For most made-to-order products, our lead times are two weeks. Plus, ElastaPro offers very low MOQs for all of our products.

Whether you need solid silicone sheets, uncured silicone compounds, or specifications-grade silicones, you’ll get high-quality materials backed by exceptional service and superior technology. The materials you need are proudly Made in the USA, too.

Buy Silicones from ElastaPro

At a time when supply chains are constricted, many suppliers seem rigid. That’s not the case with ElastaPro. Find out how how our flexibility can help you.

Silicone Expo 2022: ElastaPro to Attend

ElastaPro is pleased to announce that we will attend Silicone Expo, the world’s first free-to-attend commercial tradeshow and conference for the silicone industry.
This in-person event is scheduled for June 21 to 23, 2022 at the TCF Center in Detroit, Michigan. As a member of the Silicone Expo Board of Advisors, I hope you can join us.

Whether you’re a material supplier, a converter or fabricator, or a manufacturer that buys silicone products, you’ll gain access to:

180+ exhibitors
two conference tracks
65+ speakers
over 3500 buyers

ElastaPro is thrilled to be a part of this event and can’t think of a better way to bring to bring together suppliers, specifiers, and fabricators for this all-encompassing event.
From thermal management and light weighting to electrification and healthcare, silicones are part of today’s technologies and part of the solution to tomorrow’s challenges.

See You at Silicone Expo?

It would be great to see you in-person at the show. You can book a booth here.

Silicone Supplies: Predicting What Tomorrow Will Be

The car is packed. The trip to the beach is planned. The forecast was for clearing skies, but there’s rain on the windshield and gray skies up ahead. Why can’t they just predict the weather more accurately?

Rainstorms and Supply Chains

When ElastaPro first reported about silicone shortages in our March 2021 newsletter, we’d hoped that silicone rubber supply would stabilize during Q3 2021. As with so many forecasts, however, our prediction missed the mark – and the rain continues.

By now, we’ve all heard reports about how major silicone suppliers have put customers on allocation or become super-selective about taking on new business. There’s news about rising prices and longer lead times, too.

With the way things are looking, this “storm” will probably last until early 2022. So, what’s the latest version of the big picture, and what can we learn from the revised forecast?

What’s Behind the Bad Weather?

For starters, it’s important to understand that the current crisis is global in nature – and rather different than the supply shortage of 2018. Back then, the key factor was a shortage in Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) – the basic building block of silicone products. This was a result of some of these PDMS plants being taken offline due to maintenance or environmental concerns (primarily affecting the Chinese producers of PDMS). What’s changed in 2021 is less of an issue with PDMS and more in terms of people and ancillary products to convert the PDMS into elastomers and other key silicone products we all use. The Major Producers continue to struggle with catching up on their backlogs due to staffing, logistics, or shortages of ancillary and supporting products.

Additionally, one of China’s largest basic suppliers of silicon metal and downstream silicone products is banned from selling into the U.S. and the EU. Even if you don’t buy directly from this company, you possibly use its intermediates in products that you purchase from other suppliers. Again, this is making things tough.

Weathering the Storm with You

ElastaPro continues to work aggressively to assure the continued supply of silicone elastomers and ancillary products to our customers. We’re also doing all we can to reduce the costs in our processes so that we can offset rapidly increasing prices for raw materials.

Although we’ve had to increase our prices, the percentage of these increases has been well below what we are seeing in our raw materials. Moreover, we continue to maintain a two-week lead time on most made-to-order products. We’re also continuing to stock key silicone sheet materials for quick one-day turnarounds.

Look to the Long-Term Forecast

Our commitment to service goes well beyond wanting to provide you, our customer and partner, with the best quality and value in silicone sheeting and silicone compounds. We are also ensuring that we are doing all that we can to maintain a viable supply chain with quick turnaround times to provide the very best service to you.

We’ll get through this together – and sooner than later, we hope. It might not seem like it now, but sometimes storm leave behind rainbows.

Thank you for your continued support.

Molded Silicone Sheets with Quick Deliveries

ElastaPro is ready to supply you with solid silicone sheeting even if you need just a few yards of material. Our molded silicone sheets are made from high-quality ingredients and free from the curving that’s associated with roll stock. We offer quick turnarounds, too.

Molded Silicone Sheets

Check out these specs and let us know what you need:

Standard sheet size: 36″ x 36″
Durometer: 30 to 80 (Shore A)
Thickness: .250″ to 1″
Formulation: VMQ, PVMQ, or FVMQ
Specification Grades: FDA, UL, medical, electrically conductive
Commercial Grades: Available
Colors: Red, black, gray, or blue

Made in USA Silicone Sheeting

In these uncertain times, ElastaPro has the capabilities and flexibility to provide what you need when you need it. All of our silicone products are Made in the USA by a team that’s committed to bringing you the greatest value and finest customer experience.

Silicone Supply Insights

Everybody’s talking about silicone supply, but elastomers that don’t meet specifications aren’t the right way to meet demand. Don’t let them put your projects at risk.

ElastaPro tests the physical properties for each and every lot of all of our sheet materials. Our in-house testing laboratory can provide you with test results for specifications such as:

durometer
tensile strength
tear strength
percent elongation
fluid & heat aging and much more.

Recently, our in-house lab added a third Tensometer and a more sophisticated Shore A Durometer instrument for the most accurate results. ElastaPro also sends samples to third-party accredited laboratories to confirm the results of our own testing.

The benefits don’t end there. All of our silicones are Made in the USA. We also have a large selection of stocked items and can take you from lab batch to large-scale production.

Are you concerned about your silicone supply? Let us know what you need.

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