Deform under load. Recover when the load is removed.
Elastomers are flexible polymer materials used where sealing, resilience, compliance, vibration isolation, cushioning, gripping, or repeated elastic deformation is part of the component's function.
Performance depends on much more than whether a material feels soft
Nitrile Rubber
Often selected for seals, gaskets, hoses, and components exposed to oils or fuels where the specific formulation is compatible.
EPDM
Commonly used where weather, water, steam, ozone, and outdoor exposure are important considerations.
Silicone
Silicone elastomers can support broad temperature ranges, flexibility, sealing, and specialized food, medical, or industrial applications.
Neoprene
Neoprene formulations can offer useful weathering, mechanical, and general environmental performance.
Fluoroelastomers
Selected where elevated temperature or aggressive chemical and fuel exposure requires more specialized elastomer performance.
Thermoplastic Elastomers
TPE materials combine elastic behavior with thermoplastic processing methods such as injection molding and extrusion.
Hardness influences flexibility, sealing contact, deformation, insertion force, and load distribution.
A sealing material must recover sufficiently after long periods of compression to maintain contact.
Cold can reduce flexibility while heat can accelerate aging, softening, hardening, or permanent deformation.
Oils, fuels, water, cleaners, solvents, acids, bases, and process fluids may swell, soften, harden, or degrade elastomers.
Repeated flexing, vibration, abrasion, rolling, or sliding may require fatigue and wear performance beyond static sealing.
They are frequently used to create seals, isolate vibration, protect surfaces, manage contact pressure, accommodate movement, and provide compliant interfaces between harder components.
Compression Molding
Measured material is placed into heated tooling and compressed into the cavity before curing.
Injection Molding
Elastomeric compounds can be injected into tooling for repeatable production where material and process permit.
Extrusion
Continuous profiles, seals, tubing, cords, and similar shapes can be produced through shaped extrusion tooling.
Die Cutting & Fabrication
Sheet elastomers can be cut, laminated, bonded, or fabricated into gaskets, pads, seals, and custom shapes.
Composite materials combine a matrix with reinforcement to create mechanical properties that differ from either material alone.
Explore Composite Materials →