Lake Erie Rubber is a premier custom rubber molding expert providing customers in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States with high-quality EPDM, silicone, neoprene, FKM (Viton), nitrile, and natural rubber products. With one of the largest collections of compression, injection, and transfer molding equipment available in the United States, Lake Erie Rubber is more than capable of developing a variety of industry-specific products that require specialized rubber molding. Working with the experienced team at Lake Erie Rubber ensures that your custom-molded products use the ideal molding technique and correct rubber material, and meet all intended shapes, tolerances, and performance requirements. From custom-sized industrial EPDM gaskets to silicone medical components and natural rubber vibration insulators, Lake Erie Rubber can handle all inquiries for custom rubber molding, and look forward to learning more about your specific needs.

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Advantages of Custom Rubber Molding

Businesses seeking an experienced provider of rubber molding typically reach out and receive quotes when they have a unique part design or are seeking to make improvements to the performance or durability of an existing part. Natural competition to find lower-cost alternatives, replacing previously used rubbers due to changing performance metrics, or altering part designs to meet the revised needs of end applications are just a few examples of past customers who decided to work with Lake Erie Rubber. By choosing to partner with an experienced provider, customers can expect several advantages versus working with someone who only offers limited rubber molding services.

• High-Precision / Tight Tolerance Results: Whether refining an existing part design or working on a completely custom solution, specialized rubber molding can offer impressive precision and consistently hold tight tolerances. These results hold up throughout the full production cycle and help reduce overall costs by limiting material waste.
• Mold Tooling Design & Manufacturing: Unlike other rubber molding manufacturers, Lake Erie Rubber can design, manufacture, and even refurbish or repair rubber molds to optimize production while reducing costs and upholding specific quality standards. The full-time in-house engineer utilizes modern software and advanced machining equipment to produce injection, compression, and transfer mold tooling.
• Addressing Specific Concerns: Lake Erie Rubber can provide insights into choosing a replacement rubber for specific applications or inspect existing part designs for areas that can be improved to enhance manufacturability. In some instances, OEMs and other businesses need to redesign specific parts to meet new industry regulations.
• Reduced Long-Term Costs: While custom tooling can present an elevated upfront cost the long-term benefits quickly pay for themselves through improved final product quality and longevity. The tooling can also be repurposed or refinished as needed.

Different Rubbers Used for Custom Molding

There are two types of rubber used in custom molding applications, natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Within the latter of the two categories are countless unique scientifically formulated rubber variants with carefully calculated resistances and performance benefits for specific end applications. Since first opening its doors, Lake Erie Rubber has made a concerted effort to not only work with but become familiar with the advances of modern rubber technology and the advantages each different variant possesses. The list below contains several of the most popular types used in custom rubber molding applications but is not exhaustive.

• EPDM: Short for ethylene propylene diene monomer, EPDM is a synthetic rubber with impressive durability, flexibility, and temperature ranges making it ideal for outdoor applications. Lake Erie has worked on custom rubber molding projects for customers in the construction, HVAC, and automotive industries.
• Silicone: Comprised of several elements, silicone rubber has exceptional temperature resistance and elevated levels of protection against electrical currents. Silicone is widely used in the medical, food, and electrical industries but can be a bit expensive for high-volume applications compared to EPDM or natural rubber.
• Neoprene: Unlike other frequently used rubbers, neoprene offers unmatched resistance to oils, solvents, and other petroleum-based fuels making it an adept solution for aerospace or automotive applications.
• FKM (Viton): The impressive chemical resistances of FKM (Viton) make it ideal for use in aerospace, automotive, and chemical processing applications. It is frequently formed into seals, hoses, tubing, o-rings, and gaskets.
• Nitrile: Also known as NBR or nitrile-butadiene rubber, nitrile is a synthetic rubber with resistance to oils, fuels, and solvents. Prized in the aerospace and automotive sectors, nitrile has the necessary abrasion resistance and tensile strength to withstand use as various hoses, seals, diaphragms, and connectors.
• Natural: Natural rubber is an extremely versatile solution for custom molded parts and provides high tensile strength, vibration dampening, and easy workability for a variety of end applications. The impressive wear and tear resistance makes natural rubber ideal for seals, gaskets, and sports equipment.

Contact Lake Erie Rubber for a Quote

If you are interested in learning more about the custom rubber molding capabilities or experience at Lake Erie Rubber, please send us an email with more information on your upcoming project requirements. Our in-house sales and design experts will then reach out and gladly provide you with added insight into the ideal rubber molding solution and offer a detailed quote with competitive pricing and fast turnaround times. With decades of experience serving countless industries, we believe that our knowledge and equipment will combine to deliver high-quality rubber products that exceed your expectations.

Contact Lake Erie Rubber