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Rubber products are important basic materials in modern industry, and their main raw materials include raw rubber, various compounding agents, as well as fibers and metal materials used as framework materials.
In the automotive industry, automotive rubber accessories wholesalers cooperate closely with manufacturing enterprises. Through standardized formulas and precision processing technologies, they provide stable supply of rubber components for complete vehicle factories and the after-sales market.
The basic production process of rubber products includes six fundamental processes: mastication, mixing, calendering, extrusion, molding, and vulcanization. The core of the entire rubber processing process lies in balancing "plasticity" and "elasticity": through process methods such as mastication and mixing, elastic rubber is transformed into "masticated rubber" with plasticity; then various compounding agents are added to make semi-finished products; finally, vulcanization treatment is carried out to restore high elasticity and excellent mechanical properties.
This is also one of the key technical links that automotive rubber accessories wholesalers focus on when selecting high-quality rubber product supply sources.
Rubber Processing Technology
Mastication Process
Raw rubber mastication is a process that converts raw rubber from a tough elastic state to a soft, easy-to-process plastic state through mechanical stress, heat, oxygen, or the addition of chemical auxiliaries.
The purpose of mastication is to reduce the elasticity of rubber, increase plasticity, and obtain appropriate fluidity to meet the requirements of subsequent processes such as mixing, calendering, extrusion, molding, and vulcanization.
Mastering the appropriate mastication plasticity is crucial for the processing stability of rubber products and the quality of the final finished products. On the premise of meeting process requirements, plasticity should be reduced as much as possible to lower energy consumption and avoid scorching.
Nowadays, with the emergence of constant-viscosity rubber and low-viscosity rubber, some high-end rubber materials can directly enter the mixing process without mastication. This trend is also regarded by many automotive rubber accessories wholesalers as an important indicator of energy conservation and efficiency improvement.
In the rubber industry, mastication methods are mainly divided into mechanical mastication and chemical mastication:
Mechanical mastication: Open rubber mixing mills, internal rubber mixing mills, or screw mastication machines are used.
Chemical mastication: Chemical agents are added under mechanical action to accelerate the viscosity reduction reaction and improve mastication efficiency.
Process Control Examples:
Open mill mastication: The temperature is generally below 80℃, which belongs to low-temperature mechanical mastication.
Internal mixer and screw mixing mill: The rubber discharge temperature ranges from 120℃ to 180℃, which belongs to high-temperature mechanical mastication.
Before mixing, raw rubber usually needs to undergo pre-treatment such as rubber drying, rubber cutting, rubber selection, and rubber breaking to ensure the stability of subsequent processing.
Mastication Characteristics of Different Rubber Types:
Natural rubber: Roll temperature is 30–40℃, and mastication time is 15–20 minutes.
Styrene-butadiene rubber: It can be used without mastication, or mastication can be performed to improve dispersibility.
cis-1,4-polybutadiene rubber: It has low Mooney viscosity and can be used without mastication.
Chloroprene rubber: It has high plasticity and can be thinly passed for 3–5 times.
Ethylene-propylene rubber: It has a saturated molecular structure, so the mastication effect is not significant.
Nitrile rubber: It has high toughness and high heat generation, so low-temperature segmented mastication is suitable.
Rubber products are important basic materials in modern industry, and their main raw materials include raw rubber, various compounding agents, as well as fibers and metal materials used as framework materials.
