Silicone Extrusion: Innovations and Technologies for the Future of Manufacturing
Silicone extrusion
Extruded silicone products have become indispensable in our daily lives. The unique properties of silicone — which we will detail below — make it a true “high-performance” material. But how is this material processed? In the following sections, we will explain the silicone extrusion process, which enables the creation of flexible, heat-resistant, and highly precise products that are in high demand in fields such as medicine, the food industry, and construction.
But what ensures compliance with the special requirements of silicone extrusion? The exceptional properties of this material, combined with specialized technologies, play a key role in the process. You will learn more about these aspects in this article.
1. What Makes Silicone So Special?
Silicone is an extremely versatile material, ideal for demanding manufacturing processes such as extrusion. It stands out through the following characteristics of the finished products:
Temperature Resistance: Usable in a wide range from -55 °C to 260 °C
- Flexibility and Elasticity: Adapts easily to complex shapes
Chemical Resistance: Resistant to corrosion, chemicals, and UV radiatitii
- Biocompatibility: Ideal for medical and food industry applications
- Electrical Insulation: Suitable for wires and electronic components
- Flame Resistance: Special additives enable heat absorption in the event of fire, maintaining electrical insulation for a limited time
These properties make silicone indispensable in industries such as automotive, medical technology, electronics, and construction — where other materials simply cannot deliver the same level of performance.
2. Silicone Extrusion: How Does the Process Work?
In extrusion, the silicone material is pressed through a specially designed die to create profiles, tubes, hoses, or other complex geometries. The process offers high precision and flexibility for both standard and customized products.
The main stages include:
- Material Feeding: Controlled input of raw material using a piston, belt feeding systems, or screw feeders.
- Extrusion: The material is shaped within the extruder (cylinder, hopper, screw).
- Vulcanization: Efficient heat treatment to ensure shape stability.
- Cooling and Finishing: Cutting, cooling, and final packaging to meet product specifications.
3. Technologies for Silicone Extrusion
Choosing the right equipment is essential for both quality and efficiency. Machine manufacturers offer solutions tailored to the specific requirements of each type of processing:
Feeding Systems
- Piston Feeder: Ideal for viscous and sticky materials. Delivers the material evenly into the extruder.
- Belt Feeding System: Designed for uniform silicone masses, with or without separating film. Suitable for less adhesive materials.
- Conical Screw Feeders: Used for silicone blocks. Enable continuous shearing and efficient homogenization of the material.
Extruder
Modern extruders (such as those from Rubicon) offer precise control over pressure and temperature, making them suitable for both mono- and co-extrusion — ideal for complex products made from multiple materials.
Extrusion heads
The Extrusion Die Head shapes the material as it exits the extruder. Common types of die heads include:
- Straight and Crosshead Dies: Used for profiles and hoses.
- Crosshead Dies: Designed for coating cables, wires, and hoses.
- Dual (or Multi-Layer) Dies: Used for extrusion in two or more layers.
- Co-Extrusion Dies: Designed for processing different materials simultaneously.
- Specialized Dies: Adjust flow rate and product profile for precise, application-specific requirements.
- Screen Pack / Rheometer / Slit Dies:
Silicone Gear Pump
It offers multiple benefits:
- Uniform Flow: Pulse-free delivery that maintains consistent product quality.
- High Efficiency: Reduces waste and energy consumption.
- Durability: Withstands abrasive or corrosive materials.
- Precise Control: Accurately regulates flow rate and pressure.
Low Heat Generation: Preserves the properties of the silicone material.
Increased Output: Enhances dimensional accuracy and boosts productivity.
Curing (Vulcanization) Systems
Rubicon Systems Include:
- Infrared Tunnel: Ensures dimensional stability through rapid and uniform surface heating.
- Vertical Top-Down Systems: Designed for lightweight products, allowing gravity-assisted transport and precise curing alignment.
- Bottom-Up Systems: Ideal for heavy profiles or small-dimension products at high speeds, ensuring stable support and precise guidance during curing.
- High-Performance Horizontal Line: Ensures uniform heat transfer and superior-quality vulcanization.
Other components:
- Cooling Systems: Preserve the material’s properties by stabilizing its shape and preventing thermal degradation after vulcanization.
- Cutting and Processing Equipment: Includes cutters, winders, and other downstream units for precise length cutting, coiling, or further shaping of extruded silicone products.
- Quality Control Systems: Enable inline measurement, marking, and inspection to ensure dimensional accuracy, traceability, and defect detection in real time.
4. Diverse Extrusion Processes
Silicone extrusion covers a wide range of applications:
- Medical, Industrial, and Automotive Hoses:
- Profiles for Windows, Doors, and Insulation:
- Solid or Sponge Cords:
Uniform, Straight Strips:
- Wire and Cable Coating:
Multilayer Hoses:
- Custom extrusion
5. Why Silicone Extrusion Is Beneficial for Companies
The growing demand for durable, chemically resistant, and customizable products brings numerous benefits to companies that utilize extrusion technology:
Advantages:
- Efficiency: Automated processes, high productivity
- Precision: Perfect match for complex requirements
- Sustenaibility: Fewer material and energy losses
- Market flexibility: Offers the possibility of developing innovative products
Silicone extrusion with Rubicon
Whether you need standard profiles or custom extrusions, silicone is the ideal material for durable, flexible, and future-ready solutions.
Contact us today to develop an extrusion system tailored to your needs and take advantage of our expertise in high-performance industrial solutions!