Rubber tubing is tubing made primarily from rubber or polymer materials. Rubber tubing offers excellent flexibility, durability, and tensile strength, making it an excellent option for a wide range of applications.
When asking the question, “What is rubber tubing,” it is important to remember that rubber tubing is a highly diverse product. Rubber tubing is very flexible from a manufacturing standpoint: A good rubber tubing manufacturer can customize the inner and outer dimensions of the tubing, the rubber compound, and a range of other specifications, depending on the application and service environment of the final product.
How Is Rubber Tubing Made?
Rubber tubing is usually made via extrusion. Extrusion is fast, efficient, scalable, and compatible with customization. This versatility is highly beneficial for a wide range of industries that rely on many types of tubing.
So, how is rubber tubing made? The unvulcanized rubber compound is heated and then forced through a die at a controlled rate and temperature, which creates a long, continuous tube. The rubber tubing is then cured via sulfur curing, salt bath curing, or a hot air oven. Once the tubing is cured, it may be cut to length.
Different Materials for Rubber Tubing
Rubber tubing can be made from a wide range of rubber materials, each of which offers a different set of beneficial properties. Companies can give themselves an advantage by choosing rubber materials with performance characteristics that match the intended service environment of their different types of tubing.
Here are a few examples of popular rubber material choices for different types of tubing:
- EPDM: EPDM, which stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer, is a popular choice for rubber tubing destined for an outdoor service environment. EPDM tubing is tough and highly resistant to UV and ozone radiation, heat, and extreme weather and offers good electrical insulation. Additionally, EPDM tubing has good vibration damping properties.
- Neoprene: Neoprene tubing is durable, resilient, flexible, and resistant to aging and adhesion. Neoprene tubing offers reliable electrical insulation and can absorb vibration. Some types of neoprene tubing are highly water resistant, but open-cell varieties of neoprene are somewhat vulnerable to water absorption.
- Nitrile: The properties of nitrile rubber tubing vary based on the formulation of the compound. However, most nitrile rubber tubing offers excellent flexibility and electrical insulation, as well as water, abrasion, and tear resistance. Its vibration damping properties are good, but other rubber materials outperform nitrile rubber in this particular metric.
- Silicone: Silicone tubing offers a wide range of desirable properties, including flexibility, durability, vibration damping, electrical insulation, and excellent resistance to high and low temperatures. While silicone tubing boasts an impressive performance profile, its high price tag can be prohibitive.
- Synthetic polyisoprene: Synthetic polyisoprene tubing is durable and flexible, with high tensile strength and good resistance to extreme cold and vibration. Additionally, pure synthetic polyisoprene tubing boasts excellent electrical resistance. However, synthetic polyisoprene tubing may not be the best option for high-heat environments and applications.
- Viton tubing: Viton tubing offers outstanding high-temperature resistance and excellent durability and electrical insulation, making it a popular choice for aggressive environments. Its vibration damping properties are considered decent, with other rubber materials outperforming Viton in this particular metric.
- SBR: SBR tubing offers high tensile strength and elasticity, excellent resistance to abrasion, wear, tear, and electrical currents, and good vibration damping. SBR tubing can withstand a moderate range of high and low temperatures but is not considered the best option for extreme cold or heat.
Common Applications of Rubber Tubing
Many industries appreciate the durability and flexibility of rubber materials and deploy rubber tubing for a wide range of applications. Different types of tubing for specific industries include:
Automotive
The automotive industry uses rubber tubing throughout the vehicle, especially favoring rubber materials that can withstand heat, abrasion, and vibration. Extruded rubber tubing serves important functions in fluid transfer, braking, and steering assemblies.
Food Service Equipment
Rubber tubing is often used in the food service industry for liquid transfer within specialized equipment. Food service professionals generally opt for rubber tubing that can withstand prolonged contact with fluids, especially high-temperature fluids, and are easy to sterilize.
Power Generation
The power industry relies on a wide range of rubber components and types of tubing for sealing applications. In some cases, rubber tubing may be spliced to form gaskets on sealing edges of sensitive components.
Railroad
Like the automotive industry, the railroad industry uses rubber tubing in braking systems. Other train assemblies that use different types of tubing include heating and air conditioning systems and pneumatic systems, such as air suspension.
Domestic Rubber Extrusion for Tubing Applications
If you’re looking for a domestic rubber tubing manufacturer, look no further than Universal Polymer & Rubber (UP&R). UP&R offers highly customizable rubber extrusion services on American soil, so we can meet your diverse needs and help you avoid price fluctuations associated with tariffs and imports. Our facilities are equipped with eight cutting-edge extrusion lines and a robust team of experienced extrusion technicians who can advise on even the most challenging customizations.
To learn more about our extrusion capabilities for rubber tubing, get in touch.