Features To Look For When Choosing A Manufacturer For Your Business's Rubber Seals

Rubber seals get used in a range of applications, from windows and medical equipment to industrial ovens and countless things in between. If you own a business, you may occasionally need to buy a replacement seal for some of your equipment. If you can't find the exact seal you need, you may need to work with a company that creates custom rubber seals. When choosing a company, here's what to look for.

ISO 9001: 2008 Certified

When looking at various rubber seal manufacturing companies, you may see a number of different certifications or promises about standards. There are a host of advantages to various certifications, but in particular, you may want to look for ISO 9001:2008.

This doesn't just apply to the rubber seal or gasket industry. Rather, it's a standard established in 2008 that means a company has been certified under an international quality management system. When a company has obtained this certification, you can rest assured that their manufacturing and business practices are well organized and top notch.

Custom Compound Formulation

When it comes to rubber seals, there are a range of types of rubber that can be used. These includes natural rubber, silicone, viton, butyl, and multiple others. All of these types of rubber have different properties that affect permeability, flame resistance, abrasion resistance, and several other qualities.

Mixing different types of rubber together can help you get exactly the properties you need. If you want to have a certain type of seal made, you may want to work with a facility that can offer custom compound formulations.

Variety of Molds

On top of getting the right material, you also need the right shape.To that end, you should work with a company that can create custom molds. You may want liquid injection molding as well as other elastomeric molding techniques as an option. Those processes help create seamless seals, which is especially helpful for o-rings or rubber gaskets.

Big and Small Batch Orders

In some cases, you may only need a one-off seal. To illustrate, imagine you own a restaurant and the rubber seal has broken down on your refrigerator, but the manufacturer no longer makes that type of refrigerator. In this case, you need a fabricator who is willing to take an order for a single, customized rubber seal.

On the other hand, imagine that you own a manufacturing company and you make a product that requires a rubber seal or even several seals. You don't have the equipment on site to create the quality of seals you need. In this case, you need to partner with a company that can make huge batches of seals.

Ultimately, you may want to partner with a manufacturer that can meet your demands either way. Then, if your needs change, you don't have to worry about finding a new company.

Online Quote Configuration Tools

Checking out multiple companies to get quotes can be exhausting. To help narrow in on the right company and the right price, you may want to look for a company that offers an online configuration and quote tool.

With that tool, you can start to price out your product before you sit down with a consultant. The exact tool varies from company to company, but generally, it's consists of a form. There, you enter the type of rubber you need, information about the desired shape and size of your seal, and details about the type of molds you want to use. Then, you pop in quantities, and the online tool generates a quote.

To get more information, start to contact rubber seal manufacturers directly. If you look for the features listed above, you're sure to find a company that meets your needs.