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Silicon Rubber. Tim Elsner Nate Vetsch Caleb Glantz Andy Johnson. Silicon Rubber Properties. Mechanical High tear and tensile strength Great flexibility Thermal Wider range than most other rubbers Electrical Exceed similar materials in insulating ability Non-conductive
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Silicon Rubber Tim Elsner Nate Vetsch Caleb Glantz Andy Johnson
Silicon Rubber Properties • Mechanical • High tear and tensile strength • Great flexibility • Thermal • Wider range than most other rubbers • Electrical • Exceed similar materials in insulating ability • Non-conductive • Maintains dielectric strength through wide temp range
Silicon Rubber Properties • Chemical • Water resistant • Chemical resistant including: • Some acids • Oxidizing agents • Ammonia • Isopropyl alcohol • Bio-Compatibility • Comply with FDA guideline for medical products • Tasteless and odorless • Doesn’t support bacteria growth • Doesn’t corrode other materials • Most importantly have superior compatibility with human tissue
Tour of MN Rubber • Lead by Jeff Amundson, Operations Manager • Thank You Jeff • Litchfield Plant • Horizontal injection molding • Liquid silicone molding (LSR) • Extensive automation • Clean room finishing facilities • Thermo-set silicone injection molding • Standard products: ground rubber balls, o-rings & Quad-Ring Seals
Cool things on tour • Automated visual inspection machine for deliver • Cryogenic de-flashing process • DOE to optimize with in the next year • Quality inspection room • Not just a myth, SQC is used! • O-ring defect separator • Overall cleanliness • Baffling ball grinder • Recycling of flash for profit!
Automated Visual Inspection www.dyn.com/cdinsp.html
Cryogenic De-flashing Machine www.devicelink.com/company98/c/c00374.html
Pampered Chef Spatulas • Minnesota Rubber • Complete in-house production • Handles injection molded plastic • “scoop” injection LSR • Nearly full automation • One man producing 500/hr www.mnrubber.com
Liquid Silicon Injection • Two part silicon • Mixed in injection machine www.vestaweb.com/manufacturing/molding.htm
Liquid Silicon Injection • Actual machine • Hopper is replaced by hoses to drums with silicon parts separated www.emachineshop.com/machines-molding/injection-molding.htm
Our Experiment • Received pre-mixed HTV gum rubber
Our Experiment • Modeled two part injection with compression molding • Heat die • Insert precise amount of material • Compress in machine • Leave for time to set • Remove • Post bake for more complete cure
Our Experiment • 24 Full Factorial • Die temp 275 & 300°F • Dwell time 4 & 5 minutes • Post bake temp 350 & 600°F • Post bake time ½ & 2 hours
Our Experiment Results • Response variable is hardness • Durometer Shore A scale • Measured with tensile tester • Force vs. Displacement • Correlated to Shore A scale
Testing methods Ideal Modified Method http://www.checkline-europe.com/hardness_tester/
Results • Die time and temp • Die time prob>f=.419 insignificant • Die temp prob>f=.272 insignificant • Potentially made insignificant by requiring sufficient cure for ease of release
Results • Post bake time and temp • Bake time prob>f = .0036 significant • Bake temp prob>f = .0321 significant • Interaction prob>f = .0118 significant
Conclusions • Die time and temp both set to low • Save energy and time • Post bake at high temp and least amount of time possible • Low cycle times
Thank you • Jeff Amundson for a good tour • Darryl for making test indentor • Bill for answering never ending questions • Seth for helping with lab equipment